Many of us see
Christianity in an anthropological sense being created or founded or
expanded by a religious leader, whether Jesus or Paul. The amazing
uniqueness about Christianity was that it was not initiated from human
effort ie Jesus came from a virgin birth being the Son of God. It was
not human becoming/ascending to be God, but God being incarnated in
human form.
Jesus deliberately
located His church not in a major city, or populated area. In the modern
context, it would be locating the church out in the hills where it would
take some effort to reach and not near any public transport. Often, we
have to seek God, to go down river to pray and seek the presence of God.
It is a often journey where we loose ourselves and all that we have that
God becomes central again. In the high mountains and the desert places,
in the emptiness of life, we can see God.
The claim by Jesus that
He was God and in the beginning was with God is unique amongst all
religions because it could be easily challenged during Jesus' ministry
on earth. Jesus verified His standing by amazing acts of miracles on a
regular basis when hitherto the Prophets only had few incidents of the
miraculous. But Jesus was doing it day and night resulting in people
coming far out into the desert to seek Him.
No one in his right
mind would claim that he was God because it could be easily disputed.
When John was in jail near in the end of his ministry knowing that the
end is near, he needed reassurance and comfort that Jesus was the
Messiah, the Son of God. He sent out his disciples to verify the claims
and the reply from Jesus was:-
Mat 11: 4 Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things
which you hear and see: 5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers
are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have
the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended
because of Me.”
This Gospel of the good
news of the Salvation in Christ alone was later expanded by Paul and was
again unique in a religious world where you have to give a big sacrifice
or be 100% obedient by the religious laws for having any chance of
reaching heaven ie a saint, and even that is not guaranteed.
The Gospel message was
simple, based not on our human efforts and works, but simple faith in
the death and resurrection of Jesus and this would have offended many.
It takes all the doing away from us, and puts it all on a one time event
at the Cross of Calvary.
In the midst of many
religious faiths worshipping other deities, Jesus proclaimed He was the
light of God in heaven amidst the darkness of the land where literally
gods were created and worship by mankind after their own making or after
the deities in the spirit world where many commune with. Jesus was the
light, the way and the truth to God, and this was very offensive even to
the Jews.
When Jesus died at the
Cross of Calvary, the religious leaders of the land would have been so
glad because Jesus had increadible credibility and brought heaven to
earth. He had connected the dots from earth to heaven, whilst they were
preaching a judgement day in heaven for the judgement of their sins.
However, heaven was not
on earth, and Jesus had to die. His death and "mortal" remains would
have invalidated the message because it showed Jesus to be mortal and
His claim to be God a lie. The resurrection of Jesus with an empty tomb
was so important because it was the final affirmation of Him as the Son
of God and that we too, in Christ, will return to heaven when we die.
Jesus left spiritual
portals to heaven with the promise at the end of time to come back, got
many religious folks very worried because they had put Jesus to the
Cross. There was no tomb or relic to worship, no remains and no
descendents to take on the leadership role. The only remains were an
empty Cross and an empty tomb, and the promise of a return.
Jesus left the
possibility of spiritual portals connecting heaven, the rivers of grace
from the throne room of God. We can call on the name of Jesus in the
spiritual realm and enter this river of grace by faith in His completed
works at Calvary. He sent His Holy Spirit to be with us and to guide us
in our spiritual journey.
The river of grace is
not necesarrily at the church or at St. Pauls at the Vatican. The move
of the Holy Spirit of where He will appear is not determined by us. We
are to desire the presence of God, and that presence can come where we
are when we exalt the name of Jesus above all names, and come into a
rest at the finished work of the Cross and not struggle on.
Be at rest and be
blessed, be at rest in the rivers of grace where the abudance of life
and spirit flows. The work at the Cross is finished. We are in Christ,
and are His beloved. It is His faithfullness that matters not ours. It
is His grace and mercy and love that breaks through our deepest darkness
when life is but a raging storm.
Our part is to step
into the river of God and to begin dancing and rejoicing again, for the
presence of God is here for healing, revival and abundance of life.