Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
After Jesus met and healed a disabled man (Mark 3:1-5), the hard-hearted Pharisees joined with the politically-motivated Herodians to plot against Him: “And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him” (verse 6). This vicious response is difficult for us to understand, for basic human compassion should be a sufficient reason to rejoice in anyone’s healing. I remember listening to a gifted local preacher (now serving in the Midwest) who stated that the theme song of hell is “I Did It My Way.” His memorable imagery is also Biblical, for Jesus proclaimed absolutely, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). Any way other than His way is thus a wrong way that leads directly to hell. By rejecting Jesus and His way, the Pharisees, Herodians, and others were choosing their own stubborn, stiff-necked way. May we instead rejoice in Jesus’ way, in His kindness to us and to others, and especially in the eternal life that He freely offers to all.