Carpenter Diem (Because Jesus Was a Carpenter and Is Now Preparing a Home for His People)
The resurrection of God the Son, Jesus Christ, is crucial to the Christian faith. In Luke 24:13-35, we read of the resurrected Savior walking the road to Emmaus. This specific geographical reference reminds us of the absolute accuracy of God’s Word in all areas. In verse 27, Jesus begins to teach from the Old Testament; He not only walked the talk but also talked the walk! This passage does not reveal the exact Scriptures Jesus employed to teach these journeying believers, but we do know that He fulfilled the entire Old Testament (Matthew 5:17,18). Fulfilled prophecy is one of the major reasons that we can be certain that our faith in Jesus is not misplaced. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Some have wrongly suggested that the Song of Solomon is an allegory, using fictional characters to represent the love of God for His people; a plain reading of the entire book clarifies that it is an intense expression of the love that is found in marriage. When we understand this romantic theme of the book, we can then see how Jesus fulfills it. One verse (of at least several) that immediately makes us think of Jesus is Song of Solomon 5:16. First, “his mouth is most sweet.” Think of the many kind, healing words of Jesus. For example, Matthew 25:21 tells us that Jesus desires to say to each one of us, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” Are sweeter words possible? Second, “he is altogether lovely.” One who is truly lovely is filled with love. John 13:1 says of Jesus that “having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” Jesus demonstrated His loveliness by washing the disciples feet and, far greater, by then dying on the Cross for them and for us. Third, “this is my beloved.” Ephesians 1:6 says, “He [God the Father] hath made us accepted in the Beloved [God the Son]. True love always changes us for the better. Fourth, “this is my friend.” Jesus said in John 15:14, “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” (As an aside, I hope that, if you are married, your spouse is your best friend. Love without friendship is not possible.) The New Testament clearly presents Jesus as the Bridegroom of the church (Ephesians 5:31-32), and describes the marriage feast that He is preparing for all believers (Revelation 19:6-9). We are loved.