It's possible you only know me by radio. And that's a good way to know me - you don't have to look at me and you can turn it off. But when you know someone by radio, you only know their voice - it's sort of a one-dimensional relationship. And it's always amusing when people meet me and see how the guy with the voice looks - it's almost never what they expected. And it's almost always disappointing, I think. Now if I were on TV, you'd know me two-dimensionally. I enjoy meeting listeners because we can shake hands, look each other in the eye, interact. When you meet someone you've only seen or heard before, you've got a 3-D - three-dimensional relationship. That's the best kind.
Well, I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about "A 3-D Savior."
In a sense, Jesus is a Savior who it's best to know three-dimensionally. Our word reveals three levels of being around Jesus. John 12:1-3 - "Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here a dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, while Lazarus as among those reclining at the table with Him. Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, and expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume."
Three dimensions of knowing Jesus. Problem: usually at least one of these dimensions in missing in a Christian's life. It's like a three-legged stool - remove one leg, and the relationship is unbalanced and shaky. Your Christian life keeps falling over if one of these is missing.
In this scene at Bethany, Martha shows us one dimension - "Martha served." That's the dimension of working for Jesus. It's important to have an active love for Jesus, not just a passive one. We should be busy for the Lord - but always making sure it's Him we're doing it for. So you need to ask yourself - "Am I actively serving my Lord?" Why is working for Jesus important? Because as you work for Jesus, you find out how much you need Him. Serving Him you find out that you're not enough to meet the needs around you - and you dig deep into the resources of Jesus.
Martha shows us the working dimension of knowing Jesus; Lazarus shows us the "withness" dimension of a Jesus-relationship. Lazarus is at that table, listening to Jesus. Today you sit at that table when you meet Jesus in His Book, the Bible. All too often those of us who are working the hardest for Jesus are the most likely to neglect our "with time" in Jesus' presence. Another important question to ask yourself - "Are you regularly meeting with Jesus around His Word?" As you are consciously with Jesus, you find out what He wants you to do.
A living relationship with Jesus means working for Him, it means withness through spending time listening to Jesus, and it means worship - like Mary. Look at how she worships - lavish worship; extravagant love; total humility. There has to be those times when you just stand back in amazement at how big your Lord is, how loving He is, how totally in control. It's time just to be amazed. So - are you allowing regular time just to worship the majesty of Jesus. As you worship Jesus, you find out how awesome your Lord really is. Some of us who have work time and with time in our relationship with Jesus are just cranking it out because we're missing time just to worship.
Three dimensions of knowing Jesus - and maybe one is out of focus or just not there. Why not go for it all - work for Jesus, be with Jesus, worship Jesus - your amazing three-dimensional Savior.