At work the other day, a few of us guys were trading Chuck Norris "facts" and having a laugh. You know--the usual:
Chuck Norris was born in a log cabin--that he built himself.
When Chuck Norris wants an egg, he cracks open a chicken.
One guy said, "Jesus may have walked on water, but Chuck Norris can swim on dry land." That one really made me laugh! What's really laughable though is any realistic comparison whatsoever between Jesus Christ and any man. Often we see Jesus portrayed in (really bad) art as some bent, emaciated, feminine character with droopy, sad eyes. I take issue with this portrayal because it flies in the face of everything we read about Jesus in Scripture.
Mark 1:21-22 NKJV: Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Here, we see Jesus taking the initiative and engaging people in Capernaum. After hearing him, people are blown away by his rock-solid doctrine! He taught with authority and clarity. He automatically caused the common man draw a distinction between Himself and the usual religious teachers of the day.
In the same city, Jesus caught the attention of a Roman centurion (commander of 100 troops):
Matthew 8:5-10 NKJV: Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." 7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
Usually, it takes quite a person to impress a powerful military officer. This centurion was probably a battle-hardened veteran who still personally led his men into fierce battle when required. He commanded the respect and fear of all who served under him. Yet, he goes to Jesus to beg healing for a sick servant. Jesus wanted to go visit, but the centurion was so humbled before Jesus that he prevented Him from entering his own house. His reason? "I am a man of authority..." It's obvious that Jesus' life and work commanded the respect of many who who were themselves respectable.
Jesus also suffered injustice and insult like a true man. When Jesus commands us to "turn the other cheek" it is something He did Himself:
John 18:22-23 NKJV: And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"
Jesus had the ability to come loose like Samson and tear the officer apart. Instead, Jesus answered with calm reason, asking the men for proof of any evil word. This is true power--power over yourself and submitting to God.
Proverbs 16:32 NKJV: He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
I wish I could always be a true man, like Jesus. He puts even Chuck Norris to shame.
Chuck Norris was born in a log cabin--that he built himself.
When Chuck Norris wants an egg, he cracks open a chicken.
One guy said, "Jesus may have walked on water, but Chuck Norris can swim on dry land." That one really made me laugh! What's really laughable though is any realistic comparison whatsoever between Jesus Christ and any man. Often we see Jesus portrayed in (really bad) art as some bent, emaciated, feminine character with droopy, sad eyes. I take issue with this portrayal because it flies in the face of everything we read about Jesus in Scripture.
Mark 1:21-22 NKJV: Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. 22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
Here, we see Jesus taking the initiative and engaging people in Capernaum. After hearing him, people are blown away by his rock-solid doctrine! He taught with authority and clarity. He automatically caused the common man draw a distinction between Himself and the usual religious teachers of the day.
In the same city, Jesus caught the attention of a Roman centurion (commander of 100 troops):
Matthew 8:5-10 NKJV: Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, 6 saying, "Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented." 7 And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him." 8 The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." 10 When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, "Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!
Usually, it takes quite a person to impress a powerful military officer. This centurion was probably a battle-hardened veteran who still personally led his men into fierce battle when required. He commanded the respect and fear of all who served under him. Yet, he goes to Jesus to beg healing for a sick servant. Jesus wanted to go visit, but the centurion was so humbled before Jesus that he prevented Him from entering his own house. His reason? "I am a man of authority..." It's obvious that Jesus' life and work commanded the respect of many who who were themselves respectable.
Jesus also suffered injustice and insult like a true man. When Jesus commands us to "turn the other cheek" it is something He did Himself:
John 18:22-23 NKJV: And when He had said these things, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?" 23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike Me?"
Jesus had the ability to come loose like Samson and tear the officer apart. Instead, Jesus answered with calm reason, asking the men for proof of any evil word. This is true power--power over yourself and submitting to God.
Proverbs 16:32 NKJV: He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
I wish I could always be a true man, like Jesus. He puts even Chuck Norris to shame.
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