What's So Great About Jesus?

"He was despised and forsaken of men..."

Isaiah 53:3a

 If you were told, "I can't stand you...just seeing you, I am repulsed by you", how would you feel?  Not so good, right?  This verse is telling us that for some people, Jesus gives them a feeling of repulsion.  But maybe it's not repulsion you feel.  Maybe it's just, indifference.  Here's the issue.  Indifference toward Jesus is just as sinful as despising Him, or feeling repulsed by Him.  Both are forms of rebellion and call for justice - and the justice is eternal separation from God's presence and His grace, in hell.  Every person born experiences the grace of God, as soon as they draw their first breath and until they take their last.  The fact that we can even draw a breath is only by God's grace, and reason enough to give Him our complete, utter, devotion and worship.  Can you create a flower by calling it into existence with your voice?  Can you make the winds and waves obey you?  As the created, we can't, but as Creator, Jesus can and does.  Jesus, who is God, gives life and rules over His creation.   This makes Him The Greatest, and worthy of our worship.

There are other reasons why we should worship and adore Christ.  Isaiah continues with this...

"He was pierced through for our transgressions,

He was crushed for our iniquities..."

Isaiah 53:4a

Have you ever gotten angry and wanted to hurt someone?  Ever lied?  Lusted?  Gossiped?  I have.  Not one of us can say we are perfect, and without sin.  The greatness of Jesus in this verse is that He took the punishment we deserve for our sin.  Justice fell on Him, and mercy and grace falls on us.  For our anger, for our lust, for our lying, for our gossiping, we deserve death.  To no longer draw breath.  To no longer experience the grace and power of God in living on this earth.  None of us can make others righteous by standing in their place and paying the price for sin.  Only Jesus can.  And did.  He did that, for you, and me.  And this is why to be indifferent toward Him, or to despise Him, should cause us great pain and grief in our hearts.  

See the greatness of Jesus.  See His love for you.  It's why He went to the cross.  Repulsion for Him and indifference toward Him, He forgives...He forgives!  When we confess and repent - when we mourn over this sin, and then He replaces our despising, indifferent hearts toward Him with a heart that treasures and loves and adores Him.