The Seed Blog: With All My Soul...

So often we are taught as Christians...
 
"Don't just follow your emotions!"
"Love is a Choice!"
"Choose to do right, no matter how you feel!"
"Worship is a frame of mind, not just feeling!"  
 
Every one of these statements is TRUE... In proper context! But... Just like many people base...
Their entire "religious experience" on pure emotion...Others of us are just as guilty... Maybe, more guilty...Of never feeling or expressing ANY EMOTIONS...In our love and worship of God!...And THAT... Not only shows a lack of true, deep Love...But is also... A strong indicator of arrogance and pride...On our part!

We CHOOSE to do right... CHOOSE to Love others... Sometimes...Even against our own emotions...
When we KNOW that our emotions are betraying us...BECAUSE OF OUR SINFUL DESIRES OR SELFISHNESS! Making NOT the emotions... Evil or wrong... But the MOTIVATION behind them!
 
Because the natural ability to feel and express our emotions...As they reflect our very soul!...Are absolutely a CHARACTERISTIC of God Himself!...And are a PRICELESS PART...A WONDERFUL, INTIMATE PART...Of giving ourselves completely to a person or purpose!...It is one of our greatest... Most Powerful Gifts from God!
 
Listen to our KEY VERSE through this Christmas Season again:
 
Mark 12:29-30 (HCSB)
29  “This is the most important,” Jesus answered: Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is One. 30  Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
 
The Greek word for "SOUL" here is PSUCHE (PSOO-KHAY')...Meaning: Breath, spirit... But the sentiment(al) portion only...Thus distinguished from the immortal soul... (pneuma)…But also distinguished from the pure physical sense (Zoe)…It is the seat of feelings, affections, emotions.
 
In the context in which it is used here..."It is basically to love someone with all of your emotions!"
 
Jesus' Emotions!
 
While celebrating the Advent Reading which we just heard together...We have all have sang the popular Christmas Song, "Away In A Manger"! Here is a portion of the lyrics:
 
"The cattle are lowing, The Poor Baby Wakes;
But Little Lord Jesus, No Crying He Makes!"
 
That makes for beautiful song lyrics...But do you really think that happened? Absolutely NOT!
Why do we come to this conclusion? Because a crying Baby is not in sin! A crying Baby is just a Human Baby...Feeling the emotions of fear, hunger, uncertainty...And communicating THOSE FEELINGS as best they can...In their ignorance and infancy!
 
Did the Adult Jesus Cry? YES!
DID HE Feel every other Emotion we do? YES!
Was He Raised completely normal in all other aspects of life? YES!
 
To say that Jesus was Truly Born FULLY HUMAN...And then to insinuate that He never Cried as a Baby...Is ridiculous... And almost detrimental to what He Came to Accomplish!...But... As HUMAN as this Scene may seem to be on the surface...The EMOTIONS that Jesus...Experienced and revealed in His entire earthly Life...Are some of the most Sacred Places...Where we see Jesus the Man... And Jesus as God... Intertwine!!!
 
Jesus didn't Come to LEARN Emotions as a Human...But to beautifully EXPRESS His Emotions as a Human...That have always been there!  Even as God!!...But NOW... With a HUMAN FACE
ATTACHED! So that we might better see and embrace His LOVE!
 
The Love of God!
 
John 14:7-10 (HCSB)
7  “If you know Me, you will also know My Father. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.” 8  “Lord,” said Philip, “show us the Father, and that’s enough for us.” 9  Jesus said to him, “Have I been among you all this time without your knowing Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10  Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me? The words I speak to you I do not speak on My own. The Father who lives in Me does His works.
 
Colossians 1:15 (HCSB)
15  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
 
John 12:45 (HCSB)
45  And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
 
So... Let's take a look at some of the things...That brought strong EMOTIONAL REACTIONS from Our Jesus!
 
ONE: So that we may get a true glimpse of His Heart! What makes Him happy, sad, furious, hurt, anxious...Is a tale-tell sign of His most inner desire!
 
TWO: So that we might find out how WE might please Him...And walk with Him closer...
 
THREE: SO that we may be unhindered... In our Worship and Praise...To share our emotions with our King and Savior as well!
 
An Intimate Look At Jesus!
 
There are some emotions that Jesus would never experience...Before He Emptied Himself of All-Power and All Knowledge!...And THAT is one of the many reasons He is so deserving of our Praise!
That HE would Humble Himself... ALLOW Himself...To experience such emotions as fear, anxiety, conflict and sorrow...To truly become ONE with those He Loves so much...To truly experience everything WITH us... As our Brother and Beloved! Jesus experienced the emotions of Grief and Sorrow...In many ways while on earth... More so than most!
 
Isaiah 53:3-4 (ESV)
3  He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4  Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
 
Here, Scriptures Tell us that many of His Grieves and Sorrows...Were OURS... That He Carried for us in Love! In the most obvious and heavy way...When He literally took upon His own SOUL...The pain and horrid shame... Before the Father...That came with the moment of...Understanding and feeling every broken remorse...For every murder, rape, perversion, lie, and secret, selfish act...Ever exposed in the sinner's heart before a Righteous God!
 
Stop and drink this fact into your heart and mind! Jesus had to BECOME that SIN and SHAME before the Father! HE... Had to experience every ounce of the horrid emotion...You and I would ever FEEL in response to our "found out" sins...As part of the PUNISHMENT REMOVED from us!...So that WE... Would NEVER have to face that Day before the Father... So that WE... Would NEVER have to experience this SHAME!
 
Isaiah 53:4 (ESV)
Surely he has borne OUR griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
 
2 Corinthians 5:21 (HCSB)
He made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
 
Add to this... The shame of being stripped naked in front of all...Beaten mercilessly until you couldn't be recognized...Whipped until you were almost unable to stand...And placed before those who hated you most...Placed before those who had looked up to you most...As a submissive, broken heap!...And then not even being allowed to DIE in privacy...But exposed in those horrid, intimate moments to all!
 
Even besides this... Jesus experienced many deep sorrows and grieves...Simply because It hurt HIM so much...To see the results of our mistakes and sufferings! Jesus was furious and broken hearted for Mary and Martha...In their pain of loss... Hating the effects of sin on their lives! He Wept uncontrollably for the people living in Jerusalem...Just before His Crucifixion! Knowing their pain and suffering to come...For rejecting and abusing HIM! Having His Heart torn out... For them! Not even HIMSELF!
 
How do you think He felt on October 7th...As His people were suffering in like manner? How do you think He feels...For those in Ukraine, Iran, China, North Korea...And everywhere else the pains of evil touch His people? HOW DO YOU THINK HE FEELS ABOUT YOU AND I...WHEN WE...
EXPERIENCE THE PAINS OF EVIL IN THIS WORLD?
 
Jesus showed Incredible EMPATHY and COMPASSION...For everyone whom He met! He worked to Love and Touch multitudes... Until He was beyond exhausted!
 
Because His heart broke for their empty hearts and wandering souls! He couldn't pass up the smelliest, crustiest, most infected, vile lepers, diseased, and sexually promiscuous people...Because He Loved the precious soul...That was TRAPPED in a broken shell of sin and worthlessness!
 
Jesus showed extreme anger!! BUT LISTEN CLOSELY...Never towards the dirty sinners He related to and loved...Even in their vilest of sins... Even in their hatred of Him! When done in ignorance and lostness!
 
It was ALWAYS towards those...Who DID know about His Love and Ways...Who twisted His Love until others could not even grasp it...Who hated the sinners around them... Looked down on them...
Rather than love them to the Savior! Who rejected His Love and Ways... Even when they saw Him!
THESE were the ones Jesus was ANGRY WITH MOST!
 
Listen... As Jesus sat and ate with lowly sinners...To those whom He attacked in fierce anger!
 
Matthew 23:13-14, 27-28, 33 (HCSB)
13  “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You lock up the kingdom of heaven from people. For you don’t go in, and you don’t allow those entering to go in.  14  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You devour widows’ houses and make long prayers just for show. This is why you will receive a harsher punishment... 27  “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every impurity. 28  In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness... 33  “Snakes! Brood of vipers! How can you escape being condemned to hell?
 
Even the Fierce Emotions of His Anger…Ultimately showed the Depth of His Love!...Because His Anger was ALWAYS Directed towards...The horribly results of sin on our lives...And the people who PURPOSEFULLY...HURT OTHERS IN HIS NAME!...TAKING AWAY THEIR HOPE OF FINDING THE REAL JESUS!
 
Jesus felt Great Frustration... Again... Because of His Love for us! When His closest disciples and friends...Could not show faith and trust in Him...No matter what He showed them... Or did for them!
 
Matthew 8:24-26 (NLT)
24  Suddenly, a fierce storm struck the lake, with waves breaking into the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. 25  The disciples went and woke him up, shouting, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!” 26  Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly all was calm.
 
Mark 14:37-42 (HCSB)
37  Then He came and found them sleeping. “Simon, are you sleeping?” He asked Peter. “Couldn’t you stay awake one hour? 38  Stay awake and pray so that you won’t enter into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 39  Once again He went away and prayed, saying the same thing. 40  And He came again and found them sleeping, because they could not keep their eyes open. They did not know what to say to Him. 41  Then He came a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The time has come. Look, the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42  Get up; let’s go! See—My betrayer is near.”
 
Jesus felt the terrible emotion of anxiousness and conflict...To the point that it alone... Almost took His Life!...As He lay in the Garden in a heap of His own Bloody Sweat!...Asking for another way out of the emotional pain He suffered!
 
But again... Not because of His Own life...Instead... It was because He was torn between...The Judgment of God the Father...The loss of HIS Fellowship...As Jesus suffered the pains of Hell itself for us!...And the loss of you and I...Who... Even in our sins and rejection of Him...Were Priceless in His Eyes!...Of the many more EMOTIONS we could discuss that Jesus experienced...There is ONE more of important note! JOY!  EXCITEMENT!
 
What made Jesus EXCITED?! Because of the terribly difficult...And heavy burden placed on Jesus while on earth...There are very few Verses...Which Speak of Him Showing Joy and Excitement.
 
Listen to what each one of them involves!!
 
Hebrews 12:2 (HCSB)
... keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.
 
What was this JOY laid before Him...That made His pain and shame endurable?
 
Luke 15:3-7, 10 (HCSB)
3  So He told them this parable: 4  “What man among you, who has 100 sheep and loses one of them, does not leave the 99 in the open field and go after the lost one until he finds it? 5  When he has found it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, 6  and coming home, he calls his friends and neighbors together, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, because I have found my lost sheep!’ 7  I tell you, in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance... 10  I tell you, in the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.”
 
Luke 15:20 (HCSB)
So he got up and went to his father. But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.
 
Luke 15:32 (NLT)
We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”
 
Isaiah 53:11 (HCSB)
11  He will see it out of His anguish, and He will be satisfied with His knowledge. My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will carry their iniquities.
 
Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)
17  For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
 
Jesus Showed His Love for us...With every single emotion He expressed!
 
He hated what He knew made us stumble and hurt...
He showed anger and disgust towards those who made us fall!
He was grieved by things that broke our hearts!
He was exhausted through His Selfless drive to reach us...
He was filled with empathy & compassion for our hollowness & pain!
He was frustrated when we didn't love Him back!
He was full of shame to pay for our mistakes!
 
And every time He Showed any Joy at all...
 
Joy that would make Him RUN to us!  Joy that would make Him throw a party! Joy that would literally make Him Hold us, Dance, and Sing!...Was when He would see us finally accept His Love...And want Him with the Passion that He Wanted us!
 
Jesus Loved US, Literally...With All of His SOUL!
 
Improper emotions... Brought by a dark and selfish heart...Should be overridden by a conscious choice! That is the only reason we are told...NOT to follow certain emotions!
 
We are not squelching emotions...But the dark heart BEHIND them!...But emotions brought about by the Selfless Love of Christ...they be emotions of joy, pain, anger...Or Passion, Worship and Praise...
Are good, powerful and intimate before God!...And should not be stifled!
 
TO TRULY LOVE HIM...IS TO LOVE WHAT HE LOVES...HATE WHAT HE HATES...BE TROUBLED BY WHAT TROUBLES HIM...AND TO BE JOYFUL AT WHAT BRINGS HIM JOY! That babe in a Manger... Came to EXPRESS all of His SOUL... OPENLY to US! So that we could know Him like never before! So that we could see and feel His Love...Expressed with all of His Soul... Through the emotions on His very Face! The Face of a Man! Love Him back... With all of your SOUL as well!