SEEING JESUS THROUGH THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE BRETHREN

04/07/2024

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." (Matthew 25:40)

One way to see Jesus is through the fellowship of the brethren. You know, Hollywood has colored the perception of Jesus so much that many perceive the Master of the Universe based on who He was; the man who lived among humans, had 12 apostles, suffered, died, rose, and ascended into heaven. That's who He was, and not who He is, at this moment. 

And here is the principle to follow: 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 says, "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer."

What it means to regard a person based on the flesh is to recognize or relate to a person on the merits of sensory perception; their skin color, attitude, social status, intelligence, past, and so on. Rather, a believer is to be perceived based on Christ's supremacy, even if that believer has yet to understand who he/she is. Colossians 1:18 says, "And He [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence."

This means that the believer ought to be regarded as having the same supreme life that Jesus now has and as such ought to be accorded a level of dignity that one might have accorded to the Lord Himself. This is why 1 Peter 2:17 says, "Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king."

It is only when we see Jesus as He is in others that our love will find its most mature expression. 1 John 4:17 says, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world."

If Jesus is the image of the invisible God according to Colossians 1:15, then, our brethren are the images of Jesus, not as He was but as He is, today. More strikingly, the Bible says in Colossians 1:18 that Jesus is (please note the tenses) the head of the body. What body? The Church, made up of you and me...and everyone who knows Jesus as their savior and owner. Then He calls the Church, the firstborn from the dead. What does this mean? It means that we have primacy in all things. It means that in this life, we have the right of first refusal or acceptance. It means that before anything can find expression around us, it must depend on our permission or disallowance. 

Saints, we are the part of Jesus by which He establishes His supremacy over everything. This means then, that everything we can do to help another believer manifest the supremacy of Jesus in their health, finances, careers, and ministry is not an option but an obligation because as we do it for them, we do it for Jesus.

Have a miracle-filled day!

Faith-Filled Confession 

I see Jesus as He is, in all of my brethren. And as I serve them, I demonstrate my love and commitment to the Lord of the Universe, knowing that He must have the preeminence in all things. Hallelujah!

One-Year Bible Reading Plan: Ruth 1-4; Luke 11:29-54