How do You Describe Jesus? Insights into His Divine Nature

Photorealistic portrait of Jesus Christ with thorns and golden halo gazing upward in heavenly clouds

This morning someone asked me to describe Jesus. So many things came to mind. Savior, Friend, Counselor, my God, my Fortress, my Strength, my Hope, loving, gentle, compassionate, patient, slow to anger, forgiving, merciful. How do you describe Jesus? Here are four reflections of who Jesus is found in Colossians 1:15-23:

• He is the image of the invisible God. He is the revelation of God, not an idol or graven image.
• He is the center of creation. He created all things. Creation is orderly, but sin has changed the order into chaos. Jesus is coming back to make all things new.
• He is the head of the church. We are the body of the church. People need to see Jesus in us. We walk in the power of Jesus.
• He is the firstborn from the dead. By His resurrection from the dead, He defeated sin, death and Satan. He restores our relationship with the Father.

These are troubling times. What if it’s the end of the age. Jesus talked about that, but He said he would be with us to the end of the age. Friend, I want you to know Jesus in a personal way so you won’t be afraid when the end comes, whether in death or the end of the age. Now is not the time to rely totally on yourself. Admit you need a Friend to walk with you through these troubling times. Receive the love of Jesus and find strength and rest for your soul.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for Jesus. We need your love to intervene in this world. Help us to be more like Jesus so people will be inspired to receive His love and live for Him. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Seduced

Sorek Valley

Sampson was born across the Sorek Valley from Bet Shemash. His father’s name was Manoah, and he was from the clan of the Danites. His mother’s name is not mentioned in the Bible, but she was childless. An angel told her and Manoah that she would have a son and she was not to drink fermented drink or eat anything unclean. A razor was not to touch the boy’s head because he was to be a Nazarite. He was to be dedicated from the womb and would deliver Israel from the hands of the Philistines.

Oddly enough, Sampson married a Philistine woman from Timnah against his parent’s wishes. At the wedding feast he asked the Philistines if they could figure out his riddle. At the end of the feast, his young wife seduced him into telling her the riddle, which she explained to her friends. Then Sampson struck down thirty of their men at Ashkelon. When he returned, he discovered that his wife was given to one of his companions who came to the wedding.

Sampson led Israel for twenty years. He went to Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute. The Philistines planned to take him in the morning, but Sampson got up in the middle of the night, took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts and tore them loose, bar and all. He carried them to the top of the hill. Later he fell in love with Delilah and married her. The Philistines asked Delilah to find out where his great strength came from. He refused to tell her, but she would not leave him alone. She seduced him until he said, “No razor has ever been used on my head, because I have been a Nazarite dedicated to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, my strength would leave me , and I would become as weak as any other man.” Sampson lost his strength and was captured by the Philistines. They gouged out his eyes and put him in prison.

Why did Sampson allow himself to be seduced by women? We might think he was foolish, but how many times have we fallen by the power of our circumstances? Many Americans might think we have lost our country because of the election results. However, this is not a time to give up but to pray that the voting corruption would be exposed and that justice would be the end result.

Sampson’s hair grew in prison and his strength returned. The Philistines celebrated their victory over him, but when they brought him out of prison, his companion placed him between two temple pillars, which he pushed out. The temple fell, and Sampson killed more Philistines in his death than during the twenty years he led Israel (The Book of Judges).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we pray for a miracle in America; for revival, repentance, justice and victory. Lead our country back to you. Help us to trust you as never before. In Jesus’ name, Amen.