By Bill Brettschneider. March 29, 2011. BLOWING ROCK -- Each Tuesday morning, the Men's Connection meets at Chetola Mountain Resort, Blowing Rock, for breakfast (7:30 am), fellowship and Bible study. Blowing Rock News is pleased to share these weekly meditations, by discussion leader Bill Brettschneider.

Meditations

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Several of our fellowship commented on the beauty of the “sun rise” this day, as the multi-colored hues of the morning greeted those traveling across the High Country to Chetola.  Yet, for a moment, consider that the term “sun rise” is not strictly accurate.  Common parlance being what it is, I suspect one would be considered “odd” were they to comment on the beauty of the “earth-turn”  -- since it is the Earth that “turns” toward the Sun.  In thinking of our spiritual walk, is it not critical for us to also “turn” toward the “Son?”  As the hymn sings, “Turn your eyes toward Jesus, look full in His wonderful face . . .”

Last week we looked at the Deity of Christ and how the Scriptures show Jesus as “fully God.”  In that reality, we recall the experience of Moses at Horeb when he came into the presence of God – “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:5-6)  Also, as Moses walks ever-closer with God, he asks to see the “glory” of the Lord –  And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” (Exodus 33:19-20)

How then are we to “turn our eyes toward Jesus”, “fully God”, and survive?  We are able to do this, grounded in the other facet of the Dual Nature of Jesus – that He is “fully Man.”  In this we encounter His Humanity as the “Son of Man,” a term applied only by Christ to Himself – never being used of Him or toward Him by anyone else during His earthly ministry.  Throughout the Gospels, there are multiple stories and multiple references in which the “Son of Man” is used –

Matthew – 28 times

Mark – 13 times

Luke – 25 times

John – 12 times

Knowing from the Old Testament of the power of multiple witnesses, we can rest easily with Jesus – “fully God” and “fully Man” at one and the same time.  We can see this truth from the first reference in Matthew 8:20 - Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”, to the last reference in Revelation 14:14 - I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.

As foretold in the Old Testament, we read:

Psalm 89:19

Thou didst speak in a vision to Thy holy one and said, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.

Isaiah 53:3-4

He is despised and rejected of men, a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. And we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.  Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

Using a selection of the many references, these found in Matthew, we see the fulfillment of this “Son of Man”, born of a virgin “and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21):

Matthew 12:8

For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Matthew 13:41

The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 

Matthew 16:27

For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

Matthew 19:28

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Matthew 25:31

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

Yet, was Jesus only confirming his “mortal” lineage or is there a larger context for His reference to Himself as the Son of Man?  The richness and power of God’s Word shines forth when we read Daniel 7:9-14 –

“As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.)  “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Did Jesus not, in the fullness of his ministry continually testify, as he did when asked before the Sanhedrin -

The high priest said to him, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.”  “You have said so,” Jesus replied. “But I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

“What more can He say, than to you he hath said –

to you who for refuge to Jesus hath fled?”

As we recall the question Jesus asked of Peter in Luke 9:20 - “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” , will our witness and testimony be that of Stephen who, “full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55-56)

Saul was standing by, watching and also hearing Stephen’s witness.  We know what happened to Saul on the road to Damascus.  How will the lives of those who “watch and hear” our witness be transformed by Jesus – the Son of Man, the Son of God?

Join us next, Tuesday, April 5, 7:30 AM, for our special guest - Pastor Steve Fenchel, Chosen People Ministries – Brooklyn, NY.  Pastor Steve will present a view of the Passover Celebration – the symbols and significance that point to Jesus – Yeshua the Messiah.  This promises to be a special time, one well-suited for your friends to join us – and see this man called Jesus.

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