Cat/Man

Lana and I are going to be getting a new kitten, as our adoption papers went through today. The cat we are adopting is a grey striped short-hair cat, one that I have been wanting to get for some time. I'm nervous about how Baron and the new cat, Slugger will get along together, but they are both still young, Baron being about 14 months old, and both have a fair amount of energy. I'm wondering whether Baron will grow up faster and become more of a mentor for the new cat. Who else but Baron the Lion-Hearted to do such a thing?

Don't have much else to say on the topic, I'm excited to get the cat, but Lana and I will be heading up to Minnesota first. We won't be able to pick up the cat until we get back a week from today.

Slugger was going to be the name of my first-born son. Slugger Robert Seiler, but I thought of something even better (I know, what could be better than Slugger?). The name Sirius also received consideration, although I have to vote that one down because of the Harry Potter movies. I was thinking of the star when I thought of it, changed the spelling, and then remembered the Potter books. Bummer.

If I can get internet access up in northern Minnesota at my parent's lakehouse, I'm going to set up a live ice fishing blog that is going to rock the house, the icehouse that is.

Bat/Man

There are two reasons for writing this post. First, the saga of man vs. bat. Second, my excitement over the summer movie The Dark Knight.

On Christmas Day, Lana and I got home after dark and Lana messed around in the storage closet next to the kitchen, rearranging some empty cardboard boxes and putting some new boxes in it. It is a fairly large storage closet, but we have it nearly full of stuff, not junk of course, but stuff.

Baron, our cat, sat outside the door staring into the closet after Lana left the door slightly open. (When is a door not a door? When it is ajar!) We didn't move and seemed to be mesmerized by what was happening within. It was a little creepy, especially because I was already feeling jumpy after having finished watching Zodiac about twenty mintues earlier. It wasn't a particularly scary movie, but the idea of a killer who strikes at randon for the joy of killing is incredibly terrifying to me.

I walk to the door and listen in on what Baron has been paying attention to. The soft sounds of movement are coming from within the labyrinth of boxes, golf clubs, crates, and computers. Whatever is in there, is not only moving around, but somewhat frantically by the sounds of it. As I try to figure out where the sounds are coming from, Baron's farm cat instincts kick-in and he starts prodding around the closet. He seems to locate where the creature is, but I pull him back so he doesn't catch whatever it is.

Lana and I decide to leave and try to find some mousetraps...On Christmas Day...at midnight. We're smart, us'ens is. After discovering that 24-hour stores are not open on Christmas Day, we head home, slightly dejected. When we enter the apartment, Baron is sitting at the door to the closet, meowing, running his arm under the door, and his nose is on the door like a pig on a truffle.

I decide to open the door and take one final look. As I open the door a crack, I look into the living room and see Lana looking on from a safe distance. Looking down, I see Baron poking his head through the crack and look into the closet. My heart skips a beat as a I see a bat lying on the floor, screaming and baring it's teeth at my cat, whose face could not have been more than couple of inches from the bat's, if not an inch. Scared, yes scared, for you see I have an active imagination and all I could think of was the bat killing my cat, flying to my neck and latching on, killing me in a bloody struggle before I see it heading to my wife with my last dying breath. Anyway, scared by the impossibly improbable hyperbole of the situation, I yell "Baron!" and try to grab him before he gets bit. He does not relent from trying to get to the bat. Again I yell "Baron, no!" and notice that Lana and screamed and disappeared. I pull him back from the jaws of death, (or at least a one in twenty shot at rabies, or was it one in 2000? (I can't remember if it said 0.05 chance, or 0.05 percent chance)) and slam the door. Some quick work with some packaging tape seals him into the closet. Thank God for Christmas. Really!

I call the animal control people the next day to see if I need to bring the bat in for rabies testing as it may have bitten my cat, the chance is small, but it all happened so fast. They said that I'd have to pay for the test, so, sorry Baron. I opened the door, didn't see the bat, but had heard it earlier in the morning. Shut the door, steeled myself against the possibility of having to find it in the maze of storage, and opened the door again. It was in a box, sleeping. I tossed it outside.

What fun that was. Lana and I were kind of terrorized by this bat in our closet. I slept uneasily, imagining a flock of bats circling my room in the middle of the night. Lana said she had multiple baticide dreams, with different combinations of killers. The only one who wasn't scared? Baron, our cat. He was fascinated by it, and probably would have fought it. Lana named him Baron von Kitty when she first got him. I proposed that we rename him Baron the Lion-Hearted. When the dragon was wreaking havoc and choas on the quiet hamlet of our apartment, Baron von Kitty stepped forth to slay the fang-bearing dragon, before being pulled back by the very villagers he had pledged to protect, to the point of death, or possible brain-virus. For this reason, he shall forever and anon be dubbed Baron the Lion-Hearted.


From one hero to another. I have to say I am excited for the movie The Dark Knight to be released, even though it won't come out until June or July. Christopher Nolan is one of my favorite movie directors, so when he took over the Batman franchise, I was eager to see what he would do with the series. Memento, style-wise, is one of my favorite movies. Insomnia was pretty good flick, and I enjoyed The Prestige. So, when I watched Batman Begins back in 2005 I think, I was wondering whether it would be a Batman movie, or a Christopher Nolan movie. It managed to be both. I was never really a fan of the Batman movies, but I found myself wanting to see more. I kind of forgot about it until seeing a preview before I am Legend. The new movie looks even better than the last one. Heath Ledger as The Joker looks incredible. I watched Thank You For Smoking tonight and I'm excited about Aaron Eckhart as Two-Face, although it won't be a large part of the movie. I couldn't help but think of Matt Ellsworth as Aaron Eckhart's character.

I like how the new Batman movies are realistic, to an extent. The action is not out of a comic book, but to an extent, it is all within the limits of human effort. Like the Scarecrow didn't have any special powers, he simply used mind-altering drugs to gain an advantage. The Joker will not be a supervillian, but a regular person who happens to enjoy immorality and choas. We get some of the psychology behind the characters, their histories and reasons for acting the way they do. I love it. Christopher Nolan does not have an easy job. It is as if he has to please comic book readers, Batman fans, the fans of the Batman movies who don't necessarily read the comics, and his own fans. With the first movie, he seemed to please them all. I hope the second and third installment do the same. Apparently, contracts have been signed for a third Batman movie, coming out in 2010 or 2011. While I wish the movies would come out yearly, it is worth the wait if the movies are worth their weight.

If you haven't seen the preview, check it out online. And try to watch the prologue to new movie. There is a 7 or 8-minute short created for IMAX theatres that isn't a preview, nor part of the movie, but a prologue featuring the rise of The Joker, which is supposed to take place in the time between the end of Batman Begins and the start of The Dark Knight.

The Begining and the End

{This is the twelveth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Beginning and the End

This final post could also be called, The First and the Last, or The Alpha and the Omega, in addition to The Beginning and the End. All mean the same thing, just put into different words. Observe.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)

"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." (Revelation 22:13)

From first to last, from the beginning to the end, the story of God is pointing towards Jesus Christ. He created the world, he set apart the Israelites, delivered them from the bondage of Egypt, made a covenant with them, promised a Redeemer, wrapped himself in flesh and was born of a virgin, taught, healed, and instructed his people, died for their sins, gave them the gift of the Holy Spirit, residing in them, made a new covenant with them, delivered them from the bondage of sin, and promised them everlasting life.

From first to last, the Bible points us towards Christ. He was there in the beginning creating the earth, and he is there in the end promising heaven to those who believe. From the beginning of time, to the end of days, God's plan of salvation for his people rests upon the life and death of Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God, his Holy Lamb, and his One and Only Son. He is the Alpha and the Omega and everything in between. He is the coming King. The King of Kings.

Are you thirsty? Come and drink.

Are you brokenhearted? Here is one who cares more than you could know.

Are you blind? Ask to see.

Are you content? Great! Give praise!

Whether you are a believer or not, Jesus is waiting for you, in one way or another.

The Lord of Lords/The King of Kings

{This is the eleventh part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Lord of Lords and King of Kings

I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time--God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen. (1 Timothy 6:14-16)

In his letter to Timothy, Paul addresses Jesus Christ as the King of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus was to be the king of his people. This led people to believe that he would be king on earth, but his kingdom was not to be during his day. Christians believe that Christ's kingdom will be established in the future, at a time that only God knows for certain. That did not keep Jesus from being declared a king on earth, though. Indeed, in the gospel of Matthew, when Jesus was born, the Magi who travelled to visit him asked "where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?" Later, in his death, written above his head was "THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS."

Why was Jesus not wholly accepted by the Israelites? They were waiting for an earthly king, one who would come and make Israel a powerful nation on earth. They were waiting for a political king. Jesus, the heavenly king, came not to rule on earth, but to serve. Indeed, he noted that he did not come to earth to serve, but to be served, and the greatest among the disciples would be the one who has the most servile heart. Christ's kingdom is to come at a later time.

The Book of Revelation gives some glimpses of what that kingdom may look like. Before that kingdom is to come about, the book describes a final battle that will take place. Now, some Christians believe that the Book of Revelation is true and will happen, while some believe it is allegorical about Christ's return to earth. This much is true, though, Christ repeatedly told his disciples and followers that he would be returning to earth, and there are repeated instances in both the New Testament and Old Testament that refer to a final day of the Lord.

In Revelation, Christ is described as a rider on a white horse, leading the army of heaven.

"They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers." (Revelation 17:14)

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God... On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Revelation 19:11-13, 16)

Notice that in his death he was "King of the Jews" and nobody believed it, yet when he comes back, he will be "King of Kings and Lord of Lords".

So, why is Jesus called the King of Kings and Lord of Lords? It is because he is God most high, there is none better than him. He is not a king bloodthirsty for gaining lands or wealth, he is not profligate or haughty, he is not a king that uses his subjects for his own gain. Jesus is a king who loved his people so much, that even though he was innocent of all charges, he laid down his life for his own people, and in dying for them, saved them from the punishment they deserved.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

That is the kind of king that Jesus is. He did not condescend to earth to ruler on earth, his rule would be in heaven. He came to earth to be king of our hearts. I call him my King.

I'll leave you with the words to a Third Day song that is appropriate, called King of Glory.

Who is this King of Glory that pursues me with his love
And haunts me with each hearing of His softly spoken words
My conscience, a reminder of forgiveness that I need
Who is this King of Glory who offers it to me

Who is this King of angels, O blessed Prince of Peace
Revealing things of Heaven and all its mysteries
My spirit's ever longing for His grace in which to stand
Who's this King of glory, Son of God and son of man

His name is Jesus, precious Jesus
The Lord Almighty, the King of my heart
The King of glory

Who is this King of Glory with strength and majesty
And wisdom beyond measure, the gracious King of kings
the Lord of Earth and Heaven, the Creator of all things
He is the King of Glory, He's everything to me

The Lord of Earth and Heaven, the Creator of all things
He is the King of glory, He's everything to me

The Bright and Morning Star/The Author and Perfecter

{This is the tenth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Bright and Morning Star/The Author and Perfecter

The Bright and Morning Star

There are few bright and morning star references in the Bible, but the most significant comes near the very end of the entire book.

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star." (Revelation 22:16)

Jesus proclaims himself as the bright Morning Star, what does this mean? To tell the truth, I wasn't sure about this one, so I did some internet research and tried to see what others have said about it. What I read seemed to make sense, so maybe I should have just thought about it longer.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

Jesus was the light of the world, from him, the darkness flees, and if we believe in him, we come out of the darkness of and into the light. Satan has been called the Prince of Darkness, trying to keep us in the dark with our sins. If we stay in the dark, we can not receive forgiveness. If we are ashamed, embarrassed, or proud of our sin, we can not enter the light. Entering the light means repenting of our sins, confessing them to God, asking for, and receiving forgiveness from God. Doing this, we enter into fellowship with Jesus Christ and his followers.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. (1 John 1:5-7)

Just as at daybreak, we see the sun rise out of the sky, illuminating and brightening morning stars, so when we come out of the darkness of sin and into the light of righteousness, we see Jesus, the Bright Morning Star rise from the darkness and chase the darkness away.

I read this online, and thought that it was written much better than I could, so I will end with this:

At the midnight of our personal darkness we need only remember that Jesus, the star, comes to the horizon of our lives, ushering in a new day of light in which the darkness of our blackest night is chased away. And, like the wise men seeking the newborn King, we are compelled to profess to all the world, "We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." With saints of old, seekers of today, and the celestial choirs of forever, we join in riotous praise as the oppressive gloom of sin and death flees before the shining Morning Star! At His feet we bow our hearts and minds and adore Him.


The Author and Perfecter

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. (Hebrews 12:2)

What does it mean that Jesus was the author and perfecter of our faith? To answer this question, we must understand why God gave the Israelites the list of laws that he did. At that time, he gave the laws to help set apart the Israelites as the people of God. Some of the laws were moral laws, some were health regulations, and some seemed rather bizarre and arbitrary. The purpose of the law was to point out the sin of the people.

The law was added so that the trespass might increase. (Romans 5:20)

That is, the law was added so that people would become aware of their sins. If they were aware of their sins, then they would recognize the need for forgiveness from God, against whom all sins are committed. Even though most sins directly hurt or harm another person or their standing, the sin is not committed against that person, but against God. Thus, the law does not make anyone perfect, but instead points out imperfections. The need for forgiveness remains. As mentioned in The Holy Lamb post, forgiveness under the old covenant required the sacrifice of animals to appease God. When Jesus became the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all, he ushered in the promised new covenant, in which faith in Jesus Christ absolves us from sin.

We know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:16)

In this way, Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith. As God, he was responsible for giving the Israelites the law. As God incarnate, he lived the perfect life to become a perfect, sinless sacrifice, able to cleanse all believers of their sin. In this way, he perfected the law and by doing so, allowed us to break free from the bindings of the law and sin, and to accept the gift of salvation through him.

The Fount of Living Water

{This is the ninth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Fount of Living Water

"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters." (Isaiah 55:1)

The invitation had been sent out long before the time of Jesus, but it was during a conversation with a Samaritan woman at a well that made it all clear. This passage presented will be extensive, but it is all significant.

Now he had to go through Samaria. So he came to a town in Samaris called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."
"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"
Jesus answered, "Everybody who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."
He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
"I have no husband," she replied.
Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."
"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship in is Jerusalem."
Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirt and in truth."
The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."
Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:4-26)

That was quite long, the longest consecutive passage I've used thus far, but it is one of my favorites and it is the only major one I will be using in this installment.

Jesus claimed to be able to dispense living water, the kind of which will satisfy the spirit, the kind that will satisfy the soul. The person who drinks of this water will still need to drink water to stay alive, but will thirst no longer in spirit, and will no longer feel an emptiness of the soul. Not only will this living water fill the empty spaces in one's spirit, but it will overflow, running over and will influence others.

On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (John 7:37-39)

The Holy Spirit has been discussed in earlier posts, so suffice it to say that this fullness we will feel is the dwelling of the Holy Spirit in us. Our spirit will long for nothing else, the void inside of us will have been filled by God. In this way, we will thirst no longer for philosophies, fleeting romances, the bottom of a bottle, for our thirst for meaning and fullness will be slaked by God.

Finally, the Book of Revelation paints a bucolic picture of the New Jerusalem.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city....
....The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life. (Revelation 22:1-2, 17)

Are you thirsty?


POSTSCRIPT:

I have two extra thoughts on this topic.

First, the living water referred to by Jesus is said to the the Holy Spirit. The picture portrayed of heaven is of the Father and Son seated on their thrones, with living water (God's spirit) flowing from the thrones. I just thought of this, but it is curious to me that alcoholic beverages are sometimes referred to are 'wine and spirits'. Does this have some sort of Biblical background, or is it just a coincidence?

Second, I have talked about the story of the woman at the well (the passage from John 4 up above) with my brother Ryan and he noted that he thought the song Killing Me Softly was about the woman at the well. I tended to agree. See the lyrics here: http://music.yahoo.com/Roberta-Flack/Killing-Me-Softly-With-His-Song/lyrics/572673

Turns out, if Wikipedia is correct, that the song was originally written about Don McLean performing a blues song called Empty Chairs. Well, when I hear the song, which is usually the Fugees cover of it, it reminds we of the story of the woman at the well.

The Miracles and Wonders--Part Two

{This is the eighth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Miracles and Wonders--Part Two

The One Who Walked On Water/The One Who Calmed the Seas

Jesus's miracles and wonders defied physical reality. I suppose that is the defition of a miracle, something that is outside the explainable realm of science. In the last installment of the series, the healing powers of Jesus were examined and explained. In this segment of the series, the focus will not be upon how he was able to physically change people, but how he was able to control his surrounding environments.

Then he got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" He replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. The men were amazed and asked, "What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!" (Matthew 8:23-27)

In this instance, Jesus was able to simply manipulate his environment. When he went to sleep, I wonder if it was with a smile on his face, knowing what was to come, and what events would transpire. I wonder what it was like to wield such power, but Jesus did not abuse this power, in fact he respected it and rarely used it. In all cases, it was used to display the glory of God. In this case, it was yet another way of showing that he was the Son of God, invested with power from above. Let's look at another example.

When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on the land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately he spoke to them and said, "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. (Mark 6:47-51)

Here we see Jesus physically able to walk on liquid water, something that is impossible for any of us to do. The corresponding passage in the gospel of Matthew has the disciples exclaiming "Truly you are the Son of God!", for what they were witnessing was not possible for mortal man. That is one thing that I like about the disciples, that they are always impressed, surprised, and amazed were something like this happens. They have been travelling with, listening to, and learning from Jesus for months and have seen many miracles, including when he calmed the stormy seas, yet every time something like this happens it is like they are recognizing his abilities for the first time.

It is interesting that of the two miracles studied today, both involved water. In tomorrow's series installment, we will see the Jesus is The Fount of Living Water. Certainly, his miracles were not limited to the watery realm. Indeed, Jesus twice fed thousands of people with a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish. After his baptism, Jesus spent forty days and nights in the desert without food or water, worth note it itself, but in his weakened physical and mental state, he was able to withstand extreme temptation, using his knowledge of the Word of God. In addition to this, we was able to heal the blind, the mute, the deaf, the paralyzed, the leprous, the sick, and even the dead.

Jesus's miracles and wonders are many, but each one was done for the glory of God, and each one offers proof that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.

The Miracles and Wonders--Part One

{This is the seventh part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Healer of the Broken

In his day, Jesus was somewhat of a celebrity, a rock-star, a person who drew constant attention, praise, scorn, or wonder. When news of his arrival permeated a city, the townspeople would flock to see him, to visit him, to listen, or to be healed.

Jesus went throughout Galilee teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people. News about him spread all over Syria, and people brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the paralyzed, and he healed them. Large crowds from Galilee, the Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea and the region across the Jordan followed him. (Matthew 4:23-25)

Why did Jesus heal the broken? It seems that he did so for a number of reasons. He did so because he was compassionate and truly cared about the diseases and infirmities that troubled the people. He did so because it would show how important and powerful faith was. He did so because it proved that he was God's own Son. He did so to fulfill prophecy. Finally, his healing was a metaphor for the great healing that Jesus can do, that is, forgiving our sins, saving us from death, and giving us eternal life with him. Let us look at examples of each of these.

Jesus wept. (John 11:35)

Why would Jesus do such a thing? He cared deeply for Lazarus and his family, as he had already spent time with these people before. Lazarus had just died of his ailments and Jesus had arrived to late to heal him. Some people were confused and angry, thinking that Jesus could have saved this man, but did not arrive on time.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:38-40)

Here, Jesus was showing how important faith was. Throughout the gospels, when Jesus is healing people, he was tell them that their faith has healed them and that faith makes such things possible. Let us continue in John's gospel.

So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, Jesus called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." (John 11:41-44)

We can see here that Jesus used this event to show that he was sent by God. In a more powerful statement of the authority he has been given, let us turn our attention to a passage in the gospel of Luke. Some men have carried a paralytic man to were Jesus is speaking, hoping that he can be healed. In their struggle to get him close to Jesus, Jesus sees them and says that he forgives the man of his sins. Note that he has not healed the man of his paralysis, but has said that his sins are forgiven.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can fogive sins but God alone?" Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. (Luke 5:21-25)

Which is easier, forgiving sins or healing paralysis? Back in Jesus's day, both must have seemed impossible, as things that could only be done by God himself. In our day, paralysis can be healed by doctors, through extensive and intensive effort. But can doctors heal us for eternity? Can human live forever? They cannot. Even if a person survives a bout of aggressive cancer, they are still mortal beings and will simply live for a longer number of days. Jesus offers the gift of eternal life.

This is another way that Jesus heals us. He heals us of the negative way that sin corrupts our lives. Jesus performed miraculous healings while alive on earth, but in his death, he healed us all the more. Remember Isaiah 53 from yesterday? Remember the person who was pierced for our transgressions and punished for our sins?

Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. (Isaiah 53:4)

This was what Jesus did during his life on earth. He healed people of their sicknesses and took up their sorrows, as when he healed Lazarus and many others. In this way, Jesus's healings fulfilled prophecy. Remember what else Isaiah 53 said?

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

Not only did he cure ailments in his life, but in his death, he cured our eternal ailments, by taking away our sins. Through his blood, poured out on the cross, our sin has been washed away and our debt before God is cancelled.

When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:23-24)

Jesus's healing treatment is permanent and it is available to everybody free of charge, regardless of where they are in life. He is the Healer of the Broken.

The Holy Lamb

{This is the sixth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Holy Lamb

"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

These are the words spoken by John the Baptist when he sees Jesus approach. What does the phrase Lamb of God mean? It means that Jesus was the final necessary sacrifice for purification from sin. Up until the time of Jesus's death, animal sacrifices were necessary to cleanse the Israelites of their sins.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest (Jesus) had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. (Hebrews 10:11-12)

The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant. (Hebrews 9:13-15)

This new covenant is not something that Jesus or the early Christian church fabricated; the Israelites had been waiting for a new covenant since the days of Moses.

"The time is coming," declares the Lord, "when I will make a new convenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them," declares the Lord. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the Lord. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people... ...For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

As we have seen, what does this new covenant require? One perfect sacrifice. This sacrifice will be the final necessary sin offering. This sacrificial "lamb" was spoken of well before the time of Jesus.

"Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our trangressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." (Isaiah 53:4-7)

The Israelites were waiting for a new covenant, they were expecting a suffering servant to be a sin offering, yet when it happened, many did not care or believe. Those who did come to believe, and indeed, Gentiles too who profess faith in Christ, can barely fathom the sacrifice made by Jesus. He was the perfect man, without sin, deserving no punishment, yet he took the brunt of God's wrath so that our sins would be forgotten.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

This series of posts is leading to Christmas, the day that Christians celebrate the birth of Christ. Why do we give gifts to each other? Why is the Christmas season full of love and compassion? What better way to celebrate Christ's birth than to imitate his actions. Jesus, full of love and compassion during his life, was even more so in his death, and in his death he gave us the greatest gift of all, the hope of eternal life.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

The Risen Son of Man

{This is the fifth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}


The Risen Son of Man

What is this appellation "Son of Man"? Jesus uses this title for himself numerous times throughout the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). I have read it argued that this title emphasizes his humanity, yet is also a claim to divinity. I tend to agree with this statement because Jesus called himself both Son of Man and Son of God. Christians believe that Jesus was both fully human and fully God, thus the titles Son of Man and Son of God, while not interchangable, are both appropriate.

The way in which Jesus uses "Son of Man" tends to show that he is not just any son of man, but THE Son of Man, the one who would be the expected Messiah.


Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"
"Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."
Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you." (John 9:35-37)


And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." (Luke 9:22)


Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again." (Luke 18:31-33)


Some people get confused as to why Christ had to be killed, or why he had to die. In fact, those at his crucifixion wondered the same things.


The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (Luke 23: 35-39)


As we will see in tomorrow's installment "The Savior and Redeemer/The Holy Lamb", Christ had to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. In his death, God's wrath was satisfied once for all; no further sacrifice was necessary.


Why then, is Jesus's resurrection important? It is important because if he lives, death has lost it's sting. Death has no victory or power over Christ or his followers. It is important because Christ said it would happen; he said he would be killed and then raised to life. This is a remarkable thing. If he promised his own resurrection and it came true, then the other promises he made are also true. Christ, and his believers, can share in eternal life. If his resurrection did not happen, then Christ was a liar and faith is useless. So, the entirety of the gospel hinges upon Christ's resurrection. It hinges upon him being the Risen Son of Man.


There is a story in Luke that Jesus tells about a man who finds himself in hell and wishes to send somebody back from the dead to warn his family that hell is real.


"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house; for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
"'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.'" (Luke 16:27-31)

Jesus told this parable as he was travelling to Jerusalem to die. At that point in time, the Jews had Moses and the Prophets to believe; if they did not believe them, then even Jesus's resurrection would not convince them otherwise. In the time after Jesus's death and resurrection, we have both the promises or prophecies and the fulfillment of the promises to witness and learn about. Jesus rose from the dead, yet some still choose disbelief.


If you believe the tomb is full, then Christianity is empty. If you believe the tomb is empty, then the fullness of Christ is manifest.

Almighty God your Father

{This is the fourth part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

Almighty God your Father

The word father is not applied to all men, but to those who have a child or children of their own. In the same way, when God is referred to as Father, it implies that he has a child or children of his own. God is Father in two different but connected ways. First, his one and only son is Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the only Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. In a second way, believers become sons of God. We start our lives born of men and women, conceived by men and women, but can later become sons of God. How is this; it is through faith in Jesus Christ.

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out "Abba, Father." So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. (Galatians 3:25-4:7)

Before Jesus came into the world, we were slaves to sin, slaves to the Law, which made nothing perfect, but simply made us aware of our own sin. Through Jesus Christ, we have been set free from sin and have become heirs to the kingdom of God as though we were also God's sons. Indeed, remember the passage from yesterday:

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12-13)

So, how does one become born of God? What are the requirements of this confusing second birth? This question has been posed by many, but see what Jesus himself told Nicodemus.

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." (John 3:3-5)

What does it mean to be born of water and the Spirit? These things represent baptism.

John (the Baptist) answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of those sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. (Luke 3:16)

John the Baptist was a man called by God to prepare the way for Jesus. Before Jesus's ministry began, John the Baptist encouraged people to repent of their sins and as a symbol of that repentance, to be baptized in water. John the Baptist was also the person who baptized Jesus Christ before he started his ministry. The "one more powerful than I" was Jesus, who as we learned yesterday, gives the gift of the Holy Spirit to believers.

Thus, to one who puts their faith in Jesus Christ and repents of their sins and receives God's baptism, that person can become an heir to Heaven.

What then, shall we think of baptism? Is it required? There is Biblical evidence that proves contrary. Jesus, on the cross, tells a criminal who is being crucified that because of his repentance, he will meet Jesus in paradise that day. This man was not baptized, but Jesus himself said that he would enter heaven. So, baptism is not a requirement of believers, but it should be viewed as something of a privilege. Believers should not feel that they have to be baptized, but that they get to be baptized.

With God as our Father, what can we then expect? Free reign to sin as our sins are forgiven? Absolutely not! We are still to live our lives in a way that honors our Father. What good father would allow his children to do whatever they wanted and live without rules? Our Father in turn, will correct us and improve us through discipline.

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:7-11)

What shall we think of discipline? It is a gift from God. That does not mean it will be easy or that we will always respond appropriately, but that if we are able to recognize it for what it is, then little by little we become more holy and confident before God.

So, not only is God the father of Jesus Christ, but of us too! I said up above that God is Father in two separate but connected ways. Jesus Christ is his only begotten Son, but through faith in him, even though we were not originally born of God but of man, we are able to become God's sons and daughters.

The Breath of All Creation

{This is the third part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Breath of All Creation

What do you think of the word breath? What kind of associations does it trigger? For me, the word breath seems heavily associated with the word “bad”. In fact, fighting bad breath could be a billion-dollar industry. There is a myriad of products that breath-conscious people can ingest, chew on, gargle, or drink. Orbitz gum claims to make your "dirty mouth" clean again, there are about a thousand Altoids products and flavors, and in addition to fighting the gum disease known as gingivitis, Listerine will temporarily freshen your bad breath.

Rarely do you ever hear somebody say "Wow, she has really great breath!" Instead, you are far more likely to hear the opposite, "Did you smell that guy's bad breath?" I'm reminded of a Simpons episode where Barney has bad breath and a lady asks him if something crawled down his throat and died. He replied, "It didn't die." Although untrue, we all have mornings where it certainly smells or tastes like something died in our throats during the night. We're left with a serious case of death-breath.

What do you think of when you think of God’s breath? Anything at all? I’ll admit, thinking of God’s breath seems a little strange. In terms of scriptural sightings, God’s breath does not rank very high on the list. It doesn’t garner as much attention and adoration as his mighty hand and outstretched arm, but consider for a moment the life-giving properties of his supreme exhalations.

The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and the man became a living being. (Genesis 2:7)

Man was simply a husk, an empty body devoid of special significance until God breathed into him the very essence of what it means to be human. God made all of the creatures that inhabit the earth, but only mankind was made in His image. When God exhaled, man was set apart as the paragon of animals. Jesus did not come to earth to save the whales or to set forth a path for all dogs go to heaven, but to save mankind, God's most treasured creation, if they would receive him. In fact, Jesus had some life-giving breath of his own.

"Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)

The Holy Spirit was first given to the disciples through the breath of Jesus Christ, before later being given in the Book of Acts to all who repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin (see Acts Chapter 2). The gift of the Holy Spirit is significant. Just as God's breath to the dust in Genesis gave mankind transient life, Jesus's breath containing the Holy Spirit gave his followers eternal life.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in a Christian? It teaches, instructs, and reminds us of Jesus (John 14:26), helps us to speak the word of God boldly (Luke 12:12, Acts 4:31), and stregthens and encourages believers (Acts 9:31). The bodies of Christ-followers are considered the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Thus, with God's help, men are able to do God's work, such as recording and translating the Bible.

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16)

We have seen in the previous examples how powerful God's breath is. In the verse above, we learn that Scripture is God-breathed. Although written by men, collected by men, and translated by men, these men and women are working under the influence and guidance of God's Holy Spirit. Thus, to one who does not believe, it appears that God has had no influence in the collection of books that appear in the Bible or in the way it has been translated, but to the believer, God was working through the men and women who work on the Bible. There will be linguistic changes from version to version, but the overall theme of the Bible will never change.

I remember once at work my breath was described as "powerful". We had just eaten at Little Taipei and I had Snow Peas with Beef, with what seemed an entire clove of garlic. In this case, my "powerful" breath was not a good thing. On the other hand, God's breath is powerful, and it certainly is a good thing. As we have seen, his breath has given us life, his Word, and his Spirit. Surely, that's a breath of fresh air.

The Maker of the Heavens

{This is the second part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}

The Maker of the Heavens

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

Something was created out of nothing. Whether you believe that the earth and the universe exist because of the actions of a higher-powered creator, or you believe that the earth and the universe were formed by random chance, the fact that Earth contains the only known living beings in the entire universe is incredible to think about. The fact that we live on Earth, a planet so precisely fine-tuned to allow for life forms to live, grow, and flourish upon it, is amazing.

There are those that believe the Earth was created by random chance, a chance so infinitesimally small that it is truly a miracle there is an Earth at all. It's a shame that miracles reside outside of the realm of science. There are others who believe the Earth was created by a higher-power, an infinite Creator outside of our full understanding and measurement. In the Judeo-Christian tradition, there can be no universe, no earth, and no human life without God, and the Bible wastes no time mentioning that belief. Again, the first line in the Bible:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

In writing to the Romans Paul writes:

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. (Romans 1:18-20)

Paul states that God's eternal power and divine nature has been on display since the creation of the world. That is, the very earth we live on proves God's existence and some of his qualities. I'm reminded of Robin Williams's character, Adrian Cronauer, in Good Morning Vietnam saying that if you want to know what the weather is going to be like, why don't you just open a window? It's kind of like Paul is saying, you want proof that God exists, why don't you go open a window? I like to think of that verse in that way.

Several psalmists note the creative qualities of their God:

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth. He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. (Psalm 33:6-9)

Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations. In the beginining you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. (Psalm 102:24-25)

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them- the Lord, who remains faithful forever. (Psalm 146:5-6)

By now you may be asking where Jesus is in all of this. Thus far, the Bible verses have not mentioned Jesus, but this does not mean that Jesus was not present at the creation of the world. Christians believe that Jesus was God, fully God and fully human, and that as God, he is eternal and infinite and was present during the creation of the earth. Indeed, in his letter to the Colossians, Paul writes that very thing:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible or invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. (Colossians 1:15-17)

As we saw yesterday, Jesus himself stated that he existed before his time on earth when he claimed to have been around before the time of Abraham:

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)

The gospel of John starts thusly:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made... He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. (John 1:1-3, 10-11)

These verses display some evidence that Jesus was present during the creation of the heavens and the earth, not only that, but that when Jesus came to earth, he was not recognized or received as the Creator. It is a little amazing to believe or comprehend. Why would an all-powerful Creator wish to condescend to the level of creation? It is because God loves us as his own Children, as we will see in two more days. What good parent doesn't want what is best for the child? God came to earth to rebuke, to instruct, to show compassion, and ultimately to redeem his beloved creation. Above we saw what John wrote in the incipient stages of his gospel. Now see how that above verse finishes.

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:10-13)

Will you receive Him?

I AM

{This is the first part of a twelve part series attempting to answer the question "Who is Jesus?". The song "I AM" by Mark Schultz is utilized in this series as a reference point, and the lyrics can be found in the "I AM series" post found earlier.}


I AM

Just two words will be examined in our first piece of the series. These are two very important words, though. What do they represent?

In the Book of Exodus, a guy by the name of Moses fled Egypt to a place called Midian. There, he saw a burning bush that was not consumed by the flames. He was curious, so he approached the bush. From within the fire, God called out to Moses and proceeded to have a conversation with him about Egypt, the suffering of the Israelites in Egpyt, and God's plan for the redemption of the Israelites. Without any prior warning, God selects Moses to lead the Israelites out of bondage and out of Egypt. Moses is taken aback by this sudden anouncement. He is unsure why he is selected and is unclear why the Israelites should believe him.

Moses said to God, "Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, 'The God of your fathers
has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' Then what shall I tell them?"
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM
has sent me to you.' "
God also said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'The Lord, the God of your fathers--the God of
Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob--has sent me to you.' This is my name
forever, the name by which I am to be remembered from generation to generation."
(Exodus 3:13-15)

I AM. The name by which God is to be remembered by from generation to generation. It should be noted that this phrase that God used has been tranlated in many different ways. The NIV, or New International Version, translation of the Bible also lists I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE as another acceptable form, while many other Bibles have presented it in different forms. I am no linguist nor do I have any skills of translation, but the next piece of evidence will show why I believe that I AM is likely the best translation of God's name.

Look ahead to the Book of John, in the eighth chapter. Jesus is having a debate with the religious leaders of the era and is claiming that that do not know the Father, that is God. The Jews claim that they are Abraham's descendants (if you are curious about Abraham start in Genesis 12) and that the only Father they have is God himself. Jesus responds by saying that if God were their Father, then they would not be trying to plot against Jesus, who is of the Father. The Jews ask if Jesus is saying that he is greater than Abraham and Jesus responds by saying that Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing Jesus's day coming, that he indeed did see, and was glad. The Jews wonder how this could be so, given that Jesus is so young and Abraham died over a thousand years ago.

"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" At this, they
picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
(John 8:58-59)

Why were the Jews ready to kill Jesus? What stimulus could have brought about such an immediate, negative, visceral response? Two words: "I AM". This was not a matter of incorrect or confusing grammar, as Jesus knew exactly what he was saying and what it implied. Through the use of the two words "I am" Jesus was claiming to be God, using the name given by God to Moses. According to Jewish law, this was blasphemy, punishable by immediate death.

This claim by Jesus is among his most powerful claims to being God. Now, you may say that anybody can claim to be God and that many have before. Not only did Jesus make such claims, but he backed them up repeatedly with miracles and wonders, in addition to fulfilling the Old Testament prophesies regarding the coming Messiah and new covenant; some of these topics will be touched upon in the series. The Israelites were looking for a coming Messiah, but the vast majority rejected Jesus as the Messiah.

For Christians, these two passages, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament, give evidence that God the Father and Jesus, his one and only son, are both divinity. Just two words accomplished this, two words that will be remembered from generation to generation.

I AM.

The I AM Series

The following 12 blog entries over the next 12 days will be centered upon the following question:

Who is Jesus Christ?

With Christmas, the day in which Christians celebrate the birth of their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, fast approaching, I would like to attempt to give an overview of who Jesus Christ was. This overview will be in no way exhaustive, but will hopefully give those who may not know much about him an idea of who Christians believe that Christ is. My hope is that believers may get something new out of what I write and that non-believers may find the series educational and informative, if not life-changing! The series will focus on his life indirectly, as it will be brought up in explanations, but the series will not be biographical in nature. Instead, it will focus on some of the names of Jesus and his qualities. I will use the Bible as my source of information, and I pray my exegesis is of sound quality.

I will be using the Mark Schultz song "I AM" as my basis for this series. His song contains many of the titles or names of Jesus and some of his miracles and attributes. When you read the lyrics, you will understand better what I am trying to say. So, in this 12-part series, I will be taking the song apart piece by piece and examining why Mr. Schultz wrote what he did in the song, using Biblical references to not only show where these things appear in the Bible for those who may be curious, but also in an attempt to explain what they mean or why they are there. I look forward to the next 12 blog entries and hope that you read along.

If you are interested in listening to the song, it can be found at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzBG6gpkZOU. Somebody made a music video for the song. Kind of cheesy at times, I couldn't help but laugh a picture of Jesus that looked like a mugshot 1:30 into the song and before the final fadeout. Note: Jesus wasn't a white dude, either. That's for a different day, though.

The lyrics:


Song: I AM

Artist: Mark Schultz

I AM the Maker of the Heavens
I AM the Bright and Morning Star
I AM the Breath of all Creation
Who always was
And is to come


I AM the One who walked on water
I AM the One who calmed the seas
I AM the Miracles and Wonders
So come and see
And follow Me
You will know

Chorus:

I AM the Fount of Living Water
The Risen Son of Man
The Healer of the Broken
And when you cry
I AM your Savior and Redeemer
Who bore the sins of man
The Author and Perfecter
Beginning and the End
I AM


I AM the Spirit deep inside you
I AM the Word upon your heart
I AM the One who even knew you
Before your birth
Before you were


Chorus

Bridge:


Before the Earth (I AM)
The Universe (I AM)
In every heart (I AM)
Oh, where you are (I AM)
The Lord of Lords(I AM)
The King of Kings (I AM)
The Holy Lamb (I AM)
Above all things


Chorus


Chorus (slightly modified):


Yes, I AM Almighty God your Father
The Risen Son of Man
The Healer of the Broken
And when you cry
I AM your Savior and Redeemer
Who bore the sins of man
The Author and Perfecter
Beginning and the End
I AM

Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright

I don't know why I get excited about this stuff, but I do...

When all of the baseball trade talk has been about Johan Santana lately, the Detroit Tigers and Florida Marlins made a big move that was under the rumor-radar until the trade was announced. The Marlins, a small-market team that was unable to get public funding for a new baseball stadium, unloaded their two biggest contracts, those of Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, to Detroit in exchange for six prospects.

While Detroit will not have the best pitching staff in the American League, or even within it's own division for that matter, they should still have a potential top-5 unit. They still have Justin Verlander as their ace, with Jeremy Bonderman, Kenny Rodgers, and now Dontrelle Willis as starters. As long as they can keep their ERAs under 4.5 or 5.0, they should still be picking up a lot of wins. Listen to this potential line-up.

1. Curtis Granderson (CF): .302 Batting/.361 On-base, 26HRs, 74 RBI, 26 SBs, 23 Triples!
2. Pacido Polanco (2B): .341 Batting/.388 On-base, 9 HRs, 67 RBI
3. Magglio Ordonez (RF): .363 Batting/.434 On-base, 28 HRs, 139 RBI
4. Miguel Cabrera (3B): .320 Batting/.401 On-base, 34 HRs, 119 RBI
5. Gary Sheffield (DH): .265 Batting/.378 On-base, 25 HRs, 75 RBI, 22 SBs
6. Carlos Guillen (SS): .296 Batting/.357 On base, 21 HRs, 102 RBI, 13 SBs
7. Edgar Renteria (1B?): .332 Batting/.390 On-base, 12 HRs, 57 RBI, 11 SBs
8. Ivan Rodriguez (C): .281 Batting/.294 On-base, 11 HRs, 63 RBI
9. Jacque Jones (LF): .285 Batting/.335 On-base, 5 HRs, 66 RBI

That is a very impressive line-up. Now, there will be some number drop-offs in RBI totals for some players as they get switched around and because Cabrera's came on a different team, but keep in mind that Sheffield played a fair amount of last year while injured.

The line-up includes 8 players with an on-base average above .335! It includes eight players hitting above .280, five players above .300, and four players above .320!!! Again, Sheffield was injured last year and hit .265, but is a career .296 hitter and has numerous seasons over .300. If he is healthy all year, he could see an increase in numbers across the board. In addition, he'd be a great No. 5 hitter because he has the power to knock in runs, but has great patience as a hitter. Notice his on-base average over 100 points better than his batting average, meaning he draws a lot of walks. If Sheffield walks, you still have Carlos Guillen behind him and Ivan Rodriguez behind him! Another note about Carlos Guillen. He hit .296 last year, but in the three previous years, he hit .318, .320, and .320. Ivan Rodriguez used to hit over .300 every year (career .303), but has oscillated between good years and average years recently. He hit under .300 in '03, '05, and '07, but over .300 in '02, '04, and '06. Next year is and even numbered year...

I suppose I should mention that Ordonez, Polanco, Granderson, and Rentaria all had career years, so their numbers may fall back to an extent, but there is no reason to believe that any will drop off substantially given their ages and where they are in their careers.

In addition to the skilled starters, there are some great substitute batsmen. Brandon Inge hit 14 HRs and had 71 RBI, Marcus Thames (OF) had 18 HRs and 54 RBI, Ryan Rayburn (IF) hit .304/.340, and even Dontrelle Willis hit .286/.348/+.500 slugging as a pitcher in the National League, and he's a lefty! Will Willis get called in as a designated hitter or as a lefty pinch-hitter?

If this team is well-coached and well-captained, this clubhouse could push the team into historic regions. Imagine an entire team hitting over .300! The do get to play the White Sox, Twins, and Royals a lot. Just think of all the times they get to bat against Boof Bonser!

Well, as I said, I get excited about these things. I really enjoy greatness in sports, at least recently. I never wanted to see the old Chicago Bulls win, I never liked Duke much, and I've never liked Tiger Woods. I do want to see the New England Patriots go undefeated, I don't mind the Red Sox although my favorite team is the New York Yankees, and I'm interested in seeing how the Tigers do next year.

Growing up in Iowa, I didn't have any local teams to cheer for, so in the case of baseball, I really grew up as a fan of the game, and not of any particular team. I have the same feeling about football now. There are some teams I like more than others, but I don't have a clear-cut favorite. So, I feel justified in following some teams more than others each year. Do I jump the bandwagon? Yeah, probably, but you know what Bill Simmons? I don't care, I grew up in Ames, Iowa.