This is He

On Tuesday of the Savior's final week, we read that Jesus spent the day in Jerusalem, teaching in the temple, and later at the Mount of Olives where He delivered the Olivet Discourse, where He taught and prophesied about the destruction of the Jews and Jerusalem and His second coming. While at the temple, religious leaders aggressively challenged Jesus and His teachings, seeking for some excuse or opportunity to ambush Him in His words and to have cause to arrest Him. These leaders specifically question His authority, asked Him about whether one should pay imperial taxes to Caesar, and tried to trick Him with questions about marriage and Heaven. Among Christ's teachings at the temple and at the Mount were the Parables of the two sons, the tenants, the wedding banquet, the bags of gold, and the ten virgins. On this day, Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love God with all thy heart, might, mind, and strength and the second greatest commandment is to love thy neighbor as thyself. He taught that an act of service or kindness toward a fellow man is an act of service to God, saying, "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." 

It was on this morning when Jesus, en route to the temple, cursed a barren fig tree for failing to live up to its purpose and bring forth fruit. As the tree immediately withered and the disciples looked on in wonder, Jesus used this miraculous transformation to the tree to teach of faith. He said that by their faith and lack of doubt, they could not only duplicate Christ's miraculous transformation to the tree but could also tell a mountain to cast itself into the sea and the mountain would obey. The events at this fig tree remind us of similar teachings when Christ referenced a mustard tree, particularly a mustard seed, pronouncing that with faith the size of a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible unto you.

With this context of faith and testimony, I believe that today's Lamb of God video is especially fitting. This video depicts a scene where Jesus sat teaching in the temple and where nonbelievers accused Him of blasphemy for His teachings and prophetic and Messianic declarations, calling for the people to take up stones as punishment for His blasphemy. I can easily imagine such an exchange as the one we hear in this song taking place on this day as the religious leaders sought to trip Him up in His words. I love the song that follows from the mouths of three apostles who declare their faith and testimony that Jesus is indeed the Christ, that this is He. Particularly, I love the way that their testimonies blend together, supporting and building off of each other. One witnesses of testimony built upon sight, another of testimony built upon what has been heard, and the third upon what has become known through the promptings and confirmations of the Holy Ghost. The scriptures teach that in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. This is He is a musical representation of this principle, and there is great power in this song. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. 

Knowing the simple faith and testimonies of these three apostles would be challenged not only later this week with the betrayal and arrest of Jesus, but also throughout the rest of their lives as these apostles would go into the world teaching the word and suffer persecutions and eventually death as martyrs, I know that our own faith and testimonies are subject to turbulence at times. But I also know that the Spirit speaks to both our minds and our hearts. When our minds are shaken by the philosophies of men and the often confusing debates of logic and words, we can rely upon the feelings that we have felt from the Spirit speaking to our hearts of the truth. And when our hearts are ripped out and grieving because of loss, pain and suffering, or other turmoil that might otherwise cause us to question how a loving God might allow certain events to transpire, we can rely upon the light and understanding the Spirit has previously given unto us in our minds. I believe that both forms of testimony are essential and that no faith is complete without both. And because of the Spirit teaching us in both our minds and our hearts, we can join with Peter, John, and Thomas in singing This is He.

God Bless!

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They've seen His face. They've seen His wonders.

They've seen His touch restore the sick, but still they're waiting.

For they don't see Him, don't truly see Him.

But I have seen, and I believe that this is He.

They've heard His words. They've heard His teachings. 

They've heard a voice from heaven speak, but still they're waiting.

For they don't hear Him, don't truly hear Him.

But I have heard and I believe that this is He.

He fed five thousand men with little bread; 

But once their mouths were filled, they cared not what He said.

They bring their sick; they bring them healed.

And still they pray that their Redeemer be revealed.

He has declared He is Messiah!

And He has bid them come and see, but they wont follow.

For they don't know Him, don't truly know Him.

But I know Him...Yes, I know and I believe that this is He.

They've seen His wonders. They've heard His teachings.

And all these testify of Him, that this is He.

(Narration): He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed!