WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT
We are learning in church how Jesus self-identifies so that we can have a clear picture of what we are to become. We were made in the image of God and the writer to the Hebrews calls Jesus “the exact image of God.” That should be our target, to look like Jesus and reflect the glory of the image into which we were created. To those who confess they are sinners in need of help, like the woman at the well, Jesus introduces himself as her Messiah and she immediately rejoices. To the Pharisees and Sadducees, who believe they fulfill the law and live without sin, he introduces himself as almighty God and challenges their self-view and their view of him.
Then he begins talking about why he came, his mission. He is the “bread of Life,” the “light of the world.” Jesus is the one who provides our soul with the only thing that can actually satisfy us. He offers us comfort and direction as a light in the darkness. Only he can show our soul how to get home. One of the great challenges for us as Christians is to reflect that truth to those who struggle to understand or listen. Oftentimes, our response to Jesus saying He is the bread of life is to feed the homeless and offer them bread. While that is something we do, it is not THE thing we do. We offer true bread, a relationship with Jesus. We do not simply turn on a light switch in a dark room; we bring the light. We are the torch bearers. We need to bring Jesus into the room.
We need to be available to those we meet to have a conversation, a real conversation about Jesus. Sunday, I challenged us to remember our own children and grandchildren who just will not listen about Jesus. Every person we meet is someone’s child and we may be the only Jesus they ever see. Seize the moment.
~ Grace & Peace ~
Pastor Ernie