Is this Jesus? [Strong Jesus]

The world places a huge emphasis on external shows of strength; it gets respect, it intimidates, it commands some form of leadership. Yet Jesus, this self-proclaimed messiah, did not come with brute strength, or commanding armies, he disappointed, in fact insulted Jewish expectations by coming to serve, to bring peace , to spend time with the sick and rejected and to eventually die the most humiliating criminals death on the cross - hardly a show of strength. So how can we consider Jesus strong?

1 Corinthians 1:24-25 describes Jesus as the 'mighty power of God...and God's weakness is far stronger than the greatest of human strength.'
God's kingdom has a different, often upside-down, perspective on life to ours. 1 Cor 1:27 goes on to say that God deliberately 'chose those who are powerless to shame those who are powerful.' Jesus knew another strong military or political leader would never change the world, he needed to model a strength that would never be overcome.

Throughout the Bible there are stories of men and women who, in their weakness, found God to be their source of strength, and went on to accomplish mighty things. In Matthew 4:1-11 we encounter Jesus in a physically weak condition after fasting for 40 days. The Devil tries to tempt him to turn stones into bread (which shows the powerful capabilities Jesus had) but Jesus had an inner strength to resist these external temptations.

Throughout his life Jesus was tried/tested/despised/beaten/rejected/mocked/insulted/betrayed/spat at/hated/falsely accused/laughed at/humiliated/ridiculed and murdered, yet he remained strong through it all.

How can we be strong like Jesus?
We need to SUBMIT to God. Whilst the word submit gives visions of defeat and weakness, Jesus entrusted himself to the Father's will, knowing that God knew best and would ensure his will be done, even when the physical circumstances were tough (1 Peter 2:20-24).
We need God's SPIRIT. God has given us his Spirit and therefore he commands us to be strong (Ephesians 6:10--18). He has also given us spiritual tools and weapons to use, if we will just pick them up.
We need to be those that STAY. Too often people are put off by wishy washy Christians who don't know what they believe and live like they don't believe anything (James 1:6-8). We need to make choices for our lives and stick by them; be consistent in all we say and do.
We need to eat SOUL FOOD. Who do you know who only eats on Sundays? I don't know any. And yet so often the only time we feed our 'inner man', is when someone else is spoon feeding us from a stage. If we don't feed our physical bodies we become weak, prone to sickness, vulnerable and useless. Similarly if we don't spend time in God's word (his food for us) then we too become weak. All too often we choose the wrong things from 'the menu of life' and these things will always leave us feeling hungry again (John 4:13-14; 6:35).

Psalm 27 God desires to be our source of strength. Ephesians 1:19-23 talks of the incredible greatness of his power for us, the same power which raised Christ from the dead and has placed Christ over every ruler, power, principality or anything else. Jesus has strength for every situation that is beyond us; for everything that threatens to drain us of the little strength we have Jesus is strong enough, we just need to believe and trust.

Jesus is looking for a church who will be strong and take heart.
Not a polished church, but one with the heartbeat of Jesus.
A church that will be a strength to one another
a strength to the community
a strength like the strength of Jesus.