Jesus, the express image of God!

 Jesus is God.

He is the visible manifestation of the love of the invisible triune Godhead. He willingly came to die in our place for the sins of mankind.

1 John 4:11 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

Love God and one another for love fulfills the law. John 3:16

Exodus 3:3Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

Moses spoke to God. He ask Him what is name was. He answered I AM

Genesis 1:1 in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Genesis 2:4 This is the history of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens,

John 8:51-58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus Christ.

Colossians 1:15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 

Exodus 3:3-13 Then Moses said to God, “Indeed, when I come to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they say to me, ‘What is His name?’ what shall I say to them?”And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” Moreover God said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My memorial to all generations.’

Moses spoke to God. He ask Him what is name was. He answered I Am.

The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Jesus Christ. God is tripartite and so are we who were made in His image. Jesus is the express image of the Godhead. He created the visible and the invisible. It pleased the Godhead that in Jesus the Godhead was made visible to mankind. Carla

Nothing can stop the love of God or cause His words to fall flat. Every word He utters will prevail and complete what He sends it to accomplish (Isaiah 55:11). So even in our pain, we can hold on to hope, taking courage that He is still at work (Romans 8:38-39). His grace is strong and steadying in our journey.

There is no scripture that promises we can avoid all pain inflicted by ourselves or others. There is a promise, however, that for God's people, our exile on this earth will one day end, and all will be made new (Revelation 21:5). Jesus graciously received His Father's blessing and perfectly completed His Father's will.And our gracious Savior shares His inheritance with us (Romans 8:16-17)! First5

“Well, nobody else can live the life you live. And even though no human being is perfect, we always have the chance to bring what's unique about us to live in a redeeming way.” (Thank you Fred Rogers) And it is true that words of affirmation and grace are not easy to absorb (or digest or internalize). What with the pesky little voice in our head that finds grace and love too good to be true; “You don’t mean me, do you?” 

With a few exceptions, I do my best to see those around me with Mr. Rogers' lens: Inside of everyone a light shines.

Inside of everyone, there is a sound that no one else can make.

This week, let us embrace the assurance that where limitations see only scarcity, grace and love see sufficiency. SabbathMoments