Build-A-Bear Jesus

Build-A-Bear Jesus

Please stand as we read our newest memory Scripture together …

2 Timothy 4:3-4

“The time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

“They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

And our memory refresher verse(s) for today is(are) …

Isaiah 9:6

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Please open your Bibles to: Matthew 11:25-30

(Prayer for help with today’s message)

Have you ever heard of Build-A-Bear?

At a Build-A-Bear store you can create a one-of-a-kind stuffed animal; a toy.

There is a huge variety of toys to choose from in all different sized and colors.

First you choose the type of bear you want to “build”. But when you get this bear it is only an empty bear shaped bag which you then stuff with material.

After you stuff the bear there are many accessories you can either add or ignore.

You can add; hats, eyewear, a stuffed hearing aid, a diabetes kit, a passport in case your bear wants to travel, wigs, purses and backpacks, a bear home or car.

You can record your voice for the bear to replay. You can add a heartbeat.

You can even buy stuffed toys for your stuffed bear to play with …

You can add all of these accessories or none of them.

Or … you could even claim that Build-A-Bears don’t even exist but that you have one anyway …

All of that is fine with building as toy bear but how does it apply to anything else?

Does anyone know what the word narcissistic means?

“Having an undue fascination with oneself; vain. Tending to derive gratification from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes. Self-centered, self-involved, conceited, egotistic, stuck-up, vain, vainglorious, egotistical …

That’s the adjective form of the word. The noun form of the word is narcissism and the dictionary says that narcissism “a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development.”

If you think about it, what is the most extreme thought a narcissist could have?

I realize that there could and would be hundreds of opinions on this but for a person who claims to be a Christian, what would be the ultimate end of narcissism?

“I will make God/Jesus in any image I want to make Him!”

You might ask, “What on earth has brought this all about?”

As I drive through the small towns on our travels I keep seeing this sign on churches that says, “Jesus didn’t reject people and neither do we.”

Did Jesus come to reject people? No!

Luke 19:10 NLT says, “[Jesus] came to seek and to save those who are lost.”

Now, we know from Genesis that we were created in the image of God Himself.

Listen to this! I just love this little glimpse into the Trinitarian nature of God found in …

Genesis 1:26-27 where it says,

“Then God said, ‘Let Us make mankind in Our image, in Our likeness … so God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.”

So, you see, we are created in the image of God Himself. Wouldn’t it be the ultimate insult to God for a Christian to think that they can define Jesus, the Son of God, in any way they want to?

Wouldn’t it take a deluded narcissist to elevate themselves above the Lord God in that way?

Is Jesus like a “Build-A-Bear” where we get the shell and then we can stuff Him with anything we like? Is Jesus like a “Build-A-Bear” where we can add or remove characteristics according to our whims?

With that in mind let’s look at some of the characteristics of Jesus: Matthew 11:25-30

May God bless the reading of His Word …

What a beautiful image of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ!

Are you weary and burdened? Jesus will give you rest!

Jesus is gentle and humble in heart. You will find rest for your souls ….

Everyone loves that don’t they? I love that! I love HIM!!! I almost cannot even express in words my thankfulness for His mercy, forgiveness and love.

But many would have you think that Jesus is one dimensional.

That Jesus is just an easy going guy. No pressure.

After all, if Jesus is gentle and humble in heart He certainly will not make any demands on me!

What else do I really need to know about Jesus?