Liken (Thursday, April 11th)

Thursday, April 11th

Liken: compare

John 14:6-7 (NRSV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

During Jesus’ ministry he described the heavenly kingdom by using parables- earthly examples that would help his followers understand the kingdom more easily, while confusing those who “look but do not perceive” (Matthew 13:14). He would begin each parable with the words, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” and adding such examples as someone who sowed good seed in his field (Matthew 13:24)…  a mustard seed (Matthew 13:31)… yeast (Matthew 13:33)… a treasure hidden in the field (Matthew 13:44)… a merchant in search of fine pearls (Matthew 13:45)… a net thrown into the sea (Matthew 13:47)… He was able to help people understand the kingdom by likening it to everyday situations and stories. 

More importantly, as God’s son Jesus showed us who God is. Jesus says, “If you know me, you will know my Father also (vs. 7).” Jesus’ life helps us to know God- by his teaching, feeding, healing, sacrificing, forgiving and loving. God came to us personally in the form of Jesus. Otherwise we would have had no way to understand how God IS love, God IS good, and God IS for us. We can look at Jesus and know what God is like.

Now it’s our turn. We are called to be Jesus- the Body of Christ- in the world. This means we are to show others who Jesus is by living our lives like he did. Jesus even gave his Spirit to guide us this way! May we live and serve as Jesus’ Body in our homes, community and world. When we love like Jesus, when we live like Jesus, people can look at us and know what Jesus is like. They can know Jesus!

All definitions are excerpted from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary at https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/

Cross photo credit: Aaron Burden on Unsplash