CONSIDER JESUS - PART 2

THURSDAY 16 MAY 2024

There is always a need to consider the Lord Jesus Christ in everything we do. This is because we live in a world where many things could stand in opposition to Christ, or in competition with His presence in our lives. So the view of Christ in you must always be considered by fixing your eyes and mind on Him, meaning that you should esteem, regard and think about who He really is "soberly" and be steadfast in doing so, for your continued spiritual benefits and growth.

Thayer's Greek Lexicon has the word "consider" translated as "katanoeō." When you are considering such supremacy, namely Jesus, it means cultivating a consciousness and recognition of the highest Deity, which is being formed or developed in you. And take it from me, it is not a child's play. Doing so on a regular basis will grant us that fresh and untroubled thought pattern; it also sustains His elements and activates the mind of His nature in us.

Reference: Hebrews 3:1 English Standard Version (ESV)

"Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession."

The first segment in accordance with the above versified reference - to be expounded by my humble self is:

1. What is this heavenly calling?

God is the voice behind the heavenly calling, and God's revelation to us through His Son is a heavenly calling. He is the Word made flesh, who came to call us with a visible bodily nature (John 1:14 NIV). So if you are born again, you are called by Dei verbum, which is Word of God. To that effect, Petrine epistle numbered as 1st Peter 2:23 reads, "For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God" (NLT).

How did Jesus call us to this heavenly calling? He bought us with His blood (Galatians 3:13 NLV). Remember that Jesus said to Nicodemus, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (NKJV). So the possibility of sharing in a heavenly calling is guaranteed by being born again, and to be born again is to be born of the Spirit who gives us a spiritual life, not an ordinary human life. To that effect, Petrine epistolary expression reads, "For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And it was not paid with mere gold or silver, which lose their value. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God" (1 Peter 1:18-19 NLT). This implied His role in our salvation and heavenly calling.

If you are born of the Spirit, you've been called through God's grace (Galatians 1:15), meaning that you have obtained a heavenly calling, and the heavenly calling can be classified within this category:

A. A holy calling:

A heavenly calling is a holy calling, because we've been called out of the world to live a holy life. To that effect, Petrine epistle reads, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do" (1 Peter 1:15 NIV). In addition, 2 Timothy 1:9 reads, "For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus" (NLT).

B. An upward calling:

A heavenly calling is an upward calling of God in Christ Jesus. To that effect, Paul stated, "I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly calling in Christ Jesus" Philippians 3:14 (BSB). It is an upward calling in the sense that every born again Christian knows that this world is simply a pass-through designed for their preparation to permanent home awaiting them heavenward.

C. A spiritual vocation:

This implies our profession of faith. The Christian faith is our spiritual profession which we must keep alive by making good confessions based on the Word. To that effect, Hebrews 10:23 KJV reads, "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised;)."

D. A Mission:

Heavenly calling entails a mission in which we are summoned to go into the world and spread our Christian faith. To that effect, Jesus said to His disciples, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:15-16 NIV).

E. A living hope:

In a nutshell, Petrine epistle reads, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1st Peter 1:3-5 NIV). Beloved, a heavenly calling is a living hope, not a false hope.

The clearer thought of this heavenly calling is the revelation that we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour (Philippians 3:20 NLT). As we wait for His return, the author of the book of Hebrews instructs us to shine radiantly, here on earth, through our heavenly personality by considering Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession. Stay tuned for part 3. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Matthew 11:28-30; Acts 2:39; Philippians 3:14; 1 Peter 2:9-10.

Exuberant Declaration:

God's revelation to me through Christ Jesus is a living hope, for Christ in me, is the hope of heavenly glory. Hallelujah!