What kind of man was Jesus — the God Who emptied Himself and came to this earth over 1900 years ago? What kind of God do you worship? Is He the weakling the world pictures? Here are the facts, the truth about the dynamic, living God. The one who came to this earth — a real MAN'S MAN!
WHAT kind of God was it that died for you? Was He a ninety-seven-pound weakling? Is He the Little Lord Jesus away in the manger? Was He short and squat — a bare five feet, three? What about the paintings of Christ — the sickly effeminate ones — are they representative of the real Jews Christ? How about Mary's little lamb? Does this nursery rhyme have any connection with Jesus Christ?
A Wrong Concept Image
For many of us a wrong concept of Christ began way back in kindergarten. The false concept, the wrong picture is partially the result of an "innocent" nursery rhyme, "Mary had a little lamb, his fleece was white as snow and everywhere that Mary went, that lamb was sure to go..." Why Mary's little lamb — why not Betty's or Johnny's little lamb? That "harmless" nursery rhyme was inspired by "the god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4). It subconsciously conditioned our young, pliable minds to think in terms of a little weak lamb (Christ). In the rhyme the lamb caricature depends on, looks to, leans on its protector "Mary." It's just another way of presenting an image picture of the Madonna and child. Mary's motherly, domineering image penetrates our subconscious mind without our realizing. A sissified mama's boy, weak Christ is the result! As children, many of us were taught to kneel and pray a memorized prayer to a make-believe, imaginative, nursery-rhyme god! "Now I lay me down to sleep... my soul to keep..." The deception, the perversion does not stop in kindergarten. As adults, we are given a ninety-seven-pound weakling god. One that is so sickly and effeminate as to be stripped of all power! Jesus Christ may be a Negro, Oriental, Latin, or if you are an Anglo-Saxon, He's probably a blond, blue-eyed, white-skinned Christ. Whatever the nationality, He is always the tired, washed-out one — a disgrace to humanity!
What Is Jesus Christ Really Like?
What are the facts? Surely this is not the picture of the true God we are to worship! What is Jesus Christ really like? What kind of a man was this God when He walked this earth as flesh almost two thousand years ago? We don't have to guess about the answers. The answers are sure, they are plain! They are found in the Bible! The true Jesus Christ is all powerful, He lives! He is the Almighty, ever-powerful, omnipotent God who speaks with a voice so strong that mountains literally quake in His presence. His voice is as a sound of many waters, thunderous waters of a GIANT, ROARING WATERFALL (Rev. 1:15). God speaks to us today in great power! His voice is in the lightning, the thunder and tornadoes (Ps. 29:1-11). He shakes this earth in giant earthquakes, just as a child would shake a rag doll. That God — the real Jesus Christ, came to this earth A MAN'S MAN!! The Jesus Christ of your Bible was NO WEAKLING, NO MAMA'S BOY. He was ALL MAN!!! Jesus Christ was born of His Father, the one who said, "Let us make man in our image..." (Gen. 1:26). A vibrant, Holy, merciful, compassionate, kind and loving Father gave His son the power of the universe, the power to tell the future before it happens (Isa. 41:22). The Father is an all-powerful, pulsating, omnipotent force of energy that is the absolute of masculinity; He bequeathed those same masculine characteristics to His Son. Jesus Christ was perfect, the very image of His Father in Heaven. He grew up to be as strong as the land He created. As a child, He traveled by foot all the way from Egypt to Palestine, camping out under the stars — stars that He created in the beginning with His Father (John 1:1-3). At night, on the trip from Egypt to Palestine, the boy, Jesus, scurried around hunting firewood to cook the evening meal. When Dad said, "Son, it is time for bed" — Jesus Christ rolled up in a sheepskin beside the campfire and slept the sleep of peace, the sleep of a youthful, energetic boy who was to grow to be the greatest man ever to walk this earth — a real he — man — MAN'S
The Carpenter's Son
The carpenter in Christ's time was no ordinary person. There were no power saws, no precut timber. All work was accomplished by muscle and brawn, by men who were REAL MEN! Joseph taught his son the trade of carpentry. In this trade, Jesus Christ developed a physique that would have made most athletes a little jealous. He grew tall, evenly muscled, tanned by the sun and wind — He was ALL MAN! Joseph and his son arose very early in the morning while it was still dark. They prayed and studied. Then at the crack of dawn, they were off to the forest to fell the trees needed for building. Jesus Christ swung an axe day after day. His muscles rippled under His tunic as He labored in the great out-of-doors. The timber, once felled, was worked by an adz until it became a beam. At evening, Christ hoisted the work of His hands to His shoulders and trudged the long walk home, often arriving after dark. Foundations were dug in the rocky hillside of Palestine. They picked and shoveled out the earth, removing great boulders from their obstructive position. There were no trucks carrying premixed concrete to roll up and pour the foundation. That was the work of a stonemason, the carpenter Joseph and his son. Boards too had to be sawed from the rough beams. From forest to foundation, from rock quarry to roof, the house became a reality. ALL HANDMADE by MEN who were MEN!
A Leader of Men
The real Jesus Christ that lives was a LEADER Of REAL MEN! Men like Peter, John and James, the fishermen. They were rugged and tough! They gave their lives for the man who led them. "Sons of thunder" they were called (Mark 3:17). They followed Christ because He was a MAN'S MAN! They had not as yet proven that Christ was the Messiah, the promised one. The deep knowledge of Christ, the Savior came later — after Christ, the man, died (Luke 24:18-35). Women too, worshipped Jesus Christ because He was a lender a man of great strength! Women of the 30 A.D.'s were not partial to weaklings, or sissies. The worship, the admiration they had for Christ was genuine admiration — not pity! He was all man, hard muscles and brawn, a man perfect with nerves of steel.
The Great Storm
One evening, after a long, hard, tiresome day, Jesus turned to Peter and the other disciples and said, "Let's go over to the other side of the sea where we can find a little peace and quiet away from the crowd." The idea was as a command. It appealed to the rugged adventurous men at his side. Immediately they boarded a good-sized boat anchored nearby intending to leave the crowd behind. The pressing crowd had other ideas. They had no intentions of losing sight of this outstanding, dynamic leader, who told them of the good news of a future Kingdom under God. Quite a number rushed to board other small boats intending to follow Him to the other side. Casting off, they went only a short distance before the sky began to darken. Thunder and lightning flashed and roared through the sky. The crowds became fearful. The small boats turned back. The wind lifted. Peter, James, John and the other men, glanced nervously overhead at the ominous, threatening sky as they hurriedly battened down the boat. The storm continued to build. Great waves churned, threatening to capsize them. The storm had all the power of a typhoon. Waves soon spilled over, filling the boat with water until it was ready to sink. Frightened half out of their wits, the experienced fishermen, Peter, James and John labored furiously with the other disciples to keep the boat afloat. It was hopeless! They were sinking! Where was Jesus Christ? James answered, "He's asleep, He found a few boat cushions and curled up to sleep in the back of the boat." Disturbed, angered, and frightened, Peter rushed back followed by the other disciples to find Christ. Sure enough, there He lay, protected from the storm, sound asleep! Peter shouted to be heard above the thunderous roar of the wind and waves. "Master, don't you care if we all drown, this ship is about to sink and you aren't even concerned enough to help save the boat." Jesus Christ opened His eyes, looked up at the wet, distraught, disheveled fishermen. What a sight they were. He couldn't help but smile. Shedding the oilskin covering, He stood up and commanded the sea, "Be quiet you wind, waves be still." Instantly the sea was transformed from a raging, turbulent, fierce storm into a mill pond. The moon and the stars broke through the fast dissipating dark clouds and He said, "Why are you SO fearful? Why is it that you have no confidence, no faith in me?" (Mark 4:35-40 — Phillips, RSV, Moffatt.)
A Hearty Masculine Man
The Jesus Christ of your Bible ate big, thick, juicy steaks. He enjoyed good wine, masculine friends like Peter, James and John. He and His disciples were hard-driving, dedicated men with a purpose, a goal in life. There were both serious moments and times of laughter around the campfire at night. A real he-man's fellowship existed between these virile, robust men of great strength. Jesus Christ was a man of character, of stamina, of great determination. He fasted as few men are capable of fasting. Forty days and forty nights without food or water. THAT'S MORE THAN A FULL MONTH! There was a reason. Deep within burned a singleness of purpose — your salvation and mine BY DEATH!!
A Thundering, Dynamic Personality
Near Passover time, Jesus walked over to Jerusalem. He passed by the Temple. What He saw stopped Him short in His tracks. He couldn't believe His eyes! There in His Father's Temple were merchants selling cattle, sheep and doves for sacrifices. The place was in an uproar, confusion, shouting men dickering for a better price in the very Temple of God! Angered, He carefully fashioned a scourge of small cords. The next day He strode into the temple brushing aside those who were milling around. Grasping the first table He came to, He flipped it into the air. Money flew everywhere! The money changers were stunned. Taking the scourge, He whipped it through the air, it snapped with a crack of a pistol. Animals scattered! Men fell over one another as they retreated to the nearest exit. A thundering voice called out after them, "Get these things out of here! You who make my Father's House a house of merchandise." Every last one MEEKLY obeyed! Imagine the headlines in the Jerusalem news the next day — that is if there had been a newspaper. Bold-faced headlines would have read, "Man from Nazareth turns temple upside down! — throws out money changers — drives out beasts — men shrink in fear!!" There were no streetcars, no trains, no horses or carriages in 30 A.D. Jesus Christ walked from village to village. The highways were dirt and gravel. They were treacherous. Thieves abounded. Only a real man dared travel the dusty roads between Jerusalem and Jericho. Remember the man who fell among thieves on the road to Jericho? They stripped him of his clothing, beat him senseless and left him for dead (Luke 10:30).
What Did it Take to Die?
Jesus Christ died on a stake for YOU! What did it take to die? What kind of day was it that Christ spent — His last day before His crucifixion! It began Tuesday morning, April 24, 31 A.D., very early in the morning. It ended in the most brutal murder ever suffered by a human being — AGONIZING HOURS OF SUFFERING climaxed by a SLOW, TORTUROUS DEATH on a BLOODIED STAKE! Next month read what it took for Jesus Christ to bleed out His life for you. Learn how precious is the Passover.