"A man has to know where he comes from, and what he's made of." The Bible tells us in Genesis 1 that we are made in the image of God. But as John points out, "In a man's search for strength, telling him that he's made in the image of God may not sound like a whole lot of encouragement at first. To most men, God is either distant or he is weak."
He then asks a question, "what is your image of Jesus as a man?" Many picture the white guy with flowing hair staring slightly heavenward. Maybe you have the image of a scrawny, almost feminine looking, crucified Jesus in a loin cloth. Or maybe it's the one where He's standing with some sheep by a stream, a lamb across his shoulders. Gentle, meek, and kind of a wuss. But that wasn't Jesus.
We're told that Joseph, the man who stepped in as an earthly father to Jesus, was a carpenter. In Israel there aren't a ton of trees, but there is an excess of stone. Jesus would have learned the trade of carpentry from Joseph, which would have included, more than likely, stone masonry. You have a man who has worked daily for close to three decades. His hand would have been calloused and strong. His muscles would have been firm and powerful. You have a man who has worked, and his body would reflect that work.
Then factor in the events that take place on the road to Golgotha. First Jesus is stripped and beaten very brutally, to the point where He isn't even recognized, and yet He is still standing up. Then he is given a cross that weighed around 300 pounds to carry to the place where he will be executed. He struggles beneath it's weight as He walks the smooth stone streets, eventually a bystander is grabbed and forced to take the cross. As he continues on there are women mourning that He comforts, and once he has been nailed to the cross, He still puts coherent sentences together. Do any of the pictures of Jesus you've seen portray a man who could do that?
"I am not advocating a sort of 'macho man' image. I'm not suggesting we all head off to the gym and then to the beach to kick sand in the faces of wimpy Pharisees. I am attempting to rescue us from a very, very mistaken image we have of God - especially of Jesus - and therefore of men as his image-bearers."
Jesus was a man's man, plain and simple. He knew hard work, and was respected by other men who worked. He commands the elements of nature as well as the heavenly army. And when He returns it will be at the head of His army, sword at His side, mounted on a stallion, ready for battle. He didn't shy away from injustice or those in authority, but righteously dealt with problems as they arose. "No question about it - there is something fierce in the heart of God."
"The whole creation is unapologetically wild. God loves it that way." Think about creation, waterfalls, thunderstorms, lions, tigers, and bears. It is a world full of risk, and danger, the elements that are essential for adventure. "Yet this is the world God has made - a world that requires us to live with risk. Because God wants us to live by faith." A world that contains no risk, demands no faith. God created a world full of adventures to be had, and set us free to explore it Adventure is a gift from God's heart to ours, "there is definitely something wild in the heart of God."
"Ana all his wildness and all his fierceness are inseparable from his romantic heart... God is a romantic at heart, and he has his own bride to fight for. He is a jealous lover, and his jealousy is for the hearts of his people and for their freedom." The cross is really a love story. God wanting His creation back so badly that He enters into it and dies for it. The Bible tells us that the greatest love is to lay down your life (John 15.13). That is the love of God. And in that we see His heart.
He boldly goes to the cross, faces the hardships, endures the pain. He is fierce in battle. He takes great risk in the cross, knowing that in spite of all of this people that He died for will reject Him, reduce Him simply to a human martyr, and even deny His existence. But He still goes. And in the cross we see His love and compassion. He is willing to pay any price to rescue those He loves. This is the image we were created from as men. This is God, and we are created and called to be like Him.
"And this is our true Father, the stock from which the heart of a man is drawn. Strong, courageous love... Be fierce, be wild, be passionate."
To God alone be the Glory!
Peace be with you
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