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Jesus as Pictured in Scripture
Jesus, the Son of God, is pictured in many
beautiful ways throughout the Scriptures. Each time we are allowed to look
at Jesus in the Bible should draw us closer to Him. "And I, if I am lifted
up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
(John 12:32.)
Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.
"Simon Peter answered and said You are the
Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16.) Peter made a simple
and bold confession of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He is the Christ, the
great Prophet, Priest, and King; the Messiah promised in past generations.
Jesus is the Son of the living God. He has life in Himself. Do you believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God?
Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world.
"For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that
which was lost." (Luke 19:10) Luke states to the world the purpose
of Jesus coming. Jesus literally came to call sinners to repentance. "But
go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice.
For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners,
to repentance." (Matthew 9:13.) Jesus came from heaven to earth to
seek, for the purpose of saving, that which was lost. Have you allowed
Jesus to become your Savior?
Jesus is a Teacher
come from God. "There was a man
of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to
Jesus by night and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that
You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that
You do unless God is with him." (John 3:1-2.) Christ was a Teacher from
God. He was supported by divine authority. (Matthew 28:18.) He was a
Teacher by inspiration. Jesus came as a Teacher from God into a world of
darkness and ignorance. He came into the world as Light and Truth. Are you
learning and following this "Teacher sent from God?"
Jesus is -- "Jesus" the one who would save
His people from their sins. "And she will bring forth a Son, and
you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their
sins." (Matthew 1:21.) His name is "Jesus". The reason for the name is,
"He shall save His people from their sins." He is willing to be Savior of
all who will come to Him. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let
him who hears say, Come! And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires let
him take the water of life freely." (Revelation 22:17.) Jesus saves from
the guilt of sin by His blood. He saves from the control of sin by the
fruit of the Spirit in our lives. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." (Galatians
5:22-24.) Have you allowed Jesus to save you from your sins?
Jesus is the anointed of God.
"And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying,
This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased." (Matthew 3:17.) God said Jesus was "His Son." Jesus is the Son
of God by supernatural conception. "Therefore the Lord Himself will give
you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall
call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14.) He is God's Son because of His
great work as our Redeemer from sin. God exalted Jesus as His anointed.
"Also I will make him My firstborn, The highest
of the kings of the earth." (Psalm 89:27.) It is easy to see God's love
when we recognize that He did not withhold His only begotten Son. "Behold!
My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom My
soul delights! I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice
to the Gentiles." (Isaiah 42:1.) Have you, by faith, accepted and obeyed
God's anointed?
Jesus is the author and finisher of our
faith. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that
is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of
God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against
Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. You have
not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin." (Hebrews 12:1-4.)
We must set Jesus before us constantly as the author and finisher of our
faith. He is our sacrifice, example and encouragement. Jesus is the
Beginning and the Ending of our salvation. Our duty is to look to Jesus.
Which direction are you looking in your life?
Other Pictures of Jesus
Jesus is Emmanuel (God with us).
"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall
call His name Immanuel, which is translated, God with us." (Matthew 1:23.)
Jesus is God's great prophet.
"For Moses truly said to the fathers, The Lord
your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him
you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. And it shall be
that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed
from among the people." (Acts 3:22-23.)
Jesus is Alpha and Omega.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning
and the End, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the
Almighty." (Revelation 1:8.)
Jesus is the true vine.
"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser." (John 15:1.)
Jesus is our great high Priest.
"Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the
heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession,
Christ Jesus." (Hebrews 3:1.)
Jesus is the way, truth and life.
"Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No one comes to the Father except through
Me." (John 14:6.)
Jesus is the sacrifice for sin.
"Knowing that you were not redeemed with
corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct
received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of
Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot." (I Peter
1:18-19.)
The Son of God loved you and gave His life for
you. (Galatians 2:20.) This great truth changed the life of Paul and it
can change your life also. The cross remains God's drawing power. (John
12:32.) "We preach Christ crucified!" As long as I remember who Jesus is
and what He did for me on the cross, I will be His willing slave for Life.
"We love Him because He first loved us." (I John 4:19.)
- - - - Charles Box
News & Notes
1. Prayer List: Stabler Hospital:
Leroy Waller and Bobby Blackmon (father of Linda Reynolds),
2. Baptized Into
Christ: Mildred McCann was baptized into Christ this past Sunday.
Her address is
3. Remember To
Pray: Alan Jackson needs our prayers as he serves in
4. Sympathy Expressed: Our love
and sympathy is expressed to Dot Killingsworth in the death of her
sister-in-law, Grace Skipper.
5. Web Site: Our new web address
is: www.walnutstreetchurchofchrist.org;
updates are frequently being made, so visit it often.
6. Weekly Budget For 2006: Our
Elders announced that our budget for 2006 is $6,117.87 per week. God
blesses us richly. Let us give generously!
7. Birthdays: Celebrating
birthdays this week are: January 29th William
Friend, January 30th Sue Arnold, Kayla Garlock,
and Kristi Garlock, January 31st Freddie Daughtry
and Barbara Walker, February 2nd Terry Gafford,
and February 4th Matthew Gafford.
8. Kitchen Shower: We are in need
of several items to make our new kitchen more functional. Everyone is
invited to a “Kitchen Shower” on February 5th after the evening
worship service. Please bring finger foods and an item from the list
posted on the bulletin board. If anyone has any questions please contact
Barbara Walker, Tiffany Till or Ann Cauthen.
9. Sign-Up Sheets For 2006: The
sign-up sheets for preparing communion and greeting visitors for 2006 are
on the bulletin board. Please sign-up to help – NOW!
10. Ladies Bible Class: The
Wednesday morn-ing Ladies Bible Class meets at
11. Area Events: (a)
January 27th – Elba Church of Christ – Singing – Time 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
(b) February 3rd – Panama Street Church of Christ in
Montgomery – Singing – Time 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. – everyone is invited. (c)
February 10th-11th – Eastern Meadows Church of
Christ – A Family Seminar – “Putting the Music Back in Marriage” –
Speakers Glenn & Cindy Colley – See bulletin board for time and topics.
12.
13. Dishes In
All-Purpose Room: There are many dishes in the all-purpose room.
Please pick them up now.
Are You Living For Christ?
A million things could have been going through
Paul the apostle’s mind as he sat in his prison cell around AD 61. But as
he penned a letter to some faithful brethren in
Paul was poor in spirit, realizing how lost he
had been without Christ. He said, “...Christ Jesus came into the world to
save sinners, of whom I am chief” (I Tim 1:15). He didn’t think more of
himself than he should have, but gave the Lord all the credit for any good
that was in him or was done by him.
Though he realized where he lacked, he didn’t
let his shortcomings or past mistakes hinder him from doing what he could
for God. Paul endeavored to forget the past and press
on towards his eternal goal of heaven. (Phil 3:13-14)
Paul did not place too much importance on the
things on earth. Paul wrote, “If then you have been raised with Christ,
seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand
of God. Set your minds on things that are above,
where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things
that are above, not on things that are on earth.
For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (
Can you honestly say that Christ lives in you?
Can you say that if you live on in the flesh, you will be living for
Christ? Are you assured that if you die, you will go to be with the Lord
forever? Paul gave himself completely to God, and served Him fully because
God sent His son to die for him. Paul knew what his horrible fate would
have been without Jesus…the same dismal fate that you and I would face
without Jesus. There is nothing on this earth that is worth your soul.
Please turn to God and live for Him today.
- - - - Darrell Powell
If you always think the
way you have always thought, you will always be the way you have always
been.
Don’t just own a Bible; read it!