To the vast majority Jesus was simply a carpenter's son- ordinary, good and without influence. When he began his ministry he was recognized as a friend of sinners and an enemy of "so called" saints; he was homeless, ugly, despised and rejected. He was an unsuccessful king and a let down to Israel (at least from a worldly perspective). To Peter he was, "the Christ, the Son of the living God-" yet Peter denied him three times. To Judas Iscariot he was worth following- yet Judas de-valued him to thirty pieces of silver, betraying him to his death. To Thomas he was, "My Lord and my God-" yet Thomas doubted him.
In reality he was Emmanuel, God with us. 'He was he who threw into space racing planets, whiling worlds and luminous suns; he created the world with its beauty of flowers, majesty of rippling rills, glassy seas and lofty mountains; he placed the twinkle in the stars, the sparkle in the planets, and the blaze in the sun; he set the furnace of the sun on fire, called the queen of the night into her orbit, and set the stars dancing in the heavens.' (excerpt from "Behold the Man," Frances Lincecome)
On the night that he died the sky went dark because the Light of the world died and all creation shook because he who stilled stormy seas submitted to death. The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom to reveal an empty seat of mercy and the absence of a golden box. Three days later, having led captivity captive, the Light came back, bursting the seals of the tomb to dust. The glory returned, never to die again (Romans 6:9). And yet John 1:10 still remains true today that "He is in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world does not know him."
In reality he was Emmanuel, God with us. 'He was he who threw into space racing planets, whiling worlds and luminous suns; he created the world with its beauty of flowers, majesty of rippling rills, glassy seas and lofty mountains; he placed the twinkle in the stars, the sparkle in the planets, and the blaze in the sun; he set the furnace of the sun on fire, called the queen of the night into her orbit, and set the stars dancing in the heavens.' (excerpt from "Behold the Man," Frances Lincecome)
On the night that he died the sky went dark because the Light of the world died and all creation shook because he who stilled stormy seas submitted to death. The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom to reveal an empty seat of mercy and the absence of a golden box. Three days later, having led captivity captive, the Light came back, bursting the seals of the tomb to dust. The glory returned, never to die again (Romans 6:9). And yet John 1:10 still remains true today that "He is in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world does not know him."