Pastor Larry Sundin, Rock Springs Church
Have you ever asked yourself, “Who is Jesus?” If you haven’t, then maybe it’s time you did. After all, most of us have grown up being exposed to a Sunday School image of Jesus as an ancient hippy with perfect white teeth, luxuriant hair, and smiling eyes. As a result, we have this image of Jesus as a kind and gentle teacher who rarely rocks the boat. But if that’s your image of Jesus, you are only getting a glimpse of who Jesus really is. What if I were to tell you, that wherever Jesus went in life, from the day he was born until the day he died, his life was followed by scandal? What if I were to tell you that instead of always being this gentle and nice guy, he was often a disturber of the peace? And what if I told you that there were many who were offended by what he did and what he taught?
Jesus often offended the religious but comforted the outsider. He made people pause in wonder, but left others wondering how he could do the things he did. In fact, when you read about Jesus, you soon discover that there were only two kinds of responses to Him: those who loved, followed, and gave their lives to Him, and those who hated, rejected, and wanted to kill him. There was no third option. There was no neutral ground when it came to Jesus. Why? Because Jesus didn’t allow it. As C.S. Lewis once said, “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic … or he would be the devil of hell. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us.”
So, the question remains: “Who is Jesus?” There are some who say, this may be the most important question in life you may ever answer. Maybe you’ve already answered that question. But if you haven’t, then let me encourage you to find out. One way to find out would be by discovering Jesus in God’s Word. If that’s you, let me encourage you to find a good Bible translation, start reading the Gospels, and answer that question for yourself. Another way to find out, would be to join with others and discover what God’s Word says about Jesus. This is our focus right now at Rock Springs. On Sundays we are discovering how Hebrews describes Jesus: How Jesus is the spitting image of the Father, how Jesus holds all things together, how Jesus knows what it’s like to be us, and what it means to always have Jesus be on your side before God.
“Who is Jesus?” Come and see! Come and see how he is far more than a nice and safe teacher, and how He is more than a good and moral example. For Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life! Rock Springs Church gathers for worship every Sunday at 9 a.m. in the Hermosa Ballroom.