Fields United Methodist Church

Side by Side with Jesus.                                                           Pastor Tom Joyce

November 9, 2020

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.”

Colossians 1:15

Who is Jesus? We hear his name in church, in study, in our conversations with others, and used out of thanksgiving or frustration; who is he, really? How can we identify with someone we cannot see? In the words of Peter Scholtes that he put to song “They’ll know we are Christians by our love,” we will know Jesus not by what he looks like but by his boundless love and grace offered to all who believe. Jesus is pure love as God is pure love; cannot be seen or touched, but can be experienced and celebrated through our love of God and others. I envision Jesus to be laughter and joy, no matter where my journey may lead. If you lived your life in the mountains, you may “see” God in the majesty of mountains. If you lived your life by the sea, you may “see” God in the vastness of the oceans. Though God’s image cannot be seen, his work cannot be denied. And it is by faith, “the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen,” (Hebrews 11:1) we experience the awesomeness of God’s eternal presence through Jesus Christ. We identify with the amazing love Jesus offers and celebrate the gift of being a new creation, filled with the conviction that nothing can separate us from Jesus’ love that fills every part of our being. Jesus is more than a slogan, more than a saying, and certainly more than someone we worship and serve when it fits into our schedule. Many years ago, we worshipped in a synagogue with a sign that reminded us to, “remember who you stand before.” Good advice…  Jesus is the Son of God, “the image of God.” When you look in the mirror, what do you see? You see your image; if Jesus would look in a mirror, he would see God because that is who he is.  “He is the image of the invisible God.” It is the same Jesus who promises especially you that he will be “with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20) Thank you Jesus!

Rev. Tom Joyce