Reflections

John 8:²⁸ “So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man on the cross, then you will understand that I am he. I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.”

Jesus said, ‘you are going to see the Son of Man lifted up’ and everyone in Israel knows that phrase to mean crucifixion. Jesus was saying, ‘you are going to see me crucified, and then you will know that I am who I have said I am.’ Matt. 27:^50-54 “Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

Did He not say, ‘when I am lifted then you would know?’ This is the beginning of people actually acknowledging, even His own brothers did not come to faith until Jesus was crucified. James, Jesus’ brother who wrote the Book of James, did not get saved until Jesus was crucified. Jude, Jesus’ brother who wrote the Book of Jude, did not get saved until they saw Jesus lifted up. As you lift up Jesus in your life, He would draw men to Himself. John 3:¹⁴ “And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” John 8:²⁸ “…I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me.” This is so instructive; He said to the people, ‘I have things to say to you. I know things about you that will condemn and shame you. But I will not say it because I have not heard my Father say it. I can do nothing except what I hear my Father do.’ This is so important, if you and I are going to walk and work like Jesus on earth, we have to restrict ourselves to the things that God allows us to do.

Gen.1:^26-27 “Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign… So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (emphasis added). The image is like the mirror reflection of the person. God is saying, ‘Man [that is you and I, male or female], the spirit man is created in the image of God. If you stand in front of your mirror and you raise your hand to touch your head and your hand in the mirror does not raise…? That is the best way I can explain the misnomer that we call Christianity. We are supposed to be the image of God. Our spirits are alive, we are created in the image of the living God. Like Jesus, what I see the Father do, that is what I do. I mirror Him, I am His image. When the Father is combing His hair, I am combing my hair. When the Father is talking, I am talking. When the Father is sitting, I am sitting. That is what He said and that is what He wants for us also. Standing in front of the mirror, you are God’s image and God is making certain moves, but you are not making the moves. That is a very spooky situation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I lift You up, help me function as Your image, in Jesus Name. Amen!