CONSIDER JESUS
Gary Giddings, Sand Springs, OK
Hebrews 3:1-2, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful to Him that appointed Him …” As Christians, we are to consider Jesus, that is, “to perceive clearly, to understand fully” (Vine) the unique Son of God. This is no mere reasoning of the human intellect, but it is to yield ourselves to God who reveals Himself and opens our understanding to His reality.
Consider that Jesus was faithful, that is, “trustworthy” and “true” (Strong). Jesus completed the Father’s will by going to Calvary’s Cross and dying for our sins. Jesus could have called 12 legions of angels to rescue Him, but He didn’t. Jesus was faithful to the plan that the Triune God made to save us from our sins (Acts 2:22-24, 36-38). After receiving Jesus into our heart as Savior, He comes to stay. We, too, can learn to be faithful to the Father because of the Spirit of Christ within us. As we allow Jesus to live through us, we can be faithful. Phil. 2:5-8, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Before there was the earth and the universe, God existed in eternity past. But God wasn’t lonely or needy: God is perfect and complete. God is a Trinity – The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit. God is a Relational Being. When Jesus came to earth, His relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit didn’t stop or end. As a man, Jesus DEPENDED on His relationship with the Father and Holy Spirit. Think of what Jesus did to take this humble place: He gave up His “rights” as God. He gave up being Omnipotent (All-Powerful), Omniscient (All-Knowing), and Omnipresent (Present Everywhere). Jesus entered time and space and took on a body of flesh and blood, why? He identified with us so that He could take our place and die for our sins. When we accept this gift of Salvation, we can identify with Jesus! Now, with the Spirit of Christ within, we can follow His example of doing the Father’s will. Jesus IS the great example and pattern for us.
Mark 10:42-45 “…Jesus called them to Him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Consider Jesus’ example: we must learn to SERVE others. This is not just trying to please everyone, but we learn our role in the Kingdom of God and we use our gifts and talents to point others to Jesus. What is your gift or talent? Use it for Jesus’ sake and for His kingdom.
Peter told those gathered in the house of Cornelius that “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). Jesus’ humble obedience to the Father is our example. We also can do good in this world as we yield to God. John 3:34, “For He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto Him.” Jesus didn’t begin His ministry until AFTER He was baptized in water by John the Baptist and filled with the Holy Spirit. Jesus wasn’t off trying to accomplish the prophecies of the Old Testament by Himself. He relied upon the Father and the Holy Spirit. John 14:10 “Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works.” John 14:24 “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.” Jesus said it was the Father speaking through Him! Jesus didn’t rely on Himself, but gave Himself completely over to the Father.
Luke 22:41-44, “And He [Jesus] was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Think of the GREAT stress that was upon Jesus. He was already agonizing over what was before Him, but He poured out His heart to the Father. There He gained the strength He needed to keep going with the PLAN to save us.
Heb. 5:7-9, “[Jesus] Who in the days of his flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though He were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him; The word feared means that Jesus showed “reverence” (Strong). From the Webster Dictionary, reverence is a “feeling or attitude of deep respect, love, and awe.”
How was Jesus heard? Did He get to bypass the Cross? No. God the Father gave Him the power that He needed TO STAY ON TASK. Jesus could have called 12 legions of angels to rescue Him, but He didn’t. It was His Love for us that propelled Him on to do the difficult thing. Jesus was obedient, even through the suffering. God doesn’t obey or need to obey anyone, because God is God. But when Jesus stepped down from heaven and took on a body of flesh and blood, HE LEARNED TO OBEY THE FATHER.
John 10:17-18, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. Jesus was given power, that is, “authority, strength” (Strong) from the Father to be the Lamb of God to take away our sins! Jesus didn’t rely on Himself but His relationship with the Father. When Jesus laid down His life, it could LOOK like failure and defeat. It could LOOK like God lost and the Devil won. But Jesus relied on the power that the Father gave Him to complete the plan of Redemption. We know by the Scriptures that Jesus won because He came out of the grave. He arose victorious over death and hell. We read that Jesus “spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Col. 2:15). “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name:” Phil. 2:9.
Jesus FIRST took the downward steps to identify with us and to redeem us. THEN God the Father highly exalted Him. Jesus humbled Himself and waited for the Father to exalt Him. Jesus didn’t exalt Himself but pointed to the Father who does the exalting. God set us free to SERVE and to WORSHIP Him through Jesus our Savior. But what will we do with the freedom, the liberty that He gives us? We are tempted to live for “The Kingdom of Me.” It is so easy to get caught up with what we want and what we like to do, because we are human. But it is our joy, our privilege to SERVE JESUS and to PLEASE Him. CONSIDER JESUS who laid down His life to save us from our own destructive ways. We were saved to KNOW and to ENJOY His presence. Psa. 16:11, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Jesus went through the pain and suffering of doing the Father’s will and came out the other side victorious! Jesus is now experiencing fulness of joy and pleasures forever more because of His relationship with the Father. These promises are for us, too, who submit our will to God. May we let Jesus RULE & REIGN on the throne of our hearts so that we may RULE & REIGN with Him in His Millennial Reign on earth. This highest place is being offered to you today: will you accept it or reject it? It is up to you. Why do we settle for less when God offers us His best?
