“He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain…Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering,” Isaiah 53: 2-4 (excerpts)
As we approach Easter, Christians will open the Bible and read texts like this one from Isaiah talking about the coming Messiah, Jesus. We will be challenged to reflect on the person of Jesus, the one who died for us on the cross. We will celebrate Easter, and celebrate the person of Jesus. Depending on who you talk to, you may hear a variety of understandings of who Jesus is, and what His work means. For some, Jesus is like a Build a Bear. You choose a case, level of stuffing and what clothes to wear, what to name it, and more. At Build a Bear you have a totally customized experience for each person. Some will look at Jesus similarly. For some Jesus is a cuddly teddy bear, who only loves me and never tells me I am doing anything wrong; for others Jesus is a great teacher, filled with deep theological thoughts, but disconnected from the reality we live in, and the list could go on.
As we reflect on these passages and the person of Jesus we are faced with a reality from Scripture; Jesus is who He is, not who we might want Him to be. Jesus is not meant to be a highly customizable savior who molds and fits our flavor or desire of the week. Jesus is instead the Son of God, revealed to us in the Bible, revealed to people as He walked this earth and did His ministry. Jesus is more than anything we could ever describe or try to put words to. So this Easter season as we think about the person of Jesus, look at the Bible, read about the stories, the interactions, the meals, and all that we learn about Jesus from Scripture. Make sure the picture of Jesus that you are reflecting on is not from Build a Bear, but instead from God’s Word.
Pastor Bill
Discussion Questions
1. What does your picture of Jesus look like?
2. Do you have any scriptures that are helpful as you think about Jesus during Easter season?