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.)
Jesus was at the Temple in Jerusalem on Wednesday of Holy Week. There, He answered question after question from diverse groups such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, and scribes. Before He “departed from the temple” (Matthew 24:1b), He closed with these heart-rending words: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them [who] are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Matthew 23:37-38). The contrast is complete: the very people that Jesus wanted so dearly to love were the ones who would kill Him. Had Jesus walked away with these as His last words at the Temple, no one could have complained. However, He added words of hope: “For I say unto you, ‘Ye shall not see Me henceforth, till ye shall say, “Blessed is He [Who] cometh in the name of the Lord”’” (verse 39). This promise quotes Psalm 118:26 and affirms that at the return of Jesus many in Israel will turn to Him (Romans 9-11; Revelation 7, 11, 14:1-5). His work of salvation has not ceased. It is ongoing and gives us great hope for those who are not yet saved.