{"id":6149,"date":"2018-12-20T11:12:41","date_gmt":"2018-12-20T17:12:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thedisciplemaker.org\/?p=6149"},"modified":"2025-11-16T14:23:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-16T20:23:48","slug":"what-we-see-when-we-look-at-jesus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.navpress.com\/sites\/thedisciplemaker\/2018\/12\/what-we-see-when-we-look-at-jesus\/","title":{"rendered":"What We See When We Look at Jesus"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Looking down the centuries to the coming of Jesus Christ, Isaiah put two things together: the birth of a child and the shining of a light. The birth of the child produces illumination, a great light to a darkened people.
It\u2019s precisely at this point\u2014when we see the birth of Jesus as the invasion of God into our lives\u2014that light shines. God didn\u2019t give us an explanation about the meaning of life in general or the meaning of our own lives in particular. Instead, he gave us a Son. This Son showed us what we need to know about ourselves and about God so that we can live without stumbling around in the dark.<\/strong>
When we look at Jesus, we see God dwelling among us, and we see ourselves dwelling in God. When we talk about Jesus as the Light of the world, this then is what we mean: a Flame of life that burns within us, ascending to the Father; a Light to walk by, illuminating both our origin and our destiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The people who walked in darkness<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 have seen a great light.<\/em>
For those who lived in a land of deep shadows\u2014<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 light! sunbursts of light!<\/em>
You repopulated the nation,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 you expanded its joy.<\/em>
Oh, they\u2019re so glad in your presence!<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Festival joy!<\/em>
The joy of a great celebration,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 sharing rich gifts and warm greetings.<\/em>
The abuse of oppressors and cruelty of tyrants\u2014<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 all their whips and cudgels and curses\u2014<\/em>
Is gone, done away with, a deliverance<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 as surprising and sudden as Gideon\u2019s old victory over Midian.<\/em>
The boots of all those invading troops,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood,<\/em>
Will be piled in a heap and burned,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 a fire that will burn for days!<\/em>
For a child has been born\u2014for us!<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the gift of a son\u2014for us!<\/em>
He\u2019ll take over<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the running of the world.<\/em>
His names will be: Amazing Counselor,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Strong God,<\/em>
Eternal Father,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Prince of Wholeness.<\/em>
His ruling authority will grow,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and there\u2019ll be no limits to the wholeness he brings.<\/em>
He\u2019ll rule from the historic David throne<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 over that promised kingdom.<\/em>
He\u2019ll put that kingdom on a firm footing<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 and keep it going<\/em>
With fair dealing and right living,<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 beginning now and lasting always.<\/em>
The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies<\/em>
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 will do all this.<\/em><\/p>Isaiah 9:2-7, The Message<\/em><\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n


For Reflection<\/strong>
What has the love of Jesus taught you about yourself? How has the knowledge of his presence changed the way you approach each day?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

You have been reading an insight into Scripture found in The Message Devotional Bible<\/em><\/a>, a special edition filled with reflections and notes from Eugene H. Peterson. This devotional Bible will both comfort and instruct you with insights and encouragement.

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking down the centuries to the coming of Jesus Christ, Isaiah put two things together: the birth of a child and the shining of a light. The birth of the child produces illumination, a great light to a darkened people.It\u2019s … <\/p>\n

Read moreWhat We See When We Look at Jesus<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":6204,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":""},"categories":[8,17],"tags":[33,102,103,188,276,328,413,516],"yoast_head":"\nWhat We See When We Look at Jesus - The Disciplemaker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.navpress.com\/sites\/thedisciplemaker\/2018\/12\/what-we-see-when-we-look-at-jesus\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What We See When We Look at Jesus - The Disciplemaker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Looking down the centuries to the coming of Jesus Christ, Isaiah put two things together: the birth of a child and the shining of a light. 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