Picture Perfect

Colossians 1:15a (NLT) — 15 Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

____

Have you ever been talking to someone, and they're telling you about they family and whip out their phone to show you some family pics? You've been hearing about their kids, and you kind of have an idea of what they would look like, but then when you see the photos, the "characters" in your mind come alive as you see them in the flesh.

You get to see that the little boy she was talking about really is a rascal, you can tell by his mischievous smile as he grins at the camera after spilling milk all over the floor.

You get a glimpse of the family dynamics as your friend flips through photos that show the family interacting with each other.

You are not looking at the family, you are looking at images of the family. So to it is with Christ.

What is God like? Look to Jesus of Nazareth. He is the image of the invisible God.

From the life of Jesus we come to learn about God.

God is forgiving to those that seek his mercy...

Luke 5:18–20 (NLT) — 18 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, 19 but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. 20 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.”

God is a healer to those who are in need...

John 5:6–9a (NLT) — 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” 7 “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.” 8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!” 9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking!...

God has power over evil...

Mark 1:23–27 (NLT) — 23 Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting, 24 “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus cut him short. “Be quiet! Come out of the man,” he ordered. 26 At that, the evil spirit screamed, threw the man into a convulsion, and then came out of him. 27 Amazement gripped the audience, and they began to discuss what had happened. “What sort of new teaching is this?” they asked excitedly. “It has such authority! Even evil spirits obey his orders!”

God's anger burns for those that would oppress the weak...

Mark 3:1–6 (NLT) — 1 Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. 2 Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” 4 Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him. 5 He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! 6 At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.

God is compassionate to those with a broken heart...

John 11:17 (NLT) — 17 When Jesus arrived at Bethany, he was told that Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days.

John 11:33–36 (NLT) — 33 When Jesus saw her [Lazarus' sister] weeping and saw the other people wailing with her, a deep anger welled up within him, and he was deeply troubled. 34 “Where have you put him?” he asked them. They told him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Then Jesus wept. 36 The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!”

While we can't see God, we can know about Him through Jesus of Nazareth. If your heart is crying out to get to know God, look to Jesus.

When Lazarus died, Jesus looked to his sister and said...

John 11:25–26 (NLT) — 25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

This is the question that he asks you....today.

Do you believe this?