Truth in Tension: Seeing Jesus ClearlyНамуна

What lens do you use to look at Jesus?

Luke 5 tells the story of men who carry their paralyzed friend on a mat to encounter Jesus. They know that God’s healing power is strongly present with Jesus. Upon arriving, they realize that there are too many people, and they cannot reach Jesus. So, they take their friend up to the roof, remove some of the tiles, and lower him down right in front of Jesus. Jesus looks at him and says that his sins are forgiven. The Pharisees are outraged... Who is this man who thinks he can forgive people for their sins?! Jesus, aware of their thoughts, wanted to validate His authority to forgive sins, so He looked at the man and said, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and go home” (v.24). Everyone there witnesses this, and they are filled with awe and amazement.

Everyone present that day would have viewed that moment differently, depending on their perspective. We all have a lens through which we perceive Jesus, and not all lenses are created equal.

Every new phone upgrade emphasizes one thing above all else… the incredibly important camera lens! In the beginning, phones had one lens; today, they have three, and who knows how many there will be in the future? The reason for the upgrade is quite simple. Take a moment to compare your social media photos from ten years ago to more recent ones. More than likely, your photography skills haven’t changed much, but somehow, your photos look better and more vibrant. This is because of the lens.

Consider the story from today's reading. Each person present would have had a lens through which they viewed Jesus.

The lens of the pharisee:

This was a lens of questioning authority. Jesus forgives the paralyzed man for his sins, and the first question the Pharisees asked was who gave Him the authority to forgive sins (v.21). How often do you view Jesus through this lens, the lens that determines the level of authority He holds in your life? If you do not understand Jesus' authority in your life, you will never see Him clearly.

The lens of the crowd:

The crowd in the Bible always seems close enough to see His face but far enough away to avoid commitment. The crowd is a peculiar double-edged sword. In some ways, they can point people to Jesus, but as we see in this passage, they can also block people's way to Him. The lens of the crowd seems more concerned about their own experiences than someone else having an encounter. How much different could the world look if we all lived with more concern for our neighbor than ourselves?

The lens of the friends:

This lens was a lens of faith. “Seeing their faith.” Before Jesus forgave him for his sins, the Bible states that Jesus saw their faith. The friends brought this man to Jesus, believing, in faith, that He could do miraculous things. Their friend's situation seemed impossible, but the lens of faith doesn’t see the impossible… it only sees Jesus. When their path was blocked, they did not give up, and this lens of faith never asked, “What’s in this for me?” This lens is essential for every believer.

The lens of the paralyzed man:

This is the lens of a changed life. The scripture isn’t clear on what was going through his mind before he was healed, but we know how he left that day. He picked up his mat and walked home, praising God. When you look at Jesus through the lens of a changed life, you can’t help but praise God!

So, what lens do you use to view Jesus? Some people see Him only through a social justice lens, while others see Him through the lens of the American Dream. Still, some see Jesus solely through the perspective of their preferred political party. When we pick and choose our preferred lenses to look at Jesus, we can become blinded and miss the complete picture of His character and nature.