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As Pastor Steve shared with us this past Sunday, it is through Jesus that all things were created, it is through Jesus that all things are sustained, and it is through Him that all things will be redeemed. Jesus is the fullness of God, and this should radically transform our understanding of who God is.
Jesus shows us what God is like.
The Scriptures repeatedly make the point that Jesus is the exact representation of who God is. The life that Jesus lived and the death that Jesus died reveals the true character of God. If we want to know what God is like, we need only to look at Jesus. If you want to know what God is like, look at how Jesus lived, and look at the Cross.
The Cross shows us what God is like.
It’s interesting… if you were to ask people what they think God is like, you would likely get a lot of different answers. Some might think that God is angry and full of wrath. Others might think that God is benevolent and eager to love. Some would say that God is distant from us, while others might suggest that God is near. But according to the Apostle Paul, more than anything else, Jesus’ death on the Cross shows us who God is.
True Godliness is Cross-shaped.
To be a follower of Jesus is to follow the ways of God. If God Himself is most fully revealed through Jesus giving His life on the Cross, then true godliness must also be defined by the Cross. To become more godly is to become more Cross-like. If you want to be more like God, you must become more like Jesus… and to become more like Jesus, you must take up your own Cross and follow Him.
True Love is Cross-shaped.
God is love – the kind of love that willingly stoops in humility, that willingly sacrifices itself, that gives itself away for the sake of others. This is the example that we are called to follow. We are not to merely look after our own interests, but also after the interests of others. We are not to exalt ourselves at the expense of others, but rather we are called to humble ourselves for the benefit of others. This is what godliness looks like. This is what God does. This is who God is.
May we walk in the Image of God this week!
Arnie
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