Jesus Is __________

“JESUS IS _____!”

PSALM 107:1-16/

David P. Nolte

(I am indebted to Zach Williams for the basic main points.)

When you say, “Jesus is ......” the list is practically unending. Actually there are about 200 names or titles for Jesus in the Bible. For instance, “Jesus is: Lord; Master; The Way; the Lion of Judah; Prince of peace; Son of man; Son of God; Savior.” The list goes on and on.

The most important discovery you will ever make is Who Jesus is in your life. I want to share three important truths about Jesus and Who He is and what He can mean to you:

Let us consider the Psalm which describes Who the Lord is to His people both then and now. “Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary and gathered from the lands, from the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region; they did not find a way to an inhabited city. They were hungry and thirsty; their soul fainted within them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses. He led them also by a straight way, to go to an inhabited city. Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, and the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, prisoners in misery and chains, because they had rebelled against the words of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He humbled their heart with labor; they stumbled and there was none to help. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.” Psalm 107:1-13 (NASB).

Our situation is not unlike that of those ancient Israelites. In ways, our world is in darkness and there are many things that bring us pain and many things that put us into bondage.

The Lord heard their cry for relief and He helped. Even today the Lord can help those who cry out to Him because:

I. HE IS THE PAIN TAKER:

A. Notice some examples of their pain:

1. Some wandered in desert wastes, homeless, hopeless, finding no city in which to dwell; they were hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them.

2. “Some sat in darkness and in gloom, prisoners in affliction and in irons, ....”

3. “Their hearts were bowed down with hard labor.”

4. “They fell down, with none to help.”

B. They were in spiritual, mental, emotional and physical pain.

1. But, “Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them from their distress.” He still hears every cry for help.

2. He is moved by our pain and sorrow.

3. In His time and way He takes our pain onto Himself and gives us relief. He invited, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NASB).

4. Isaiah rightly foretold it, and as The Message puts it: “But the fact is, it was our pains He carried — our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought He brought it on Himself, that God was punishing Him for His own failures. But it was our sins that did that to Him, that ripped and tore and crushed Him — our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole.” Isaiah 53:4-5 (MSG).

C. What a one-sided exchange.

1. We gave Him all the negatives and in exchange He gave us all the positives.

2. We gave Him our sins, and in exchange He gave us righteousness.

3. We gave Him our soul sickness, and in exchange He gave us healing.

4. We gave Him our disfigurements, and in exchange He gave us beauty.

D. Please understand that I am not even suggesting that you will never hurt or experience pain. What I am saying is that Jesus steps into the picture and gives us grace, mercy, endurance and His presence alongside us to share our burden with us and in every hurt to bear a part.

1. Have you ever felt physical sympathy pain in your legs when you see or hear something painful or harmful to someone else? That is because when we receive cues that another person is in pain, our own pain circuits within the brain are activated and we feel actual pain.