The Real Jesus

Have you ever noticed portraits painted of Jesus often seem to have him surrounded by cherubic children and bluebirds?  Or is he cuddling cute lambs and walking around with blow-dried hair, clad in a white robe looking like it just arrived from the dry cleaners? 

There is nothing innately wrong with these paintings.  But, when you are in a dark place when lions surround you, when you need strong help to rescue you from impossibility, you don’t want a Jesus who only relates to lambs, birds, and babies.  When your heart is being rung out like a sponge, when you feel salt being poured into your wounded soul, you don’t want faded pastels and dew on roses!  NO!  You want mighty!  You want the strong arm and unshakable grip of God, who will not let you go!  You want the battle-tested Warrior who took on the religious establishment of the day and condemned them!  You want the One who lovingly and courageously endured rejections, beatings, crucifixion, and death…for YOU!   

Why do people gravitate to these sentimental pictures of Jesus?  Could it be they have fabricated a sugar-coated Jesus that requires neither conviction nor commitment from them?  Beloved, these images, they lack truth and power!  The real Jesus requires repentance from the lifestyle of sin.  The real Jesus seeks those who would deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.  The real Jesus offers forgiveness and everlasting life if you will believe in Him!  The real Jesus is ready to wade through pain, death, and hell itself to find us, grasp our hand, and bring us safely through.  Praise the Lord! 

Beloved, if you have fabricated a sugar-coated Jesus that requires nothing from you, I implore you, repent today and embrace the real Jesus!  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”  (John 3:16, ESV). 

This is Laine Wilder for Carry the Light Ministries, bringing you Insights From an Elder.

by Laine Wilder

author of “Insights From an Elder” for

Carry the Light Ministries