The Face of Christ.

I am astounded at the truth that I have the ability, with Christ radiating in and through me, to help unlock and reconfigure another persons understanding of God! Think about this ... Everything I do as a Spirit-filled believer either promotes or diminishes peoples' revelation of God. This is remarkable and sobering.

Well, you may be thinking - Ryan, how do you get to this conclusion? Simple really ... In John 14 Jesus reminds Philip that He is the Face of the Father; moreover, the author to the Hebrews explains perfectly in chapter 1 that Jesus is the exact representation of the Father in every way. Now this Face of the Father, Jesus, resides in every believer. In Colossians, Paul rightly explains Christ as 'in us, the hope of Glory'. Furthermore, His Presence and residence in us enables us to be transformed into His likeness, that is Jesus' likeness, from one degree of Glory to another. Therefore, it is agreeable to say that as He is within us and we are becoming more like Him in reflection and likeness, we are also reflectors of His likeness!

Now, it has been said countless times that we are the hands and feet of Jesus - we all agree with this. Could it also be that we are the face of Jesus too? I think so. How many times have you said 'when people see me I long for them to see Jesus'? This is not a fanciful, super-spiritual statement; it is truth and it is power! As I said previously, this is remarkable in privilege and weighty in responsibility!

What does this mean for us or how does this impact on who we are and what we do?
1. The little acts of Grace count! Never before have I truly grasped that my Spirit-led acts of kindness, from a warm greeting to a hug or words of encouragement or honour, have great bearing in helping the recipient know and perceive the wonder of God. We have this one dimensional perspective that all revelation happens in moments of personal devotion or worship. Not true - nature reveals the wonder of God (Ps19) and so do we!! Our momentary encounters with people can, and should, have a dramatic impact in shifting peoples' deformed view of God to one that is truthful. Wow! I am all the more convinced that when I reflect Jesus, and hence Father, in my actions I create an opportunity for the recipient of a simple act/word to grasp a deeper aspect of God Himself!
An example ... The word 'honour' is rooted in the word 'glory' in the Bible. In essence, the Biblical emphasis of glory is twofold - a weight or imprint and to have an opinion! Now when we have God's opinion regarding someone and we share that with them we impress upon them God's likeness and create and opportunity for them to perceive as God perceives. That person is shaped by words of honour which shapes them into a person of glory, reflecting Glory. Such a simple truth with such powerful results, and all through the vehicle of interpersonal relationships! My little acts of grace count, and remember that actions speak a thousand words!!
2. Community counts!
Under God, we need each other in communities called church to help us have an increasing revelation and understanding of who God is! Such is the enormity of the grandness of the Face of Jesus that we require the many reflections of Christ around us to enhance our knowing of God. I love the fact that one person will remind me of the fact that God is a Mighty Warrior, and then another next to me will whisper of His romantic intimacies as God the Lover. We see this in the way people worship, pray, preach, lead worship, communicate with people in fellowship ... The list goes on!
I find it crazy when people say they love Jesus but don't need the Church. Such people become rather one dimensional let alone parochial!

Now many of you may be fretting as you read this saying 'Ryan, the Holy Spirit leads us into the fullness of truth!' Bravo, you are right! But such is the beauty of God that He would design us in such a way that as we live together, intentionally in step with the Spirit in community, we subtly and subsequently create an atmosphere of revelation that is an accessory to the primary Person of Revelation, the Holy Spirit, through the Living Word!

Let us look to reveal the Father through Christ the Son in us, by the power of the Holy Spirit in every little way we act, speak and engage amongst people, whether in the church or in Costa. Then we will see the scales fall from peoples' eyes and the evidences of joy appear as they grow in their knowing of the Living God!!

Huge love,

Ryan