Tag Archives: Jesus

Bible, Jesus

Jesus shines like the sun

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In describing Jesus (Revelation 1:14-16), John seems to be struggling for words.

I find the image of the resurrection of Jesus on the Isenheim Altar very appropriate. The face of Jesus shines like the sun.

This is how I imagine how John saw Jesus. For his face shines like the sun (Revelation 1:16). So it is obvious that John is blinded and does not see everything clearly.

The statement is: The bruised Jesus is now a majestic appearance. The symbol of beauty and perfection. I don’t know if we would have chosen the same words. But the picture that John had of the crucifixion and what he now saw was like day and night.

The two-edged sword in the mouth of Jesus does not fit into the picture. But Simeon already said about Jesus in Luke 2:34-35: “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

With our reaction to the words of Jesus we judge ourselves.

Bible, Jesus

The central person

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In his introduction to Revelation, John focuses on the central person of the book.

Jesus is the divine person visible to us.

He is the origin and source of all things and will bring everything to completion.

Jesus’ characteristic is that he loves us. “Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood” (Revelation 1:5).

He is the high priestly king for his churches and leads us back to our destiny. As priests (Revelation 1:6) and representatives of God, we be present to serve and encourage one another.

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It needs a YES to God’s offer

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Nicodemus is the perfect believer. Jesus said to him, “Unless one is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

At first it seems promising that a representative of the Jewish elite would seek out Jesus, address him as a teacher, and acknowledge his miracles.

Jesus addressed Nicodemus on the central point of their different views: It is the personal focus and love for the God-sent Son of Man and Son of God with which eternal life begins and not through belonging to a group. It takes a spiritual beginning (born from above).

It’s like the serpent in the desert at the exodus from Egypt. All those who consciously turn to Jesus are no longer part to the deadly poison of rebellion against God.

Bible, Jesus

Gold, incense, and myrrh

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the gifts of genius that ensured the survival of the Jesus family.

In Haggai 2:8 God says, “Gold is Mine.” Jesus is not just any child; God is paying the bills.

Incense represents purification, worship, and prayer. The life of Jesus is a ministry to God.

Myrrh disinfects and heals. Myrrh reduces the pain of life.

Sometimes we wish our security in advance. But it is a characteristic of God that he often intervenes at the crucial moment. The gifts of the wise men also came at exactly the right moment – just before the escape.

The gifts were easy to take with them and all served well as payments. God knows, what we need, when.

Jesus, news

New Year – What are we actually celebrating?

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The solstice is already behind us (December 21/22).

We count our years after the birth of Christ. We celebrated this on the night of December 24th to 25th.

What do we celebrate on New Year’s?

The Bible tells the following: After eight days, Jesus was circumcised and given the name Jesus/Yeshua, as the angel had said (according to Luke 2:21-22).

So we actually don’t count the years after Christ’s birth, but the years after the name of Jesus was made public. Jesus, Hebrew Yeshua, means saviour derived from the Hebrew word Yeshuah (salvation).

The Jerusalem Post published an article Continue reading New Year – What are we actually celebrating? →

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Longing for a Messiah

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The longing for particularly gifted person who will redeem us from the evils of this world and lead us to a “promised land” or a “golden age” is an ever-existing desire. The hope for a divine Messiah (anointed one, Christ) has its roots in Judaism.

The goal is to bring man back to lost paradise as described in Isaiah 11:6-9, where the wolf, lamb, lion, and other animals coexist peacefully with man.

At the time of Jesus there were different expectations of the Messiah.

The Sadducees were the liberals. They rejected any supernatural influence.

The Pharisees were conservative. They expected that if all Jews lived according to their commandments, God would intervene in supernatural ways.

The Zealots wanted to establish a messianic kingdom (theocracy on earth) by themself and rejected Roman rule.

The Essene movement was a mystical congregation. They lived in their own world. They believe in a spiritual reality, which they accepted by faith, like Abraham, even if the literal fulfilment was yet to come.

The Samaritans have a messianic hope in the coming prophet like Moses, promised in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. As the woman at the well says in John 4:25, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.”

But God does not fulfil our expectations, but His promises.

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Advent – joyful expectation of the coming of the Redeemer

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Looking at the Advent markets, chocolate and nuts during the Advent season, it is hard to imagine today that Advent was once a time of fasting and repentance.

The four Sundays are symbolic of the four thousand years that people had to wait for the promised Redeemer to come (Genesis 3:17).

Others see four cardinal points, as the four seasons, the four elements (fire, water, air and earth) and the four cardinal virtues (prudence, justice, prudence, bravery).

In Revelation 19, at some point in the apocalypse, God is praised with four hallelujahs. “Hallelujah” means “Praise be to God”. It is the cry of victory, gratitude and praise. Christ begins his dominion.

At the Council of Lerida in 524, Advent was established for four weeks.

The Orthodox Church celebrates Advent for six weeks.

The year of the Catholic and Protestant churches begin on the first Sunday in Advent.

What does the Advent season mean to you?

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Why a sacrifice? Isn’t belief in a forgiving God enough?

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The image of the Passover lamb in Exodus 11 is a preview of the cross of Jesus.

In order to understand the picture, we have to look back to the first sacrifice. When human beings wanted to decide for himself what should be good for him, he lost the familiar relationship with God and hid from him. He realized that he had nothing to offer God and stood before God without anything. Mankind tried to cover himself, but it was only fig leaves.

God took an animal, slaughtered it, and gave them the skin for clothing. Only through a skin could man continue to exist before God. Man experienced the result of turning away from God’s orders. Someone had to die because of their disobedience. They were made aware of the consequences of turning away from God. Death is the result of missing the aim – of sin.

The Passover sacrifice adds a deeper aspect. The Lamb appointed by God protects from judgment. The point is to trust and do God’s instructions.

In Jesus we now have a place to put our sins away. At the same time, it is a place where the victim experiences reparation. God does not simply ask us to forget, but he carries our burden in Jesus. In this way he understands us even in our need because he has suffered through it himself. God is not a distant God, but a God who helps us. He is close to us.

At Passover, Jesus uses the bread of the Exodus and the cup of redemption as a sign of renewed faith. The Lord’s Supper is an expression of the belief that Jesus died for me on the cross as the Passover lamb and rose again at Easter and that I have a part in his resurrection power. Death does not have the last word in my life.

Death and resurrection of Jesus is an offer of reconciliation that we can step into. It is not about religious accomplishment and not about a fig leaf, but about trust in God. We don’t create a path to God, we take up His offer of salvation.

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Worship God – even in misery

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“Then the people believed, and when they heard that the LORD had taken care of the Israelites and seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped him” (Exodus 4:31).

They recognized their misery. But they had not yet heard that God had mercy on them. They were still in the midst of misery. There was still nothing to be seen of salvation. The only new thing was God’s Word – His promise. And that was enough for them. They take it in faith. That was their insurance of salvation. That bowed them down and made them worship their God!

It’s the same for us today. As humans, we are mired in misery. But then comes the Good News: Jesus wants to free us from slavery! We can entrust ourselves to Jesus. The situation itself has not changed at this moment. But Moses and Aaron assured the Israelites: God will save them. This insurance is sufficient. They bow in worship.

Those who can praise God before completion gain the strength and courage to trust in God even in the face of difficulties. Whoever invites Jesus into his life also receives the certainty that he will accomplish everything. In Philippians 1:6 Paul writes, “I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”