The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus at the Centre

On the chocolate box we find descriptions of what each chocolate contains, but first we have to remove the wrapper.

The wrappings we have to remove first: remind us of God’s love, To find God’s  love for ourselves, we have to take a look at Jesus..

The chocolate that surrounds the delicious centre ­– reminds us of the Holy Spirit, he directs us to Jesus and we learn about Jesus  in the Bible.

The centre – Jesus at the centre he is our Saviour and he is the one who saves us by taking our wrongdoings against God upon himself which caused him to die instead of us. 

Through our faith in Jesus we can be made right with God.

Luke 24: 36 – 49. 

The disciples were lost without Jesus, he was the centre of their lives.  

After his death they were fearful and troubled, but when he came and stood in the midst of his disciples in the house Jerusalem their fears melted away.                      

They were were not quite sure whether it was a manifestation of a spirit or really Jesus, he showed them where the nails and the spear had pierced his flesh, Luke records that he said, “Handle me, and see, for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see I have.” There is no mention of blood, his resurrected body had no blood, no blood circulating the oxygen and nutriments to his body, but still he ate grilled fish.

His body wrapped with flesh and bones, the life which supported the body from a different structure of molecules, but at its centre Jesus, the same personality and  characteristics that he had before his death and resurrection. 

The same warm personality reaching out to Mary Magdalene Jesus was the centre of her life too, at the tomb she stood weeping. Jesus said to her, ‘Women why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” Supposing she was speaking to the gardener, she said that some one had stolen Jesus’ body. Then she heard the familiar voice of Jesus saying her name, “Mary, Mary” she turned and realised that Jesus was risen, he was alive. 

Mary saw the reality of that hope we have when we die. We therefore have the assurance, as Jesus always spoke the truth, that he has prepared a place in his Father’s house for his family of believers. Where he is, we are also. 

Jesus’ engaging character was experienced by the two men were on the road to Emmaus, perhaps he saw how discouraged they were and came alongside and discussed the scriptures with them. They invited the stranger to stay with them, and as they sat to eat, Jesus revealed himself through the breaking of bread. 

In our reading, in the upper room where all his followers gathered, he opened up the scriptures to them revealing that the Christ had to suffer and be raised from the dead.

The Messiah’s Secret Revealed 
Jesus opened the disciples’ minds to understand the parables, but concerning his death and resurrection they could not grasp what he was saying and after his death we read they did not believe in the resurrection. Matthew 16: 22. Mark 9: 32.John 20: 9.

Jesus in his steadfastness will be coming  along side someone today, opening their eyes of understanding to his presence in the scriptures.  

Madge the eyes of her understanding were opened when at a Bible study she understood in her spirit about the blood of Jesus cleansing her from her sin, sins forgiven through Jesus’ blood being poured out at Calvary for the sins of the whole world. Madge’s head knowledge became heart knowledge. Jesus gave substance and reality to her faith. 

The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus’ strength of character when the disciples saw this figure on shore of the Sea of Tiberias. They heard him shout in a commanding voice. “Cast your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they counted the fish there were 153, the significance of this number, the Hebrew language consists of letters and numbers.  The Hebrew word ‘Beni ha-Elohim adds up to 153 and translated means, ‘Sons of God.’  Jesus wanted to bless them and confirm his word to them, that they would be fishers of men. The sign of the fish became a prominent symbol in the early church. 

Jesus at the centre of his church. Jesus said, that those who believe in Him, he and his Father would come and make their home within that person, Jesus in the midst of a person.

When in faith we ask Jesus into our heart, God’s Spirit transforms our human soul/spirit.  

In the King James version the translator uses the word ‘quickened’ and I relate that to when I was pregnant at round about three months the baby began to move in the womb. The term used was ‘quickening’ and from my experience God quickens our human living soul with his Spirit and it reminded me of the first movement of the baby.  

So that we are now one with God our Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.   

Like generations of Christians before us we have been changed like a car that has a new engine, the appearance of the car is the same.

Our appearance is the same, but the old state of mind has gone. 

The law is written in our heart, so we feel how God feels about sin, he loves the sinner but hates the sin.  

Now we find that our own concerns take a back seat and we begin to think and feel about what concerns Jesus. The plight of the poor in our community, the young people under pressure to follow the course of the world. The widening gulf between rich and poor.  

Many people in Rossendale are struggling to cope and need to depend on the Food Bank to tide them over a bad period. At their Annual General Meeting last week, what came across strongly was neighbourly kindness. Even with all the technology, people enjoy and need personal contact.

Jesus’ love continues to impact today’s world. The gospel of good news is transforming lives. 

The Holy Spirit reveals Jesus to those who seek him, and the church  continues to see Jesus at its centre.