What A Beautiful Savior

Sometimes I just don't understand how I can ignore who Jesus is and what He has done in my life.  I went to Penn State ready to do whatever I wanted.  But low and behold God had other plans.  Life altering plans.  Life crushing and restoring plans.  

I think the most amazing part of the change is that it was and has been and I believe will be better than anything my pathetic mind could have even remotely conjured.  

As I think about who He is, I find myself filled with a desire to proclaim His glory.  So on this day of Easter, I hope you don't mind.  These are some verses that amaze me each time I read them - feel free to click on the links and check them out.  I just wanna brag on my Lord...

Isaiah 9 : 2 - 6

 ² The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. ³ You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest, as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder. ⁴ For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor. ⁵ Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire. ⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

Isaiah 52 : 13 through Isaiah 53

¹³ See, my servant will act wisely; he will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. ¹⁴ Just as there were many who were appalled at him his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness— ¹⁵ so he will sprinkle many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.

Isaiah 53

 ¹ Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? ² He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground.  He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. ³ He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem. ⁴ Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. ⁵ But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. ⁶ We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. ⁷ He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the laughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. ⁸ By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested?  For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.⁹ He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. ¹⁰ Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. ¹¹ After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. ¹² Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. 

 

Who is like Him?      Nobody. 

He was who He said he was. 

John 4 : 25-26 :  ²⁵ The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” ²⁶ Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

He did in fact do what He said He did.

I will never forget when my dear friend (Greg Boros) said that during one of our Bible studies at Penn State, and that phrase (He was who He said He was and did what He said He did) always reminds me that Jesus wasn't messing around.  He was either telling us something very very true or telling us something very very false. 

I believe with everything that is in me that He was telling the truth because He is the Truth.  So as I go get some sleep before I spend the day thinking and bragging on my Lord, I ask you to think about the same things I am.  Think about the love of God that He would send His Son to do these things for us, a broken people.

I mean really - if He was who He said He was and did what He said He did, your world should be rocked like mine with a desire for living water.  Come on - what else could you even consider doin' right now?