God’s Messenger? God Himself!

As two ships pass in the night, one observes a display of light dancing on the horizon above the other, oblivious to the horror and terror unfolding for its passengers. Only later did RMS Carpathia learn that the fireworks they saw that night were the flares of a distress signal, a message if you will, as the HMS Titanic foundered to the depths of the North Atlantic. While that was an important message, there have been many others throughout history just as significant.
Let me tell you about another message with special attention to the messenger… His name is Jesus! It is my assertion that He was the greatest messenger of all time and that He brought the greatest message mankind needed. Early in His ministry (Mk 1:38) Jesus tells His disciples that one of the reasons for His coming is to preach or proclaim to those who would listen. As you can see, Jesus has a message for us. The scope of this Reflection isn’t intended to address His message, but rather to focus on the messenger. Who is this special man? This question has been of interest to man for almost 2000 years; in fact even among His disciples this query was presented. At one point, Jesus Himself asked His disciples who people said He was, and after they answered Him, He went on to ask them an even more pertinent question… “Who do you say that I am?” It was Peter who responded with, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!” Is this an adequate answer? Do we truly get a full sense of just who Jesus is? The clearest explanation has to be found in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. “In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” Verses 1 & 14 tell us that Jesus, who came and dwelt among us, was none other than God. The messenger to mankind was God in the flesh! This is difficult to comprehend, but true!
Now, returning back to my introductory remarks I remind you of the missed message between Titanic and Carpathia. A second message indicating the iceberg’s location intended for Titanic’s captain never reached him, thus setting the stage for the loss of hundreds of lives, marking one of Maritime’s greatest tragedies. How much more tragic would be the failure of the world to hear and heeding the message of God the Messenger. A key statement by Jesus was that He “had come to seek and to save the lost”. Without His message, we are lost. Have you heeded His message in your life?
Copyright © 2012, Nolan P. Rutter