Jesus And His Face! Series

There are many verses that help us in knowing what the Face of Jesus was like. Today, we have many portraits of Jesus from His birth, his ministry, and his death, resurrection and ascension. From the 16th century to the 21st. Google has given us over 20 different pictures of what Jesus "may have looked like. Richard Nearve, a medical artist, drew a picture from Semite skull during the 1st century with a wide face, hazel eyes, a bushy beard and short curly hair and a dark tanned complexion. It has been on my Facebook page.

Some experts have agreed with his portrait, because of the typical area where Jesus ministered in Galilee.

In the past centuries, artists have painted His face, so that He could relate Himself with the people in all areas of the world. We know that there is no physical description of Jesus in the Bible.

However, we know from the gospels, that we can visualize Jesus in His birth, His struggles in His ministry, and His Face in the end being beaten beyond description. My favorite verse is from Luke 9:51--53, "When the time was to come that He should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem -- And sent messengers before his face... And they did not receive him, because his face was though He would go to Jerusalem."

This meant Jesus was focused on accomplishing His mission! Another time we see His face when He prayed, "Jesus fell on His face, to the ground and prayed." (Matthew 26:39). He threw Himself down and hit his face on it! Have you ever prayed like Jesus? He not only prayed with his hand and knees, but willing to damage His beautiful face!

Psalms 34:15,16 speaks of His Face towards the righteous and those who do evil. "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil." Jesus, with His face, He could see who the righteous are before him.

But the one I do not like to read is Matthew 26:67, "He is guilt of death. Then they spit on His face and buffeted Him and others smote Him with their hands." Then again after they placed a crown of thorns on His head, they spit on Him again. (Matthew 27:30) When Isaiah was describing the Messiah in Isaiah said "There was no beauty that we should behold Him... and we hid our faces from Him. . . we esteemed Him not." (Isaiah 52)

Jesus experienced what no man has experienced with His death. His face was so much disfigured that it was hardly human. Someone said "It was the fury of hell let loose to damage the face of the Son of God. Jesus let Satan do that to Him, but we know who as the last word!

CONCLUSION: Our encouragement comes the Bible, Psalms 27:7 - 9, "Hear O Lord when I cry with my voice, have mercy on me. . . when you said, "Seek ye my face, my heart said, 'Thy face Lord I will seek . . . Hide not my face from thee!" Psalms 105:4 says "Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually and evermore." ARE WE SEEKING THE FACE OF JESUS TODAY? That is my prayer for YOU! Amen.

Presented By: Larry L. Vollink, Cedar Springs, Michigan (616) 655-4129 lawrenceV@comcast.net