MORE THAN
HE APPEARED TO BE

In 1995 when Joe Montana retired from pro football, the city of San Francisco held a ceremony to honor their star quarterback. Twenty thousand fans gathered to pay tribute to this great athlete. Television sports announcer John Madden said of Montana, "This is the greatest quarterback who’s ever played the game."

When Montana’s long time coach Bill Walsh arouse to speak, a fan yelled from the audience, "We love you, Joe." Walsh knew that was not always the case. When Montana was drafted scouts said that he had a weak arm. He was skinny. He did not have the muscularity to be a pro quarterback. Fans asked where the 49ers got this guy who looked like a Swedish place-kicker.

But when Montana entered the pros, he entered his element. His passes were pictures of precision timing and accuracy. His was the master of the two minute drill. He led the once derelict 49ers to four Super Bowl titles and football dominance in the 1980's. Montana was much more than what he appeared to be.

When our Lord appeared on the scene almost two thousand years ago, to many He was not all that impressive. Nathaniel said of Him, "Can anything could come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). Even when Jesus went unto His own hometown some said of Him, "Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?" (Matthew 13:55 NKJV). Others asked, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?" (John 7:41). Even the prophet Isaiah had proclaimed the coming Messiah’s lack of distinctiveness. He prophesied, "He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him" (Isaiah 53:2 NKJV). Many expected the Messiah to come and return all the glory that had been Israel’s previously. Jesus, the carpenter’s son from Nazareth, was not what they expected nor wanted.

However, when Jesus began His ministry it became readily apparent He was more than He appeared to be. Jesus’ teaching and miraculous works gave evidence that He was from God. He taught as "one having authority" (Matthew 7:29) nothing like the teaching of the religious teachers of His time. John wrote of the signs which Jesus did, "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name" (John 20:30-31 NKJV). Even one of the Jewish leaders came to Him one night and said, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him" (John 3:2 NKJV). His birth and resurrection declared His deity (Psalm 2:7; Romans 1:4). No reasonable person can read the historical account of Jesus as recorded in the Gospels and still deny that, as the centurion proclaimed, "Truly this was the Son of God!" (Matthew 27:54).

Man has a tendency not to look beyond the superficial. Many did two thousand years ago concerning Jesus of Nazareth and many do so today concerning those around us. The problem with not looking beyond the superficial concerning Jesus is that it has eternal consequences. Many will finally say on the judgment day "We love you Jesus" but He will know that such was not always the case and will declare, "I never knew you, depart from Me" (Matthew 7:21-23). If we are to enjoy the blessings of heaven we must be obedient to Him in this life (Hebrews 5:8,9). Do you only see Jesus as a good man or a kind teacher? Or do you look beyond His outward appearance to see who He truly is, the Son of the living God.