What if God was One of Us?

^(A)Joan Osborne sang a hit song called One of Us that was released in 1995, written by Songwriter Eric Bazilian. If you’re not familiar with the song I would encourage you to check it out. It’s an interesting, thought-provoking song and partly the catalyst for this musing.

Let’s begin by looking back to approximately 700 BC.  In Israel’s southern kingdom, Judah, there was a man by the name of Isaiah, the son of Amoz.  Among other things Isaiah was a recognized spokesperson for God in a special sense; in the company of those referred to in the Bible as prophets. ^(B)He received many visions and messages from God concerning his nation, other nations and even the promised Messiah. Among these visions and messages, is one now familiar to us where he says, ^(C)“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”  I’m certain some of you are left wondering, “why does that sound familiar?” Well, a little more than 700 years later we are told by the writer of the Gospel of Matthew that the birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth took place in a way that fulfilled what Isaiah foretold (see Matthew 1:19-23, Bible). Miraculously a virgin (Mary) conceived and bore a son (Jesus) whose name is called Immanuel. We are also not left to wonder about this name and are told that it means ^(D)“God with us.”  A remarkable statement of Jesus’ deity. ^(E)Jesus Himself as an adult later affirms that Isaiah and the other prophets in the Old Testament were indeed speaking of Him.

As we turn our gaze now to the present to ask “what if God was One of Us?” I’m convinced that the historical documents that make up the New Testament of the Bible has answered this question for us vividly in the person of Jesus Christ.  Now, I get to understand that ^(F)Eric Bazilian’s intention wasn’t to have a face-to-face encounter with God being the main point in his lyrics, but rather be used as a vehicle to raise a point (Melchior, 2024). What’s that point? One of Us was “about what happens to you when you look at something that has completely changed your worldview” (Melchoir, 2024). It doesn’t necessarily have to be looking at God.  However, what happened when the early disciples of Jesus looked at Him – “God with us?” What happened when they listened to Him?  What happened when they followed Him, Immanuel, “God with us?”  Well, their worldview completely changed!  That change turned their lives upside down and in turn they were said to have ^(G)“turned the world upside down.” They saw and experienced life with a man who left them awestruck, asking, ^(H)“what sort of man is this?”

^(I)The Bible says that Jesus Christ walked the earth in human flesh – like us; yet He did not sin (fall short of God’s standard of righteousness) – unlike us. ^(J)He’s an infinite cut above us, and has also left an example that we might follow Him. Now, what would happen to you if you were to look at the life, death and resurrection accounts of Jesus Christ of Nazareth? Well, I think you would see that ^(K)God became one of us and has invited us all to learn from Him as to how we can be ^(L)like Him.  Our first step is one of ^(M)repentance before God for the forgiveness of our sins, then believing in and following Jesus Christ.

What if God was one of us?  Well, the Bible let’s us know that He would reveal Himself to us.  He has revealed Himself to us, in the person of Jesus Christ and He invites us to “come follow me.” If we receive His invitation, we too would find our worldview and ^(N)life radically changed for God’s glory, our good and the good of others.  Look at Jesus as disclosed in the Bible and answer His call to “come follow me.”

REFERENCES:

A. Joan Osborne. (2024, August 4). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joan_Osborne

B. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Isaiah 1:1

C. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Isaiah 7:14

D. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Matthew 1:23

E. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Luke 4:16-21; Luke 24:25-27, 44-49; John 5:39-40

F. Melchior, A. (2024, March 5). Not Just A Song About God: The Real Meaning Behind Joan Osborne’s “One of Us”. Americansongwriter.com. Retrieved August 15, 2024, from https://americansongwriter.com/not-just-a-song-about-god-the-real-meaning-behind-joan-osbornes-one-of-us/

G. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Acts 17:6

H. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Matthew 8:27

I. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Hebrews 4:15

J. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; 1 Peter 2:21

K. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Matthew 1:23 citing Isaiah 7:14

L. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Leviticus 19:2; Matthew 5:9; Romans 8:14; Ephesians 5:1-2; 1 Peter 1:6)

M. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; Luke 24:47; John 3:16-18; Acts 4:12

N. English Standard Version Bible, 2001; 2 Corinthians 5:17