Emmanuel at Easter

I am reading through Walter Wangerin's Lenten devotional book, Revive the Passion.  (I recommend it highly, along with his Advent devotional, Preparing for Jesus.) A recent day's reading started with Mark 14:53-65.  In this powerful passage of Scripture, we see Jesus at the home of the high priest. "They all condemned Him as deserving death.  And some began to spit on Him and to cover His face and to strike Him, saying to Him, 'Prophesy!' And the guards received Him with blows."  It is gruesome and should be overwhelming as we read how our Lord was treated because of our sin.

As I finished reading these verses, a song started playing in my mind... It is a Christmas song on Casting Crowns' "Peace on Earth" CD. It was my favorite song this past Christmas season. The part resonating in my mind goes "Love is raining down on the world tonight, there's a presence here I can tell. God is with us, God is for us, God is with us, Emmanuel.  He's the Savior we have been waiting for. In our humble hearts, He will dwell. God is with us. God is for us. God is with us, Emmanuel."

It seems odd to be singing a Christmas song as Easter is approaching... as the focus is on the Cross not the Manger.. and yet...

At Christmas those words are wrapped up like swaddling clothes around a tiny baby in a manger -- hope personified -- all pretty and sweet and real.

As I look towards Easter.. towards Calvary and the Crucifixion of that sweet babe grown to manhood, those words are still true. They are now nailed to a cross with a battered and bleeding Savior. In fact, in some ways I believe they fit at Easter more than at Christmas.

As Jesus hung on the cross, God's wrath rained down on Him and yet love... true love... God's love.. rained down on the world. On me... on you... on all who ever has been and ever will be...No doubt the presence of God was there.. No doubt He was still Emmanuel on that Cross... "God with us" was crucified -- willingly for our sins.  That is a gut wrenching thought for me.. and it should be for you.

He was at that moment beaten and bare.. bruised... abused... dying and yet still the Savior the world was waiting for... He is still that Savior today.  THE Only Savior and many in the world continue to wait for Him... some who don't realize He has come and those of us who await His final triumphant return.  God does now dwell in our hearts through the Holy Spirit -- Emmanuel is real today -- He is God with us and He lives in those who choose to Believe!

Who is Coming?

The first question from yesterday's thoughts on Advent is "Who is coming?" Jesus, right?

But WHO is Jesus?  The Son of God... Messiah... Christ... Prince of Peace... Wonderful Counselor... and so much more. 

Do you ever stop and meditate on WHO Jesus is or do you, like me, often take it for granted? I was blessed to be born into a Christian family... reared in church... saved at a fairly young age... I often say that I cannot remember a time that I did not know God loved me and Jesus died for me. That is great... but sadly it can lead to a familiarity that breeds apathy... complacency. It helps to step back and really look at WHO Jesus is.

One of my favorite names for Jesus is Emmanuel which means God with us.  Do you realize that Jesus was not.. is not.. just a person. Yes, he was a real living breathing human being who walked this earth... but he was and is also God... full deity... full humanity... in 1.  How can that be? I have no idea and do not try to figure it out. God is God and I am not.. His ways are not my ways.. they are higher and greater (Isa. 55:8-9). But I do know it is true.

Phil. 2:6-7 "Who (Jesus), being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."

WOW! Can you even imagine! Here Jesus was in heaven... God... creator of all... and yet He willingly came to earth to be human... and not just any human... a baby born in a manger... not a king in a palace. He was born of low estate... insignificant, as far as the world was concerned... the son of a carpenter and his teenage bride.

And not only that... Phil. 2:8-9 "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!"

He willingly came to earth knowing He would die a horrible death... the worst of all deaths... so that we would have the chance to live with God forever. He took on our sins.. all the sins that ever were and ever will be ... He became them... paying the sin debt for all humanity for all time.

That is who Israel as waiting for 2000+ years ago... and that is who we wait for today. Oh he came that first time... in Bethlehem.. in a manger... and He died and rose again and then ascended to heaven, but He is coming back... most assuredly.. without a doubt!

John 14:2-3 "My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Rev. 22:20 "He (Jesus) who testifies to these things says, 'Yes, I am coming soon.'"

I don't know about you, but knowing that I say with John... "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."

Jesus... it is so easy to become complacent about You and who You are.  Bring new revelation... new excitement... new anticipation... for You and Your return.  We know that You do not tarry to make us wait... to draw it out... the Father wants everyone to come to a saving knowledge of You and so He continues to provide the time for that to happen. May those who do not know You, be drawn to You during this Christmas season. May the Holy Spirit do His work and tender hearts ... prepare them... to hear about You and may we, who know You, do our part and speak with boldness and love sharing the Good News of the Season to all we meet. Yes, Lord, You are coming again.. and coming soon... may we be about Your business... Amen, Come, Lord Jesus, Come!