“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38, NKJV).
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 13:31).
“He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day” (John 12:48).
It has been said that Jesus is the best apologetic for Christianity. His incredible claims, perfect life, matchless influence, and timeless teaching all identify Jesus as a totally unique person in history. Consider how His claims set Him apart from others. Now, two thousand years on, His words are nowhere near to passing away.
Have you ever thought about what kind of person would make these sorts of statements? If I were to make any of them today, it would be the last time you ever listened to me. You wouldn’t waste your time on what I had to say, preach, teach, or write. And you
would be well justified in your response.
Beside a well in Samaria, a woman brought up the anticipated Messiah, and Jesus hesitated not, but plainly told her I AM He. He said to His disciples, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.” He said to the Jewish religious leaders, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
As the Bread of Life, the Good Shepherd, the Door of the Sheep, Light of the World, the Resurrection and the Life, the Way-Truth-Life, the True Vine, the Son of Man, and many other
ways He described Himself.
He didn’t represent Himself as just another teacher, rabbi, or prophet, among many. He claimed the title Son of God, which was much more than saying today that we are children
of God. It meant He was the representation of God that He had God’s attributes and characteristics. That’s what is different about Him; that’s what makes His crucifixion stand
out from others.
But there is more than what He claimed to be; there is what He taught. Consider the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapters 5-7. There is a lifetime of learning and practice in those 3 chapters. What Jesus taught was unique, and even today, it is recognized for its greatness by believers and non-believers alike. It is, in fact, evidence of His deity, of His claims, of His person; because no man would or could ever invent what He taught.
The non-believer sees a good set of morals and a good teacher. But you and I should look much closer than that if we wear His Name. There is more there than that. Here is the teaching that regulates not just man’s behavior but also the thoughts and intents of
the heart. It doesn’t just control a person; it changes one from the inside out. And changes
them into someone who is more and more like God.
What He taught gives hope in the darkest hours of life, joy in the worst situations, and peace in the most devastating and difficult conditions. It gives purpose and meaning to life and defines the highest character and the most noble attributes.
That is why we praise and lift Him up for the world to see. May our hearts always be stirred and moved by His words of life. May we never outlive our love for our Savior or for His way.
—John Ostic
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