Will The Real Jesus Stand Up?

Do you remember back in the 50's or 60's the old television show , "What's My Line?" There would be 3 contestants pretending to be the "unknown"person who had a particular job description or something very unique distinguishing thing about him. All four were trying to convince the panel of experts they were the real "person." At the end the emcee would say, "Would the real (?) please stand up." After different ones would start to stand finally the real person would stand. Sometimes they fooled the entire panel. Are we fooled by those trying to masquerade as the real Savior, "Jesus?" We can learn to know Him where we can't be fooled.

I have a plaque on my bedside table that I read part or all of it very often. I would like to share it with you. This is the real Jesus!

ONE SOLITARY LIFE

Here is a young man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a house. He never had a family. He never went to a college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself.

While He was still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While He was dying, His executioners gambled for the only piece of property he had on earth, and that was His coat. When He was dead, He was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen centuries wide have come and gone, and today He is the central figure of the human race and the leader of the column of progress.

I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever sailed, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as has that
ONE SOLITARY LIFE (Anon.)

Many charlatans have tried to emulate the "One and Only, Jesus," and as all frauds, they have come and gone. Even today there are many self-proclaimed messiahs who are coming as "angels of light" to gather one and all who will become their disciples and followers. Many bow at their feet and blindly follow and commit their all to those who will only lead them, like "thinkless" sheep, to their destruction.

The only way to get to know anyone is to spend much time with them, interacting with them, testing their genuineness and integrity. The only way to know the true Messiah, Jesus, is to be intimately acquainted with Him, to sit at His feet and learn of Him as He opens His Word to us and talks with us, revealing all He is as He proves Himself faithful in all His promises and in every situation.

If I were asked to identify a genuine dollar bill from a counterfeit, the only way I could possibly do that would be to spend much time devoted to much concentrated study of every detail of the real bill, feeling of it, measuring it, using a magnifying glass to follow the ink lines and hidden images and deeply studying the pictures and words on the bill. Only after completely familiarizing myself with the dollar bill could I correctly and without hesitation distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit. It is in the same way we can discern the true from the false Jesus.

Jesus' disciples had many opportunities over the three years they were with Him to learn of Him as He taught them, as they watched His actions and reactions to all kinds of situations. In the story in Luke 8 when Jesus was asleep in the boat with His disciples, and the storm was raging, they woke Him in terror of perishing. In amazement they watched Him still the storm. "And He said to them, (Why are you so fearful? Where is your trust and confidence in Me - in my veracity, my integrity? And they were seized with reverent dread, and they marveled, saying to one another, (Who then is this, that He commands even wind and sea, and they obey Him?) (v.25, Amp.)" Even after all Jesus' teachings and miracles His own disciples were still asking, "Who is this man?"

Even after John the Baptist had proclaimed in John 1:29, "Look, there is the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world!" Then in Luke 7, when John was in prison he sent word to Jesus to ask,"Are you the One who is to come or should we look for another?" Even those who were closest to Jesus and walked and talked with Him had doubts, even until Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to dwell within them. The Holy Spirit's presence brought faith, courage, hope, joy, peace and all they needed to be overcomers over fear, doubt, discouragement and all we face in this world. It was only after being filled with the Spirit that they truly came to know Jesus. The Holy Spirit became their teacher, guide, comforter, all the time showing them who they were in Christ - joint heirs with Jesus, children of God, overcomers over sin and the devil and best of all, Life everlasting and a home in Heaven. He led them into all Truth.

We as Christians may be tempted at times to doubt God's love and forgiveness, His faithfulness to come through for us, that He is a gracious and merciful Father and etc. Remember the first temptation was when Satan tempted Eve to doubt God and His Word (Gen.3:1-7). Satan was just trying to do what he came to do, "steal, kill and destroy" (Jn.10:10) God's creation, mankind. But we have to learn of Jesus, when He said"I came to give you life and more abundant life." Who is this Jesus that when He comes to live within us and control us He takes away the old and makes all things new? His name is Jesus!

In the days to come I want to look at all the facets of this beautiful jewel, the Pearl of Great Price, Jesus. It is exciting to get to know Him and to realize He wants to reveal Himself to us in all of His WONDER!



Mary Jones