Zealous

On one occasion, Jesus drove animals out of the temple because their owners were misusing them. His disciples, when they later thought about the event, realised that in doing so Jesus had fulfilled an Old Testament prediction which said about the Messiah that zeal for God’s house had eaten him up. 

When we think about this description of Jesus, what ideas come to mind? One is that serving God was more important for Jesus than taking daily food. Or we could say that since we cannot live without food, so Jesus would not live without serving God.

In connection to this outlook of Jesus, we can ask when it began. The answer to the question is that it began in heaven before he was born on earth. There, in heaven, he was the eternal Son of God, and he possessed everything. Yet there was an action that he wanted to do most of all and that was to become a man and serve the heavenly Father. This is the main reason why he was born.

After he was born, he served his Heavenly Father zealously whether as a child, a teenager or an adult. One story is given about his eagerness to serve when he was twelve years old. On that occasion, Mary and Joseph imagined he was lost. But he was in the temple, speaking with the teachers there, because he was about his Father’s business.

The main way in which he served the Father while on earth was by going to the cross and paying the penalty for our sins. Today, he serves the Father by building his church, adding sinners to it as living stones. In both these activities, his zeal is obvious and amazing. He is constantly active and never gives less than his best.

Yeshua

We are familiar with the explanation of the meaning of the name Jesus being ‘Jehovah the Saviour’ or ‘Yahweh the Saviour’. His everyday name transliterated from Hebrew would have been Yeshua. This is what he would have been called in the home or in the street.

The point of his name is that the sovereign eternal Lord came to our rescue. We could imagine him trying to rescue us by his sovereignty by merely giving a pronouncement that we should be freed. But that method would have been unjust because the penalty for sin had not been paid. 

Or we might imagine God could relax his demands and say instead that if we would just say sorry he would forget about his judgement on us. But if he did that, he would also be unjust. 

The fact is that the penalty for sin had to be paid, and there was only one way by which it could be done. God himself would have to do it, and this is why he came to our rescue by becoming a man.

Some are surprised to know that other people apart from Jesus can have this name. A Christian called Jesus Justus is mentioned by Paul in one of his letters. He too would have been called Yeshua. The difference between Jesus and Jesus Justus is that the latter depended on the former for salvation because the Saviour is God as well as man. It was good to have his name, but that did not save Justus. Instead he had to trust as a sinner in the Saviour, and as a result was delivered from the penalty for his sins.

While we may not have Jesus in our name, we can have him in our hearts. The same Jesus is in all his people whether they are in heaven or on earth.

X

There is not a title of Jesus beginning with the letter X. So I would like to take the letter and take three ideas from its usage and shape.

The first idea is connected to its use in the word x-ray. An x-ray enables doctors to see what we are like on the inside. While it may give bad news, it does identify what is wrong and enables the doctors to do something about it. Jesus has greater ability than an x-ray because he not only sees our physical state, he also sees constantly our spiritual state. He knows what is in our hearts and is able to do whatever is needed. 

The second idea is that the letter X is the shape of a cross. Indeed, some scholars suggest that the cross of Jesus could have been shaped this way, and we can see how it would be possible to nail two hands and two feet to it. But we do not know what the cross of Jesus looked like. The important feature of the cross is not its shape, but why Jesus was on it. He was there to pay the penalty for our sins.

The third idea associated with the letter X is love. People put it at the end of a letter or similar in order to express their affection. The books of the Bible are full of descriptions of the love of Jesus. In their case, it is not an add-on at the close because they are full of his amazing love.

We can see that the third X is illuminated by the other two. He went to the cross because he loved us and he went to the cross despite knowing all about us. He knows how sinful we are, yet he lovingly went there and took our place and paid the penalty we were obligated to pay.

Word

Jesus is called the Word in the early verses of John’s Gospel. In particular two things are said about him in that regard. First, he is called the Word as he faces his Father in their eternal relationship – ‘the Word was with God’ which means that he was face to face with God. The posture described and the name given point to communication about something between the Father and the Word. 

The something includes his act of creation because John goes on to say that all things were made by the Word and that without him nothing was made. The Father and the Son made the universe in order to communicate with their creatures. We can see that happening, for example, in Genesis 1 and 2 where God spoke with Adam and Eve. God still speaks through his creation about himself.

Second, John says that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. The Son became a man in order to communicate something about God and when we see what he revealed after becoming a man we realise that he spoke about things that not even creation speaks about. He spoke about his mission, his motives and his mercy. And he still speaks about those matters in his Word, the Bible.

As the Word, Jesus can speak to us individually and corporately. He speaks to us through the Bible and uses the Holy Spirit to enlighten us. We can spend a few minutes thinking about some of the amazing topics and themes Jesus has revealed to us. If you do, you will have joy.

Vine

In John 15, Jesus calls himself the true vine. He may have used the adjective ‘true’ to describe himself because Israel, which had been called God’s vine in the Old Testament, had failed to bring forth fruit for God. So Jesus is the true vine because he bears fruit.

Where does he bear fruit? The answer to that question is that he bears it in the branches that are united to him. Those branches are illustrations of believers and because they are united to Jesus by the Holy Spirit they can bear fruit.

What kind of fruit do they have? Many answers can be given to this question, so here are three. One essential fruit is love, which includes love to God, to his people, and to others. Another fruit is joy, although it is joy that comes through contact with Jesus, especially through his word and through prayer. Then a third fruit is holiness, which is another way of saying that we become like Jesus who was marked by peace, gentleness and faithfulness.

Who is the fruit for? Normally grapes belong to the person who owns the vineyard. God is the owner, we might say, of this heavenly vine. Indeed he has no other vines, but it is so fruitful that other vines are not needed to increase the harvest. And the harvest is not annual, but continual.

Unique

Some Bible translations use the word 'unique' in their rendering of John 3:16 and describe Jesus as God’s unique Son. In what ways is Jesus unique? Here are four ways.

First, Jesus is the only person who is both God and man. He has always been the eternal Son of God, but he also became a human at his conception in the womb of his mother Mary. Since then he has been both God and man and will always be so.

Second, Jesus is the only human to have lived a perfect life. He never had a wrong thought, said a wrong word, or did a wrong action. This was the case during his childhood, adolescence and adulthood. No matter the kind of situation he faced, he went through each of them perfectly.

Third, Jesus is the only person to have paid the full penalty for the sins of others. This he did when he was on the cross at Calvary. There, he paid the penalty for the sins of his people. After he had done so, he cried, ‘It is finished,’ indicating that the price had been paid.

Fourth, Jesus is the only Saviour of sinners. In the gospel, he is offered to us as our Saviour, as a free gift, and anyone can take him by faith to be their Saviour. He saves every person who does so.

There are other ways in which Jesus is unique. Maybe you have time to think of more ways.

Teacher

Different words are used to describe Jesus as a teacher. The title ‘rabbi’ was used about him, for example. One of the best-known verses about Jesus as a teacher is in Matthew 11:28-30: ‘Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.’

What kind of teacher was Jesus? First, he was a lowly teacher – he was humble as he instructed ignorant people. People heard him gladly when he instructed them. Second, he was a loving teacher – he cared for the ones he was teaching about spiritual things. He knew that it was important for them to grasp what he was saying.

Third, he was a teacher on lofty subjects. He spoke to Nicodemus about the new birth. He told the disciples about heaven and he informed the woman of Sychar about how she could worship the Father. 

Fourth, Jesus was a logical teacher. People could understand him. He did not teach as others did in a confusing manner. He taught about sin and about why he came to save sinners, and what salvation would bring them. 

Fifth, those who are taught by Jesus discover that his teaching is lifelong. Although it is lifelong, it is always interesting. 

Sixth, his teaching is lovely. Put together, they are a thing of beauty, coherent and fitting together.

We should say to Jesus repeatedly, ‘Teach me, O Lord.’

Shepherd

The description of Jesus as a shepherd is one of the well-known titles of Jesus. Most people have heard of the opening lines of Psalm 23, ‘The Lord is my shepherd,’ and they think of Jesus when they hear it. Many hymns have been written about this title and millions of sermons preached about this role of the Saviour.

As an omniscient shepherd, Jesus knows his sheep. He knows them all by name and he knows where each one of them was when he went to find them because each of them was a lost sheep, lost because of their sins. But his eye was on them as the Good Shepherd. 

As a wealthy shepherd, Jesus purchased his sheep. This he did when he went to the cross and paid the penalty for their sins. The penalty was very demanding because divine justice had been breached. Nevertheless, he paid the price in full and purchased them. 

As a determined shepherd, Jesus went looking for his sheep. This he usually does through the gospel. He told parables about a shepherd searching intensely for a lost sheep and experiencing great joy after he had found it. In a far higher way, there is great joy in heaven whenever a lost sheep is found by Jesus.

As a dedicated shepherd, Jesus cares for his sheep. After he finds them, he looks after them, providing for their spiritual needs and protecting them from spiritual enemies (described in the Bible as the world, the flesh and the devil). He meets their spiritual needs by fulfilling his many promises in the Bible.

As a satisfied shepherd, Jesus counts his sheep into the fold of glory. It was the custom each evening for a shepherd to count his sheep as they entered into the fold he had prepared for them. In a far higher sense, Jesus does this for his flock as one by one they enter heaven.

Redeemer

Redemption involves a payment for something. It is an idea that is prominent in society and it is also a common biblical emphasis. Two common ideas from society are mentioned in connection with Jesus. 

First, Jesus redeemed those who were in debt because they had failed to obey God’s commandments. The debt meant that they were liable to divine punishment. Jesus had to pay the penalty of their debts, which he did on the cross, and the penalty was his life.

Second, Jesus redeemed those who were enslaved to a state of sin. It was common for wealthy persons to purchase slaves and redeem them from bad owners. We were slaves to sin and had to be set free from its power as well as its state. Jesus liberated his people from their sins, not by letting them become their own masters, but by him becoming the best Master they could have after he had purchased them by his death.

A third feature of redemption, one that is stressed in the Old Testament, was that of the responsibility of a relative to redeem a family member who had fallen on hard times. The family member may have fallen into poverty because of debt. The relative was known as the kinsman redeemer. Jesus became our kinsman when he became a man. He is our relative who fulfilled his responsibility to be our redeemer.

So the redemption provided by Jesus is an aspect of his work that we should think about because it says a great deal about what he did for us.

Omega

This title is part of a well-known name of Jesus – the Alpha and Omega. They are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. It is like saying that Jesus is the A and the Z.

When we say that Jesus is the Omega, it means that he already knows what the end will be. He knows everything that will happen before the end. This is true in the big picture of the human race and it is true in the small picture of each individual.

Calling Jesus by the name Omega also means that he will complete what he has started. This is true, for example, with regard to the salvation of a person. He will save us when we call on him, and he will save us in the future at the resurrection. We could say that A is when we believe in Jesus and Z is when the resurrection occurs. And he saves us in all the situations in-between. 

We could also use the title Omega for something that Jesus does in our lives. For example, we might pray to him for something and the answer comes in stages. Eventually, the complete answer comes, and when that happens we can call him Omega.

Another aspect of this time is that the past and the future are his possessions. The whole of time is connected to him. The future will not end at the resurrection, for it will be followed by life in the new heavens and new earth, and he will provide the life and the location.  

There are many things in which Jesus is the Alpha, and they are equal in number to all the things in which he is the Omega.

Nazarene

Matthew says this about Jesus: ‘And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene.’ 

The first detail to note is that Matthew says this description was not made by one prophet. There is not a specific prophecy that connects Jesus with Nazareth. Rather, Matthew says that when Jesus went to Nazareth it was a general fulfilment of what the prophets said about him. What can that mean?

Nazareth was not a prominent place and we know that Jesus was identified with the lowly in life. Such a place like Nazareth was suitable for one who wanted to live humbly.

Moreover, Nazareth was a despised place, and there are many prophecies that indicate Jesus would be despised. When someone wanted to dismiss Jesus by saying he was of no significance, he would just say, ‘He is a Nazarene.’ After all, Nathaniel, the man in whom Jesus said that there was no guile, asked, ‘Can anything good come out of Nazareth?’

Nazareth was a small community founded by Jews after the return from the exile. A question would be, ‘why call it Nazareth?’ One answer is that the name is connected to nazar, the Hebrew word for branch found in Isaiah 11:1: ‘There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.’ Small beginnings, but they had confidence in the promised Messiah. So the name ‘Nazarene’ points to hope, and Jesus fulfilled that anticipation.

Later on, Luke tells us in the Book of Acts that ‘Nazarenes’ was a term used to describe Christians. Paul was accused of belonging to the sect of the Nazarenes (Acts 22:5). It was used as a slur, but it is a reminder that the followers of Jesus should be like their Master – humble, even despised, but with a message of hope.

Messiah

Jesus is often called 'the Christ' in the New Testament. 'Christ' means the anointed One or the Messiah. The coming of the Messiah was predicted in the Old Testament. Yet those predictions were not always clear until Jesus came and fulfilled them.

The prophecies of the Messiah can be classified in different ways. One method is to consider predictions that indicated he would suffer and die and predictions that he would reign over the world. It was hard for readers to work out if he would first reign and then suffer or if he would suffer first and then reign. Now we know that the order was suffer unto death and then reign through resurrection and ascension.

This means that we now live under the reign of the Messiah. Jesus reigns from his throne in heaven, and he is there as head over all things for the benefit of his church. It is good for us to remember that fact as we go through life day by day.

The anointing that Jesus received as the Messiah is the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised his disciples that one of his first actions after his ascension would be to send the Holy Spirit, and this took place on the Day of Pentecost. Since then, the Holy Spirit has been working in Christians on behalf of the Messiah. It is through his activities that the blessings connected to Jesus as our prophet, priest and king come to our souls. 

There is no power that can prevent the work of the Saviour, even although there is much opposition. Today, we will face the attempts of the world, the flesh and the devil. Sadly, at times, they will lead us to sin. But our failure does not mean failure for the Messiah. Instead, he shows his abilities by forgiving us and restoring us.

It is wonderful to have such a Messiah!

Our King

What kind of king is Jesus? What qualifications does he need to have? I will mention four details based on an acrostic of the word king. 

A king would need to have knowledge of what is going on. He would want to know the living conditions of his subjects, he would want to ensure that his defence systems were adequate, he would have plans to make his kingdom bigger. Jesus has all knowledge because he is God (he is aware of everything about everything), but he also has knowledge based on experience. 

A king in Israel had a very important role, which was to instruct his subjects about the law of God. He did so both by precept and example. Jesus claimed to do this when he told his disciples to take his yoke and follow him. They were to listen to what he said and do what he did.

A king had to nurse his people in the sense of providing for their needs. He was responsible for arranging how the country’s resources would be distributed fairly. The king in Psalm 72 showed special care for the needy. Jesus does that as well, mainly in a spiritual sense, but also through his providence for everyone.

A king has to govern, be able to get things done. We see in today’s politics what happens when those in power are unable to govern. It is not enough to have a plan. One must also have the wisdom and power to enact it. Jesus is the Wonderful Counsellor who always knows what to do.

In fact, he alone is really a king.

Jesus is the judge

There are many verses in the Bible that indicate Jesus will be the judge at the close of this current period in God’s purpose. What does it signify for him and for us that he will be the judge?

First, it is part of his exaltation. His exaltation includes his past ascension, his current place on God’s throne from where he controls all that occurs, and his future appearance in glory when he will be acknowledged as Lord by all creatures. Part of that acknowledgement will take place on the Day of Judgement.

Second, it reveals his capabilities. Whenever a society wants to make someone a judge, the process is designed to get the best person. We may recall the disagreements there were in America a couple of years ago over an individual who was nominated to become an important judge. A judge will be chosen for his uprightness of character, his knowledge of the law, his understanding of people, and his determination to always do what is right so that all could have confidence in him. Jesus possesses all these features in perfection. 

Third, he will be the judge of all intelligent creatures. The Bible says this will include angels and humans. As far as humans are concerned, it will include his followers and those who did not follow him. Each will be judged on their lives, but not just on what they did. Their words and their thoughts will be included. Hidden things will be brought to light.

Fourth, his sentence will be final. There will not be any opportunity for an appeal. We are told about the possible verdicts beforehand.  Those who serve him will get a reward, and the more devoted the service the higher the reward will be. Only those who trust in Jesus can serve him. Those who refuse to serve him will be punished and we know what the Bible says about that.

I am

Many people have heard of the ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus. These include ‘I am the good shepherd’ and ‘I am the way, the truth and the life’.  Obviously, those descriptions are very important for appreciating who Jesus is and what he has done and is doing.

Sometimes Jesus used the words ‘I am’ by themselves without going on to say an additional explanation. Here are two of those statements. On one occasion he said, ‘Before Abraham was, I am’ (John 8:58). If I wanted to say I existed before someone, I would say, ‘Before he came, I was.’ I would not use the present tense to describe my past. But Jesus did. He was claiming to be different when he used the description ‘I am’ of himself. He said on that occasion that he was the self-existent God whom Israel worshipped. One of their names of God was ‘I am that I am.’ Jesus said of himself when he used that word that he was the eternal God.

The other occasion when he used the words ‘I am’ of himself occurred at the entrance to the garden of Gethsemane. Soldiers had been sent to arrest Jesus, but they were not sure how to identify him. So they indicated that the only individual they wanted to arrest was Jesus. He said to them, ‘I am he.’ When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. It is likely that what he said was ‘I am’, which would explain why the soldiers fell on the ground before him. On his way to the cross, his opponents caught a temporary glimpse of the greatness of Jesus.

Who was in charge of events at the entrance to the Garden? Who was giving instructions to the soldiers as to what they should do? Who interrogated Judas as to his actions? Who forbade Peter to use his sword? Who healed a man who lost his ear? Who was determined to go to the cross? The one who is ‘I am.’

Jesus is the Heir

In the first verses of the book of Hebrews several important details are said about Jesus. One of them is that he was appointed the heir of all things by the Father: ‘in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.’

In order to understand what this phrase means, we can ask a few simple questions.

Who is involved? God the Father and God the Son.

When did it happen? It happened before the universe was created. The verse in Hebrews follows on from its comment about him being the heir by saying that it was through Jesus as the heir that the Father made the worlds. So the all things that he is the heir of is the universe.

Why did it happen? The answer to that question is that the Father gave this great position to his Son because he wanted the best for him. It was an expression of the Father’s love that all things should belong to his Son.

What did it involve? Two roles, we might say. One is that the inheritance had to come into existence and in Genesis 1 and 2 we have the account of how God the Father and God the Son enjoyed creating the inheritance. The other role is that something went wrong with the inheritance and it became the responsibility of the Heir to redeem it. This is why Jesus went to the cross, to redeem rebels and his inheritance.

 

What is the future for the heir? All authority is his at the moment. One day, he will recreate his inheritance which the Bible calls the new heaven and new earth. It is important to recognise that it is primarily the inheritance of Jesus. But he desires to share all of it with all his co-heirs, those who believe in him.

Jesus is God

The Saviour is called God in several places. He is given this title by his Father and he is given this title by his people. 

How do we describe God? A list of attributes, perhaps. Or maybe we can use pictures or illustrations drawn from daily life (shepherd, guide, protector). Both those methods are very biblical. 

We can consider the title by his uniqueness. In what ways is Jesus unique? No doubt, many answers could be given to that question. Here is one answer – he is unique in that he can do the impossible, or at least what we would regard as impossible. So here are three ‘impossible’ things that Jesus did as God.

First, he made all things out of nothing. If we said to a tradesman, ‘Make me a house out of nothing,’ he would think we were mad. ‘That is impossible,’ he would say. Yet Jesus as God made more than a house, he made the universe out of nothing.

Second, although he is God, he also became a man, a real man. When he became a man, he remained fully divine. Things that are true of God are true of him, just as things that are true of sinless humans are true of him. He is omniscient, yet learns; he is omnipotent, yet depends on the Spirit; he is omnipresent, yet is confined to one location. Is that not amazing?

Third, although he is God and man, pure and holy, he became the sinbearer and paid the penalty for sin. We speak of long-term sentences, usually forgetting that all of us were under the longest sentence possible. No one can state the appropriate sentence for sin. Because the sin is against God, the penalty is eternal. The only One who knew the exact penalty was God, and on Calvary God the Son paid it fully and finally for his people.

Jesus is the Foundation

Paul uses many illustrations when referring to the union between Jesus and his people. One of them says that Jesus is the foundation and we are the building. Imagine a building with twenty-one floors. Each floor represents each century since Jesus died and rose again. It already is a tall building, but we don’t know how many floors will yet be added. Perhaps, there may be another twenty.

A foundation can exist without a building, but a building cannot exist without a foundation. But what would the foundation do without the building? So when the plans were made for this building, it was recognised that it would be built on Jesus as the foundation. The plans for it are eternal. Jesus was called to this position by his Father: ‘therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation”’ (Isa. 28:16).

As far as the commencement of the relationship between Jesus and his people is concerned, he is a living stone and they were dead stones. They did not only need to be made alive, however. In addition, they were lost and scattered all over the place. He had to gather them by the gospel and make them spiritually alive by the Holy Spirit. That activity is happening today.

Because we are accustomed sadly to denominations, we often lose sight of Jesus as the foundation for millions of believers who are building on him. In reality, there is only one church of Jesus Christ. I wonder who the next stone to each of us in the erection of this amazing building is. Maybe it comes from Africa or Asia.

The building Paul probably has in mind is a temple in which God can dwell. What a wonderful prospect for the other residents in the building!

Jesus is the Everlasting Father

In Isaiah 9, a prediction is made about the name Jesus will have – he will be the Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace. Those four titles together make one name and obviously point to his greatness as a Ruler. It was common for kings to have lots of titles, most of which were meaningless. But each of the titles of Jesus is full of meaning.

We might be puzzled by the third title (Everlasting Father) and wonder if it has any connection to God the Father. It is not connected to the Father. When Jesus is called the Everlasting Father, it means that he will act like a father and look after his subjects. Often, a king is called the father of his nation. Unlike all other rulers, Jesus will be able to take care of all who belong to his kingdom.

In addition, he will not only take care of them occasionally. Rather he will take care of them eternally – one of his roles as the eternal King is to care for his people while they are in this world and also in the form of his kingdom that will exist in the next world. No other king can make such a claim. They have to hand on their kingdom to a descendant or a conqueror. In contrast, Jesus will remain a perfect king for ever.

It is a good idea to think about how Jesus takes care of us. Perhaps drawing up a list would help us see how he uses his power on our behalf. And we can also put together a list of what he has promised to do for us in the next world.

Jesus is the door

Jesus describes himself as the door of the fold into which a shepherd put his flock at night before they continued their travels on the following day. The fold might be a collection of stones build into walls and so creating a secure spot. There was one part that did not have stones, and that was the entrance. Often, the shepherd would lie there all night. 

Instinctively, the sheep would sense that the shepherd was acting as a guard. His presence would give them a sense of security. Jesus gives a different kind of security to his people – he will ensure that they are safe eternally and that enemies such as opposition, disease and death will not defeat his people permanently. One day, after the resurrection, they will be in a fold concerning which there will be no dangers.

We know too that a shepherd would provide the sheep with suitable grazing. Indeed, he might erect the fold beside where they were feeding so that they would not have to travel far afterwards. In everyday life, sheep could be in danger when they were feeding or chewing the cud afterwards. But the Good Shepherd providentially puts his sheep into a place where they can graze safely. Because Jesus will provide such good food, they will have a sense of satisfaction with what he provides. His aim is for them to focus on that, and not waste their time by feeding their souls on what will not help them.

It was also the case that at daybreak the shepherd would guide his sheep to wherever he wanted to take them. He did not have a consultation with them about it, although he would take into account the state that they were in. All the sheep would know, I assume by some form of instinct, that after their daily travels the shepherd again would find a safe location. In a real sense, that is what spiritual living is. Being led, being fed, and being kept by Jesus are what it is all about.