Catechism: God With UsSample

God created us and desires a relationship with us. He’s not a distant God—He is close. He is real. And he came himself in the flesh—Jesus, the son of Mary—because he wanted to be WITH us. Before he was even born, the angel told Mary to call her son Immanuel (Matthew 1:23), which means God with us! As Jesus walked the earth, he showed us who God is, what God was like, and how God would act. Jesus is the ultimate revelation, or the ultimate display, of the Father. And Jesus came on a mission to bring hope to the poor, to heal the sick, and to set free those who were captive and oppressed. These problems weren’t only physical; they were also spiritual—spiritual poverty, sickness, and bondage resulting from sin! As you read the passage of the sinful woman, take note of how Jesus spoke to her and about her. She was living in sin but was looking for hope. She came to Jesus humbly and found forgiveness and freedom. She found God, the One who loved her and wanted to set her free! He still does that for us today. Just like Jesus was reflecting the Father’s heart toward the sinful woman, he reflects the same toward us. When he willingly gave his life for us, he defeated the powers of darkness, purchased our freedom, and forgave our sins ! His resurrection on Sunday morning was a public display of his victory and the fulfillment of his mission—God’s promise to deliver mankind! And you and I are invited into forgiveness, freedom, and this mission of Jesus who is the visible image of the invisible God. Consider: Jesus taught that he and the Father are one, and they are in perfect alignment in all things. Do you see God the Father in the same way you see Jesus the Son? Reflect: What does the Luke 7 story reveal to you about God’s character?