Hi First Presbyterian,
It's time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! In St. Michael’s Church at Brent Knoll in Somerset, England, there is an interesting image on some stained glass art. It depicts the Evangelists (i.e., the Gospel writers) Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You’ll notice that each Evangelist is depicted using different symbolism. Mark is depicted as a lion. Luke is depicted as an ox. Matthew is depicted as an angel. John is depicted as an eagle. The stained glass in St. Michael’s Church is from the Middle Ages, but the depiction of the Evangelists as these four symbols can be found in even much older Christian art. Why? Well, the simplest answer is that early Christians have always recognized that, although the four Gospels tell us about the very same Jesus, they emphasize different aspects of his life and ministry. I want to focus on the Gospel of John. He is depicted as an eagle. Why? Well, eagles are often seen flying high in the sky, so high that you might think, “Surely nothing is as close to heaven as an eagle.” When you read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke (which are very similar to one another), it seems that those Evangelists are emphasizing different aspects of Jesus’ humanity. The Gospel of John, on the other hand, seems to emphasize the divinity or heavenliness of Jesus - hence, the high-flying eagle. John shows us a Jesus who seems otherworldly at times, a heavenly and divine being. John’s Gospel gives us an eagle’s-eye view of Jesus.
Tomorrow is Ascension Day, the day in the Christian calendar where we remember that, after spending 40 days with his disciples following his resurrection, Jesus ascended back into heaven - the unseen realm of God. The Gospel of John and Ascension Day remind us that Jesus is no ordinary human. Jesus is God. Jesus was God before his birth as a human. Jesus was God during his life on the earth. Jesus is God today and forever. In John’s Gospel, we see that, in his birth, Jesus came from heaven and took up residence in a human body. And, likewise, once his mission on earth was complete, he returned to the place he had come from and took his human body with him. Notice the complete narrative of John’s Gospel. Heaven… to earth… back to heaven.
Here’s what that means for us. Jesus is not just with God right now. Jesus is God right now. Whatever you would do for God, you can do for Jesus because they are one and the same. Do you pray to God? Pray to Jesus. Do you worship God? Worship Jesus. Do you trust God? Trust Jesus. Since Jesus is God, that has enormous ramifications for our lives. That means Jesus made us and loves us as his very own creation. That also means when we follow the example that Jesus lived his life by, it is not like trying to emulate some other person, who though you may love and admire greatly, is only a human with flaws. Following Jesus is not like trying to emulate your grandmother, or your mother, or Mother Teresa, or anyone else you might admire and respect. When you seek to follow Jesus, you are seeking to live your life the way God lived in this world. There is no greater example to follow than the one God has left for us to follow in Jesus. For me - and I hope for you, too - that is incredibly reassuring.
Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron