From the historical Jesus to the spiritual Jesus, He is the one we truly need. Glimpses from the Gospel of John and the book of Romans—two of the most familiar and formative works in the New Testament—help us not only to understand Jesus, but to know Him personally. That is why these books are often at the heart of discipleship programs. Yet the key lies in framing them rightly: moving from history into spiritual reality, so that the Jesus we encounter is not only remembered but also received. This shift makes all the difference, for it leads to genuine transformation in the life of a believer.
And let these words correct and steady us: He is the One like a Son of Man—Scripture’s strongest affirmation of His deity—and He has come to seek and to save the lost, people like you and me.
Luke’s genealogy doesn’t just string names—it traces a profound spiritual trajectory: Jesus all the way back to whom I believe is the 2nd Adam. This lineage isn’t a footnote; it’s the blueprint of redemption. It unearths a deeper truth: Jesus, like Adam Kadmon (the eternal primal man in heaven), came to renew the divine image within us. John 3:13–17 isn’t just verse—it’s a call to be reborn—not just out of the flesh, but in Spirit that makes true ‘new creations’ out of us fleshly people. Like the One in heaven!
Perhaps skip the sound bites—John 3:16 alone can’t contain the gospel, but it sure says it straight! Try John 3:13 first?
Consider the healing of the blind man in John 9:35–37: Jesus doesn’t just heal eyes—He offers divine presence. When He asks, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” the man’s seeing becomes worship, while some of the Pharisees remain blind to the Spirit. This is the fault lines that run through ‘our religious hearts’. That ultimate relationship— our union with Christ! Christ in YOU the hope of glory!
Faith Beyond Borders
Our faith often gets boxed—by creed, culture, nationalism. But this cultivated olive tree? It stretches across many cultures, offering branches that proclaim, “You belong.” Abraham stepped out of a culture of idols into covenant faith. Today’s religious walls overlook that pilgrim heart.
From Eden’s Fall to the Cross’s Redemption
Guilt, shame, fear, anxiety—each a symptom of Eden’s fracture, echoing across continents. Yet Christ, the Second Adam, weaves these fragments into wholeness. From Cain to the “Sons of God,” from Nephilim’s fallen ways to Noah—God’s plan preserved a spiritual seed. Shem—an echo of the Divine Name—and the Noahide covenant from the former ‘way of the land.’ These bridge divine mercy into human history and into that one way covenant He purchased through His blood!
Hope Rising: From Ruin to Renewal
Romans isn’t merely doctrine—it is revival. Paul’s letter moves with fire, unveiling the Spirit’s power to re-create what sin has ruined. In chapters 3–8 we see the full sweep: guilt removed, hearts made new, and creation itself groaning toward redemption. By the time we reach Romans 12, Paul calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices and to refuse conformity to this broken age—because something greater has already begun.
Romans isn’t merely doctrine—it is revival. Paul’s letter moves with fire, unveiling the Spirit’s power to re-create what sin has ruined. In chapters 3–8 we see the full sweep: guilt removed, hearts made new, and creation itself groaning toward redemption. By the time we reach Romans 12, Paul calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices and to refuse conformity to this broken age—because something greater has already begun.
And at the very start, in Romans 1:5, Paul frames the whole letter with a phrase that carries covenantal weight: “the obedience of faith among all nations.” This is not faith reduced to a private sentiment, nor obedience reduced to a legal burden. It is the faith that obeys, and the obedience that flows from faith—a response of trustful surrender that brings Jew and Gentile alike into the covenant family.
That is why Paul later turns to the image of the cultivated olive tree. It is not a random metaphor; it is the living picture of Romans 1:5 fulfilled. The root is holy, the branches are nourished, and even wild shoots are grafted in—not by merit, but by faith that obeys. This obedience of faith does not erase diversity; it makes space for the nations to belong. Together, the tree becomes fruitful, bearing witness that God’s promise is alive.
Hope rises here: from ruin to renewal, from exile to inclusion, from a fractured humanity to a grafted-in family. The olive tree roots us in Christ, sprouting branches that span the nations and producing fruit that endures.
