Remarkable
Jesus Christ, The word of God made manifest is the Remarkable One. Remarkable means likely to be noticed, especially to be uncommon and extraordinary. That which is remarkable piques a person’s interest and makes one want to investigate in order to learn. Remarkable things are different from the usual and ordinary. They are wonderful and amazing in a new, exciting, and distinctive way.
In Matthew 9, Jesus was going through the city and healing the people. Jesus said, the harvest is plentiful but the laborer’s are few. It’s one thing to lament the state of the affairs of this world…that they call good evil and evil good. Some have said that no matter the question, the answer is Jesus Christ. The next question is, “are we a part of the problem or are we a part of the solution?” Are you a fellow laborer with Christ or are you a critic of the world? We’ve not been called to judge others. Jesus said, If you judge non-believers for not acting like Christians you’re like the man who was complaining about the splinter in the other guy’s eye while you’re blinded by the two-by-four in your own eye. You have to yank the plank before you can minister to others. The plank is the critical spirit in your own eye. For Jesus came not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.
The harvest is still plentiful. God’s redemptive plan was to send his only begotten son “in the fullness of time.” The world had never seen a teacher like Jesus. He was remarkable in the best way. Jesus talked about the “salt of the earth in Matt 5.” He said “Ye are the salt of the earth.” Salt was precious for preservation of food. The Romans paid their soldiers in salt. Salt is essential to sustain and preserve life.
The word for fellowship is “koinonia” in the Greek text. Fellowship means to share fully that which God has made us in Christ. We meet together according to God’s divine appointment so that we can partake of the fellowship of Christian believers. The gospel of the grace of God is caught and not taught. We gather together to fan each others’ flames…to seek to excel to the edification, the building up or the body of Christ. As Paul said, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of the holy spirt?”
If you’re the salt of the earth and have lost your “saltiness” then you’re like salt that has lost its flavor. It’s good for nothing except to be thrown into the street to be walked on. Those of us who are born again of the Holy Spirit are God’s life giving savor, for we preach not ourselves but Jesus Christ and him crucified. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. We’re remarkable when we represent our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been called as lights in the midst of darkness. We reflect the light, Jesus Christ the Word of God revealed. Therefore let your light so shine among men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven.
On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached about God’s plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. Those who heard his message at the temple were moved to action and said, “men and brethren what shall we do?” They wanted to know what action they could take to believe on the Lord. Everyone marveled that Peter, an uneducated Galilean who was a lowly fisherman, spoke such powerful words. Then they remembered that he had been with Jesus.
Jesus had said, “when the holy spirt has come upon you ye shall be clothed with power from on high and ye shall be witnesses unto me.” When he opens the eyes of our spiritual understanding, as Jesus said to John the Baptist’s followers, “we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.”
When we turn from ourselves and to Christ, we can have this attitude which was also in Christ Jesus. He humbled himself and became a bond servant to serve God’s people from a heart of love. Jesus, for the joy of your salvation and mine, endured the suffering and was obedient unto death even unto the death of the cross. For he who was without sin became the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Paul said that the follower of Christ must not be quarrelsome. He must not strive but be peaceable unto all men, apt to teach, and patient. Jesus said, “my peace I leave with you. My peace I gave unto you. Not as the world giveth give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
When the spirit came upon the apostles at the day of Pentecost, they received the power of the holy spirt. As Paul said, only let your conversation, your citizenship, your manner of living be as it becometh the gospel of Christ. For we are citizens not of this world but of our new heavenly kingdom.
The gospel mission is not about our commission. It’s not about what we get but about what we get to give. It’s not about us, it’s about him. For he is our peace who has made of two one new man.
As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, the question is “what would Jesus do?” Our prayer is, O Lord, more of thee and less of me. The peace that passes all understanding is to “let go and let God.” The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. All things are God’s and ye are Christ’s and Christ is God’s.
He has called us remarkable as we walk according to the path that he foreordained for us. According to Peter we are a peculiar people, an holy nation, a royal priesthood to his praise and honor and glory.
In closing, please listen to the words of the song to “Only Jesus” by Casting Crowns. Here is the link to the video on YouTube:
May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael