Tag: Jesus Christ

Tracing in the Sands of Time

Dr. J.D. Wilkins1 Comment

Daily Post:  Trace

trace

Jeffrey Deaver has written 13 novels about Lincoln Rhyme, a former NYPD Homicide Detective turned Forensic Consultant, who left the NYPD when he became a quadriplegic after an accident on the job.  Partnering with Amelia Sachs, a former model turned investigator now working with NYPD, she tall, fast driving, nail biting detective “walks the grid” in search of trace evidence to solve complex crimes.  The science behind Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) is not fiction however. This process involves meticulous observation and documentation of the scene – photography, identification of physical evidence and collecting it, including fingerprints, footwear impressions, hair, fibers, biological fluids, and DNA for analysis.  All this information combined with careful reasoning of the facts surrounding the crime, often aid in solving the “who done it,” which makes fiction authors so famous.  “Stranger than fiction?”  Often not, in real life.

There is one mystery today that remains solved but unresolved, for those who study the facts of it.  Since we only have trace evidence in the matter, and that only a smattering of documentation compared to what is being collected at crimes scenes today, we must trust in the veracity of said documentation.  The narrative is as old as time itself, in terms of motive.  The scene of the crime was one of power, and an expression of what happens when you cross the sovereignty of the State.  The characters in the story are countless, including perhaps on some level all of mankind itself.  The weapons, still not in evidence today: three nails and a spear.

The Jewish leadership determined that rather than let the people perish at the hand of a hostile Roman overlord, which they deemed would occur if something wasn’t done, agreed to hand over Jesus Christ of Nazareth as their sacrificial lamb, in an effort to restore sanity back to heir jurisdiction.  The puppet king Herod, laughed his way through the proceedings, expecting Jesus to perform miracles to entertain him.  The powerless procurator, Pilate, tried cunningly to outwit the Jewish high priests, but in the end came up with a plan to free Jesus, whom he thought was an innocent, which backfired, releasing the murderous Barabbas instead.

In the end, not only Judas, but all of Jesus’ closest followers ran from his arrest and hid themselves.  Historically the brutality of crucifixion is well documented through secular documents as well as the Bible.  The horrific nature of this kind of death, and the reasons why the Roman government employed it, are not lost at all.  Yet the mystery remains unresolved in many people today.

Some read the story as a fictional narrative, believing in their hearts that most of it is made up, just like Noah’s Ark, the crossing of the Red Sea, or the walls of Jericho crumbling to the ground.  All we have left of any of these stories is the trace evidence.  A document which has lasted so long as a validated, historically accurate, evidentiary exhibit, that the truths it holds cannot be challenged.  When God documented what he determined would happen, it happened.  Including offering up His own Son, His only Son, as a sacrifice for the Sin of the world.

Yet the mystery remains.  Why?

Why would God, “so love the world?”
Why would God see this death as the only way to redeem us?
Why would Jesus allow Himself to be used in this way?
Why?

We could search for the rest of our natural lives to answer this question, but human minds cannot reason with the unmistakable truth of it all:

Romans 5:6
For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.

Why did He do it?  He did it for me.

Why did He do it?  He did it for you.

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Full Measure

Dr. J.D. WilkinsLeave a comment

Measure

HashemTheName

The only people who walk around calling themselves by their own name are sports maniacs, politicians, or overstuffed actors. No normal person says, “Jim is going to write an article, then have breakfast, and after that Jim is going to play golf.”  A normal person says “I am…” regarding these activities.  In English we call this speaking in the third person.  Not first, not second… but third.  Names are essential but only exists for the benefit of the outsider.  They are like handles to help the outsider identify a person.  A coffee mug has a handle, but holds no coffee.  The purpose is to allow the holder to have a relationship with the mug, which allows the holder to partake in the coffee.  Names are relationship handles.

As human beings we don’t have a relationship between our identity and our name, but those around us do.  My dad’s name is James, my son’s name is James, there is a man in my Sunday School class is named James.  So when I think of the name James, I don’t think of myself, I think about one of these other men I know, named James.

In the Old Testament the Hebrew people never called God by His true name, and if it was written down it was: YKVK.  Absent any vowel sounds this word is impossible to pronounce correctly.  It was never spoken so no one really knows what it sounds like.  Some have tried to say Yahveh, but even that is purely speculation.  The name YKVK represented the infinite aspects of God which are beyond our human understanding or comprehension.  This name is actually a combination of 3 Hebrew words: Haya, Hoveh, and Yeheyeh, which mean past, present, and future.  The concept isn’t just that God was, is, and always will be.  The concept is that God transcends time itself, and that God is present, was present, and will be present … simultaneously.

Whether in the first century or in the twenty-first century, Jews refer to God as Hashem, which literally means, “The Name.”  It is forbidden to speak God’s true name (YKVK) so The Name became the expression for the essence of the Jewish relationship with God.  To them it was the same thing as saying “Dad.”

Jesus was a Jew.  He understood these concepts better from a human perspective than any of his Jewish brothers.  He also got into big trouble because He explained these concepts as though He were talking about Himself.  At one point He said plainly and boldly, “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) On another occasion Jesus said, “But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent me.” (John 8:16)

These radical statements by Jesus threw the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem into a rage.  This attitude was inflamed when on several separate occasions Jesus invoked a name or moniker, previously used for God, and took that title for Himself.  These statements began with the words: “I am…”  The very name God told Moses to use when speaking to Pharaoh in Egypt.  Listen to what He told them:

John 8:24
Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.

John 8:28
When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.

John 8:58
Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.

John 6:35
I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.

John 8:12
I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.

John 10:7
Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

John 10:11
I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

John 11:25
I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies.

John 14:6
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

John 15:1
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

When Jesus was born, God instructed Joseph to name this male child Jesus.  We lose so much understanding because we are not Jewish.  In fact His name in Hebrew and Aramaic (the languages which Jesus spoke), He was called “Yeshua,” which means salvation.  For His whole life Jesus was known in His own culture and world as Yeshua!

When Jesus lived on earth, kings were given authority in ceremonies where they were anointed with olive oil.  Yeshua became known as the “Mashiach” (Messiah) or “Anointed One.”  He was anointed with God’s authority, and so became known as Yeshua Ha Mashiach, Yeshua the Anointed One.

So why do we say His name is Jesus Christ as though referring to His first and last name? New Testament manuscripts written in Greek translated Yeshua (Hebrew) as “Iesous” (pronounced yay-soos).  This Greek word translated into English is “Jesus.”  The word for Mashiach (Anointed One) in Greek is “Christos” (anointed).  In English “Christ.”

Jesus Christ is … the Great “I AM”… the full measure of God’s revelation … of His nature, character, deity, authority, sovereignty, and grace.

Do you know His name?  What is your relationship with Him?

 

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Criticize?

Dr. J.D. Wilkins2 Comments

via Criticize

It’s always easy to criticize.  Think about it.  When I use myself as the measuring standard, there will always be other people, in my opinion, who fall way short.  The result of this basic human tendency is criticism.  The issue then becomes, “who gets to set the standard by which all human action or attitude should be measured?”  Spiritually-minded people are at least open to the idea that they, themselves, are not the center of the universe.  However, I know a lot of “spiritually-minded” people who are also very critical of others, which causes me a great deal of consternation.  I don’t really understand their judgmental attitudes, if they consider Jesus’ words as the standard for living.

Matthew 7:1
Do not judge so that you will not be judged.

The world at large, and our nation in particular, has become attuned to the conflict stemming from unsolicited criticism.  The layers of vehemence originating in tweets, posts, emails, and the media, are so enormous it’s no wonder our folks are divided.  I’m trying hard to tune it all out.  But if you watch any television at all, if you’re on FaceBook, Twitter, or the plethora of social media streams out there, it is virtually impossible not to be caught up in the undertow of nonsense.  We’ve created a monster, it’s name is: Criticism.

Everyone and their dog seems to think it’s ok just to shove those words right down our throats, using every foul-mouthed verb in the book, and condemn us if we don’t agree with their ideologies.  Nobody is exempt.  If the revered position of President of the United States, can be the target of unfounded criticism from the uninformed masses, who can be exempt?  It’s not really much different than in Jerusalem of the 1st century.

The group responsible for the spiritual leadership in Israel were called priests. The head guy was called the high priest.  The majority of this group held the position that Jesus Christ was a false teacher, a heretic, dangerous, and should be killed.  While Donald Trump is certainly not Jesus Christ, today he faces this same attitude (and danger) from people who have bought into the lies of the media, and the Democratic Party.  Without doubt, those so highly critical often believe their own twisted logic so much, that they will do virtually anything in their power, to get their own way.  Criticism is just the beginning.

When the lust for power becomes so strong that it moves from influencing our thoughts, to motivating our actions, somebodies death is almost a certainty.  The Bible speaks clearly on this matter.

James 1:15
Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Those with the strongest voices of outrageous criticism today find no value in the Word of God.  This is clear from their voices, actions, and goals.  This reality makes the words of James even more tragic.  Because in this sense, while they lust for power, these lust motives give birth to actions of sin (falling short of God’s standard), resulting in their own spiritual death because they have rejected God, His Son, and His Word.

 

Am I being too critical here?  You can decide for yourself.  That’s what this blog is all about. I seek to stimulate thinking, and urge you to seek God’s direction while sorting through the mess we have become in this country.