Did Jesus Come Down From Heaven? Kermit Zarley

The institutional church has always claimed that the Bible says Jesus preexisted as God in heaven and came down to earth to become a man, called “the incarnation.” The Nicene Creed says of Jesus, “For us men and our salvation he came down from heaven.”

The church also has claimed the incarnation is based on the Bible. Yet there is nothing in the first three gospels of the New Testament (NT) to indicate this. In contrast, the church has cited the Gospel of John as incontrovertible evidence of the incarnation (cf. John 1.1, 14). Indeed, this gospel presents a flurry of texts which seem to proclaim that Jesus preexisted and that he came down from heaven to become a man (1.15, 30; 3.13; 6.27-63; 8.58; 17.5, 24).

But should these Johannine texts be interpreted literally? In the 3rd century, church father Clement of Alexandria referred to the Gospel of John as “the spiritual gospel,” and scholars ever since have rightly endorsed this label. It is because the Johannine Jesus used so many metaphors. The most well-known is when he told Nicodemus he needed to be “born again,” and he thought Jesus meant a second physical birth (John 3.3). At the end of Jesus’ ministry he told the Eleven, “I have spoken to you in figurative language; an hour is coming when I will speak no more to you in figurative language but will tell you plainly” (16.25; cf. 10.6). He explained his mission and the disciples replied, “Lo, now You are speaking plainly, and are not using a figure of speech” (16.29). So, the Gospel of John provides the ultimate reality—the spiritual meaning that lies behind Jesus’ words.

Forty times the Gospel of John says God “sent” Jesus or words to that effect. Such language does not indicate sent from heaven but merely sent in the prophetic tradition, that is, God sending someone to do a mission, as he did with John the Baptist (John 1.6).

Most of the supposedly preexistence passages in the Gospel of John describe Jesus as having “come down” either “from heaven” or “from above.” Traditionalists (those who believe Jesus is God) have interpreted these texts literally; yet the spiritual nature of this gospel should caution us to undertake further examination. For example, Nicodemus did not mean preexistence when he told Jesus, “You have come from God” (John 3.2).

Twice this gospel records that John the Baptist said Jesus “has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me” (John 1.15, 30). These statements have been taken to infer that Jesus preexisted, since he was born at least six months after John was (Luke 1.26, 36). But some Bible versions translate the last clause, “for he was before me” (AV, NRSV, NIV), meaning rank. And this is what John means when he twice says of Jesus, “He who comes from above/heaven is above all” (3.31), meaning “over all.”

Also, the Johannine Jesus proclaimed, “no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man” (John 3.13). Most scholars arbitrarily reverse this ascending/descending order, so that the supposedly preexistent Jesus descended from heaven at the incarnation and ascended after his resurrection. But the context demands otherwise. Jesus tells Nicodemus he must be born “from above” with a spiritual birth (John 3.3-5). Plus, Jesus as the Son of Man alludes in Daniel 7.13-14, in which this figure ascends to God’s heavenly throne to receive a kingdom consisting of humans and then presumably bringing it to earth (cf. Luke 19.11-12), thus an ascending/descending order.

Many Christians think the foremost preexistence passage in the Gospel of John about Jesus coming down from heaven is his lengthy Bread of Life discourse in John 6.25-65, which contains lots of descent language. Yet this graphic picture is full of metaphors. Jesus describes himself as “the (living) bread that came down out of heaven” (6.41, 51, 58). Even though he obviously does not mean he is literal bread, nearly all readers of this gospel have thought that he meant it literally, thus inferring his personal preexistence and incarnation. Yet Jesus also said in this discourse that people need to eat his flesh and drink his blood, and if they do they will never hunger or thirst again but live forever (vv. 50-58). Many of Jesus’ hearers grumbled that these were difficult words (vv. 41, 60-61), and many of his disciples no longer followed him because of it (v. 66). Yet Jesus had just explained that he was speaking figuratively by saying, “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (v. 63). If the bread, flesh, blood, hunger, and thirst are strictly metaphors intended spiritually and not literally, can we justify treating the only other idea in this account any differently—Jesus coming down from heaven?

Later, Jesus said to his unbelieving Jewish interlocutors, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world” (John 8.23). He surely does not mean he literally preexisted and came from heaven. If so, to be consistent he also would have to mean his opponents literally came from below. So, in all such Johannine passages Jesus does not indicate literal origin but spiritual reality. That is, he is associated with God and heaven whereas they are associated with the devil and hell (cf. 8.44).

In Jesus’ high priestly prayer uttered prior to his capture and arrest, he prayed, “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was…. My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world” (John 17.5, 24). This seems to indicate that Jesus preexisted in heaven prior to creation, when he possessed a glory he apparently shared with God.

But Jesus could be referring to the Shekinah glory which accompanied the Israelites. He could have meant that, in God’s mind and prior to creation, God loved his Son whom he foreknew (cf. Ephesians 1.4; 1 Peter 1.20), for whom he predestined the Shekinah. Indeed, Judaism taught that the Shekinah glory was predestined for the Messiah.

In sum, it seems that all language in the Gospel of John about Jesus preexisting and coming down from heaven was intended metaphorically in this spiritual gospel.



This article is authored by Kermit Zarley (Servetus the Evangelical) .
Visit his website--servetustheevangelical.com--to read fifty such articles. They are condensations of his well-researched, biblically in-depth, 600-page book entitled The Restitution of Jesus Christ (2008).

The Potter and The Clay

by LaBreeska Hemphill

If we as Christians could view our suffering as being able to feel the potter's fingers around our clay, shaping our vessels into one of honor, bending our will and surrendering to His will, then we could better stand the test.

“O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as the potter? Saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand...” (Jeremiah 18:6).

On the Damascus Road Paul received one of the greatest calls a man could receive. It was a call to glory. He was chosen to preach Christ to the Gentiles, to kings, and rulers, and even to Caesar's household.

This was a call to be one of the greatest apostles, and to write more of the New Testament than any other. His testimony at the end of his life was:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith; Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness...” (II Timothy 4:7-8).

What a testimony! What glory! But this marvelous call to glory was also a call to suffering. Jesus said of Paul:

“...he is a chosen vessel unto me...I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake” (Acts 9:15-16).

Paul’s suffering began immediately following his Damascus Road experience. God took a marred vessel, Saul of Tarsus, put him upon the potter's wheel and reshaped him into Paul the great apostle. After that, Paul’s message everywhere he went was, “...we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). This message of Paul’s is an unpopular one that you seldom hear today. But suffering serves a purpose and ministers that do not include this message to their people do them a disservice.

When we are called of God there is much reshaping that takes place. The potter's wheel isn’t a real comfortable place to be but it is necessary. That’s where we learn to become pliable in His hands. We learn endurance and patience as He molds us into soldiers of the cross. God is gathering His army. Paul understood that when he said to Timothy:

“...endure hardness as a good soldier” (II Timothy 2:3).

He is preparing us for a journey. Boot-camp is grueling but that’s where we learn enemy strategy so that we can win the battle and conquer the foe. The very thing that tries and tests us could be preparing us for our station in battle. It could be our boot-camp. Take courage! We must learn how to combat the enemy so that we can help lead God’s army to victory!

It’s a good thing that God doesn’t only see us as we are, but like Paul, God sees us the way we’ll be when He gets through with us. In the meantime we can take comfort in his Holy Spirit and His word.

There are certain Scriptures that I’ve drawn strength from through the years and have highlighted in my Bible. Sometime back I grouped a few of these verses together and typed them out for my own comfort. They are not in sequence. I just wrote them down at random but they are strong and very encouraging. I decided since they blessed me and have seen me through some difficult times they would do the same for you. I start this collage of Scriptures off with my very favorite, so please read and be blessed!

“Beloved think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you, as though some strange thing has happened to you, but rejoice that you may be partakers of Christ’s sufferings, that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy” (I Peter 4:12-13).

“For if we suffer as Christians we have no need to be ashamed but we can glorify God and commit the keeping of our souls to him, our faithful Creator” (I Peter 4:16-19).

“It is better, if it be God’s will, that we suffer for well-doing than for evil doing. For Christ also has once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit. Who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judges righteously” (I Peter 3:17-18; 2:23).

“For it became him, for whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of our salvation perfect thru sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10).

“Though he were a Son yet leaned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

“For though he was crucified thru weakness, yet he lives by the power of God" (II Corinthians 13:4).

And he said to me, "my grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly, therefore, will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me". "Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong” (II Corinthians 12:9-10).

“For the God of all grace who has called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after we have suffered a while, make us perfect, establish, strengthen, settle us” (I Peter 5:10).

“Humble yourselves, therefore; under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting your care upon him for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:6, 7).

“Beloved, build up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost” (Jude 20).

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmity for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).

“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into various trials, knowing this, that the testing of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing” (James 1:2-4).

“For we are saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not hope; for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it” (Romans 8:24-25).

“Take, my brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, that he is very pitiful and of tender mercy” (James 5:10, 11).

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abba Father, the Spirit bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; and if children, then heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. If so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:15-17).

“Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular, and whether one member suffer all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it” (I Corinthians 12:26, 27).

“Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God” (I John 4:7).

“Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envies not; love vauntheth not itself and is not puffed up” (I Corinthians 13:4).

“Forasmuch, then, as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind, for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men but to the will of God” (I Peter 4:1, 2).

“If we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he will also deny us” (II Timothy 2:12).

“Finally brethren, be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you” (2 Corinthians 13:11).

“For a day in His courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will be withheld from them that walk uprightly (Psalm 84:10-11). For the Lord is our defense, and the Holy One of Israel is our King” (Psalm 89:18).

There is not a better way to end this writing than with the profound words of Isaac Watts and William Blake in this cherished old hymn.

Am I a soldier of the cross, a follower of the Lamb
And shall I fear to own his cause, or blush to speak his name
Must I be carried to the skies on flowery beds of ease
While others fought to win the prize, and sailed through bloody seas?
And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
Yes, we shall wear a crown!
And when the battle’s over we shall wear a crown!
In the New Jerusalem.

Touching The Heart Of God

by LaBreeska Hemphill

A few years back, Joel and I were passing through another state and stopped by to visit a pastor friend and his family. They had a lovely daughter, Sue (not her real name) whose life was at a standstill and seemed to be going nowhere.

Sue had born a child out of wedlock who at the time was four years old and they were still living with her parents. When we arrived, Sue had just found out that her hopes and plans had been dashed again. The apartment that she thought she had rented would not allow children, and also her job was in question.

My heart went out to that sweet girl. We had known and loved her all of her life. It was plain to see that this last bit of news was too much. She was about to drown in despondency.

When we started to leave that evening I took Sue aside privately. I asked if she had prayed about her situation. Surprisingly she hadn’t. The look on her face told me that she had never thought about it.

I hugged her and said, “Sue, as soon as Joel and I leave, I want you to find a private place to pray. Turn you tears to the Lord and this is what I want you to say to Him: “Lord, I have made a mess of my life and I can’t fix it, but you can. I’ve done all I know to do and nothing is working. Father, please help me!"

I could have prayed for Sue right then but it was time for her to call upon the Lord and find Him to be that true and faithful friend that she had been taught about all of her life. About two months passed. One day Joel and I came in from a trip and found a message on our answering machine. It was Sue’s dad. He said “Brother Joel we are trying to plan a wedding, Sue is getting married and we want to know when you two can come to do the honors.” When we called him back he excitedly told us the story.

Just a week or so after our last visit a nice looking young man showed up at their church. He was a Christian and was visiting different churches hoping to find a Christian girl to date. He and Sue hit it off from the start, they fell in love and now wedding bells were about to ring. Sue’s miracle doesn’t end there. They had a big church wedding and his family gave them a six-week honeymoon in England as a wedding present.

I am glad to report that today, many years later, that darling couple is still happily married with a family of their own and still serving the Lord.

Sue found the heart of God when she cried out to Him in total helplessness. She was like so many women in the Bible, who came to the end of themselves.

There was Sarah who made a mess of things when she brought Hagar, the bondwomen, into the picture. As a result Ishmael was born to Abraham and there has been strife between their descendants until this day! But what warms my heart and brings a mist to my eyes is, after all of her mistakes, God took up for Sarah. His compassionate heart was touched by her pain when she found Ishmael mocking little Isaac at his birthday party. She implored Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Ishmael but the thought grieved him and I’m not sure that he would have gone along with Sarah’s wishes if God hadn’t come on the scene. God said unto Abraham:

“....In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, harken unto her voice...and Abraham rose up early in the morning...and sent her (Hagar and the child) away...” (Genesis 21:9-14).

During my Bible studies I came across a Scripture that shows the heart of God as much than any other. It shows that we have a Father who will take up for us when we think that we are alone.

“Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any way, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry; and my wrath shall burn.... (God speaking) (Exod. 22:22-24).

I found this Scripture at least four times in the Bible and there are possibly more. It shows how aware God is of us when we are in distress. Hanna is another prime example of a desperate woman crying to God in her sorrow.

“And she (Hannah) was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept bitterly...and said, O Lord of host, if thou wilt look upon the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me...” (I Sam. 1:10-12).

Then the 19th verse says:

“And the Lord remembered her.”

Jesus said, “...your Father knoweth what things ye have need of before ye ask him” (Matt. 6:8). He knows, but he wants us to show faith enough to ask.

James, the half brother of Jesus said, “...ye have not, because ye ask not” (James 4:2).

You might say, where was God when I was hurting? Let’s let the Bible tell us where he was and is.

“For thus saith the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy. I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also who is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones”
(Isaiah 57:15).

When I was broken and contrite (repentant) and going through a severe trial the Lord spoke to me through this Scripture. He let me know that He was sharing in my pain; He was touched by my tears and that He would move His hand in my situation.

If we could get a glimpse of the great big, wonderful, heart of God, it would be easy for us to reach out to Him in our pain and believe Him for results. I have done that many times, and so can you!

How To Walk the Walk

Angela Hays Moore has a passion for God, and His Son, Jesus, and in sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom message, one heart at a time. Angela, with her husband, Tony, and their five children, are active within their community in Knightstown, Indiana, planting a church - Knightstown Family Fellowship. Angela enjoys writing and speaking, and is the author of an illustrated children’s book, “Maggie Seeks the Kingdom of God.”

A Follower of Jesus Christ - How To Walk the Walk

by Angela Moore

“But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:8-11.

“They left everything and followed him.” Have you ever known such six powerful words that changed the course of history in such a miraculous way that these men would never have imagined? Yet, here we are, over two thousand years later, still marveling at this man, Jesus, who went on to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom, died for our sins on a cross, and whom God raised from the dead, to be the first resurrected man to live immortally. Acts 3:21 tells us that Jesus sits at the right Hand of God, “whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Do you believe this? Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who will one day return to the earth, to begin setting up His Father’s Kingdom from Jerusalem? If so, we too must follow him.

What does it mean to become a follower of Jesus Christ? I think Jesus answers this question, when one of the scribes asks Jesus, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” And Jesus answers him, found in Mark 12:29-31:

1) The foremost is: Hear O Israel! The LORD our God is one Lord; You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

2) You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

It starts with a foundation – knowing that YHWH, our God, is one Lord. Not two lords. Not three. There is only one God, whom we are to love with our entire being. This is key, because without it, there is no reason to obey Him, no reason to want to love others, no reason to listen to the words of His Son, no reason to submit our will to God’s, dying to our own selfish wants and desires. It begins with a trembling, humble heart, which will fear the one Adonai YHWH.

When we get #1 down, #2 naturally follows. I John 5:3-5 tells us, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is victory that has overcome the world – our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” When we love God, we will obey all His other commandments, for we will have a heart that is desiring to please Him in all things. By our faith, believing that Jesus is the Son of God, it provides us God’s Spirit (His power, His presence) to indwell in us, giving us the supernatural ability to overcome sin, and thus inherit the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. In Revelation 2:10-11 Jesus tells us “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life…he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love God so much, that we will obey His commandments, and therefore be ‘overcomers’ who will inherit the Kingdom and eternal life in the age to come. It is our inheritance, our reward, for believing in the man, Jesus, whom God provided for us for salvation.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love others. Jesus commands us in John 15:17, “This ICOMMAND you, that you love one another.” Not an option. It’s a MUST. I John 4:7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” This is our outward fruit to show that we are true followers of Jesus Christ and God’s people: we will be active in loving other people, thus bearing fruit. Without this love, we really aren’t who we say we are. We really aren’t living a truly obedient life to our Father in Heaven. I John 2:4, John calls these people “liars” and says that “the truth is not in him.”

So how are we to be followers of Jesus Christ? I John 2:6 says, “the one who says he abides in Him (Jesus) ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.” John 15:5, 7 Jesus tells us “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” So, we can draw the conclusion, that to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, we are to walk as he walked, and the only way we can walk as he did, is to abide in him, and have him abide in us. How? By having Jesus’ words living in us.

We know that Jesus’ words are actually words which God told him to speak, as Jesus tells us in John 8:26, “He who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” This is another fulfillment of the spoken word of God through Moses, about Jesus in Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”

Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it.”When we study, delight, breathe in, renew our minds with the word God spoke, through Jesus, we are being filled with the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit will help us walk in the manner that Jesus did. Just as Jesus spoke of himself doing, walking in like manner of God in John 5:19 “The Son can do nothing of himself, unless it is something he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us to be “imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love.” The infamous phrase, “Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk” is so true! It’s a walk of love - living out our love for the one true God and loving others. To be followers of Jesus the Christ, we need to abide in his words, not only believing them, but living and walking them out, just as Jesus obediently believed and lived out the words that God spoke to Him. When we do this, we truly will be followers of Jesus Christ, living obedient lives to God, being overcomers of the world, recipients of eternal life in the age to come, and bearing fruit consistent with our love for God and for others. On our own, it would be a tall order - an impossible endeavor to embark upon. With God, the impossible becomes possible, thus empowering us so that we can turn from our old way of life, leave everything behind, to follow Jesus in a radical, God-glorifying, fruit-bearing way in Christ Jesus! You will no longer be the same when you do. You will be a new creation in Christ, an ambassador for Christ, an imitator of God, a child of God, a co-heir with Christ Jesus. Your purpose in life will become part of a bigger purpose - Jesus’ purpose, which is God’s plan or word of the Kingdom, spoken of long ago and the Gospel promised to Abraham. Becoming a follower of Christ is much bigger than it just being about ‘me.’ It is something that spreads and multiplies, when we begin to love others to ‘catch men’ for the sake of bringing them the good news of Jesus and the word or God’s plan of the Kingdom, so that they too, can enjoy salvation and their reward on that day of his return.

Jesus is calling you, too. “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And _______________ (fill the blank in with your name) left everything and followed him.”

How To Walk the Walk

Angela Hays Moore has a passion for God, and His Son, Jesus, and in sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom message, one heart at a time. Angela, with her husband, Tony, and their five children, are active within their community in Knightstown, Indiana, planting a church - Knightstown Family Fellowship. Angela enjoys writing and speaking, and is the author of an illustrated children’s book, “Maggie Seeks the Kingdom of God.”

A Follower of Jesus Christ - How To Walk the Walk

by Angela Moore

“But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.” Luke 5:8-11.

“They left everything and followed him.” Have you ever known such six powerful words that changed the course of history in such a miraculous way that these men would never have imagined? Yet, here we are, over two thousand years later, still marveling at this man, Jesus, who went on to preach the Gospel of the coming Kingdom, died for our sins on a cross, and whom God raised from the dead, to be the first resurrected man to live immortally. Acts 3:21 tells us that Jesus sits at the right Hand of God, “whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Do you believe this? Do you believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, who will one day return to the earth, to begin setting up His Father’s Kingdom from Jerusalem? If so, we too must follow him.

What does it mean to become a follower of Jesus Christ? I think Jesus answers this question, when one of the scribes asks Jesus, “What commandment is the foremost of all?” And Jesus answers him, found in Mark 12:29-31:

1) The foremost is: Hear O Israel! The LORD our God is one Lord; You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.

2) You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

It starts with a foundation – knowing that YHWH, our God, is one Lord. Not two lords. Not three. There is only one God, whom we are to love with our entire being. This is key, because without it, there is no reason to obey Him, no reason to want to love others, no reason to listen to the words of His Son, no reason to submit our will to God’s, dying to our own selfish wants and desires. It begins with a trembling, humble heart, which will fear the one Adonai YHWH.

When we get #1 down, #2 naturally follows. I John 5:3-5 tells us, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is victory that has overcome the world – our faith. And who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” When we love God, we will obey all His other commandments, for we will have a heart that is desiring to please Him in all things. By our faith, believing that Jesus is the Son of God, it provides us God’s Spirit (His power, His presence) to indwell in us, giving us the supernatural ability to overcome sin, and thus inherit the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. In Revelation 2:10-11 Jesus tells us “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life…he who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love God so much, that we will obey His commandments, and therefore be ‘overcomers’ who will inherit the Kingdom and eternal life in the age to come. It is our inheritance, our reward, for believing in the man, Jesus, whom God provided for us for salvation.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we will love others. Jesus commands us in John 15:17, “This ICOMMAND you, that you love one another.” Not an option. It’s a MUST. I John 4:7 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” This is our outward fruit to show that we are true followers of Jesus Christ and God’s people: we will be active in loving other people, thus bearing fruit. Without this love, we really aren’t who we say we are. We really aren’t living a truly obedient life to our Father in Heaven. I John 2:4, John calls these people “liars” and says that “the truth is not in him.”

So how are we to be followers of Jesus Christ? I John 2:6 says, “the one who says he abides in Him (Jesus) ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.” John 15:5, 7 Jesus tells us “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from me you can do nothing. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you.” So, we can draw the conclusion, that to be a true follower of Jesus Christ, we are to walk as he walked, and the only way we can walk as he did, is to abide in him, and have him abide in us. How? By having Jesus’ words living in us.

We know that Jesus’ words are actually words which God told him to speak, as Jesus tells us in John 8:26, “He who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” This is another fulfillment of the spoken word of God through Moses, about Jesus in Deuteronomy 18:18 “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”

Jeremiah 31:33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the LORD, “I will put My law within them, and on their heart I will write it.”When we study, delight, breathe in, renew our minds with the word God spoke, through Jesus, we are being filled with the Spirit of God. God’s Spirit will help us walk in the manner that Jesus did. Just as Jesus spoke of himself doing, walking in like manner of God in John 5:19 “The Son can do nothing of himself, unless it is something he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.”

Ephesians 5:1-2 tells us to be “imitators of God as beloved children; and walk in love.” The infamous phrase, “Don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk” is so true! It’s a walk of love - living out our love for the one true God and loving others. To be followers of Jesus the Christ, we need to abide in his words, not only believing them, but living and walking them out, just as Jesus obediently believed and lived out the words that God spoke to Him. When we do this, we truly will be followers of Jesus Christ, living obedient lives to God, being overcomers of the world, recipients of eternal life in the age to come, and bearing fruit consistent with our love for God and for others. On our own, it would be a tall order - an impossible endeavor to embark upon. With God, the impossible becomes possible, thus empowering us so that we can turn from our old way of life, leave everything behind, to follow Jesus in a radical, God-glorifying, fruit-bearing way in Christ Jesus! You will no longer be the same when you do. You will be a new creation in Christ, an ambassador for Christ, an imitator of God, a child of God, a co-heir with Christ Jesus. Your purpose in life will become part of a bigger purpose - Jesus’ purpose, which is God’s plan or word of the Kingdom, spoken of long ago and the Gospel promised to Abraham. Becoming a follower of Christ is much bigger than it just being about ‘me.’ It is something that spreads and multiplies, when we begin to love others to ‘catch men’ for the sake of bringing them the good news of Jesus and the word or God’s plan of the Kingdom, so that they too, can enjoy salvation and their reward on that day of his return.

Jesus is calling you, too. “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” And _______________ (fill the blank in with your name) left everything and followed him.”