Have you ever looked up close at a Monet, Degas or Renoir painting? These were master artists of the impressionist period and have always been my favorites. 

My very favorite impressionist artist from the 19th century is Claude Monet.  You may recognize his name from his madly popular series “Waterlilies” during the ’80s and ’90s.  I’m telling you, there was not one doctor’s office you could walk into and not see a replica of some sort hanging on their walls! 

I studied the art of pointillism as part of my artist training and fell in love with it.  Pointillism was the most widely used technique of impressionistic art.  It is a process of taking an extremely ordinary subject matter, and applying the simplest of tiny dots of ink or paint of colors brilliantly constellated to create the most grandeur artistic expressions come to life!

Closely examined, it is all just blips of nothing special.  However, when you back away to view all the parts working together, it’s perfection. 

Impressionism is one and the same.  It’s taking the ordinary as the subject matter and makes it a masterpiece just by accentuating the depiction of light. 

Much like each one of us.  

We often get way close up in the mirror and start picking ourselves apart, piece by piece, feature by feature.  What’s really there gets distorted, and we can’t see the whole picture of ourselves until we back away, and view ourselves all together, in the light.  That light is Jesus….the source of God’s righteousness in us.  A beautiful masterpiece, each one of us. 

What impression are you leaving with the words you speak about yourself?  Speak out loud your true identity in Christ Jesus.

Impressions.  

I looked up the definition of this word.  It is so interesting to see the different points of view and meanings of just a simple word.  The facets of insight it provides lead to such amazing discoveries! 

The definitions I found of the word Impression are vast. They include:

-Pressed in.

-A difference made by an action of something or someone.

-The way something seems, looks or feels to each other. 

-The idea or opinion of what someone or something is like.

-A mark made by something pressing an object to it.

consider the impressions of jesus.

We are going to be reading from Luke 24 today.  Jesus has just risen from the dead and the discovery of it all is making its way back to the disciples.  Two of them are here walking on the road to Emmaus.  They are having a conversation about Jesus as He approaches them and joined in their travel. 

Can you imagine?  Can you fathom the glory of being a participant in a casual stroll with the Savior of the world?  

Beginning in verse 28; 

“And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther.  But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.  When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, and He vanished from their sight.” 

When I am studying scripture from the gospels, I like to read all four accounts and kind of compare notes about the happenings, to get the different impressions from each author.  Because the impressions of a specific event can definitely look a lot different to each person.  So in Matthew chapter 28:16-20, we see there is a great deal of summary happening to this particular event. 

The meeting on the road was completely omitted.

Then again in Mark, chapter 16:12-13.

So here we read about the road Encounter, but again, summarized down to a brief account.

In John’s account, again, no mention of the meeting on the road.  The impression was the happenings in the upper room. The emphasis is on the revelation of the resurrection.  Jesus is imparting the power of the Holy Spirit to His beloveds.     

So gentle His words and actions were towards Thomas.  

So beautiful are His words for us,

“Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believe.” 

John 20:29 NASB

We are “they”.

“They” are us… you and me. 

We have not seen, each one of you, yet we believe, amen?

How could it be that the disciples had the privilege of spending all of that time with Jesus, yet still did not believe?

How could it be that after witnessing miracle after miracle He performed, there was still doubt? 

How could it be after witnessing all the torment and torture He endured on the cross, they could even question? 

But they did.

They were there!  They were chosen to witness the whole thing.

They heard the mighty thunder when He breathed His last breath. 

They felt the ground quake as the veil was torn away. 

Jesus told them, in great detail. Story after story, preparing them for what was coming, each detail perfectly played out and yet still?  Some doubted. 

And you know what church? 

In that moment, Jesus was still tender, loving and kind. 

Jesus still generously filled them, equipped them, and empowered them with the divine authority of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus still fed them, promised them and blessed them. 

This is the only impression of Jesus I need to know.  Amen?

Church, this shouts so clearly to me, that even in our weakest moments of doubt, or weakest moments of shame or despair.  In those times we lose sight of the whole picture and focus in on the blips and pieces….He continues to feed us, promise us, bless us and guide us. 

We serve a good, good Father that gave us the precious gift of Jesus. 

The impression Jesus left on His disciples, is the reason we are here today.  

They continued, they pressed on, they endured just as Jesus did to spread the good news of the gospel.  They could see the whole picture. 

The great commission. 

So the question I leave you with today is:

What kind of impression will we leave on others for His kingdom? 

Will we be impressing Jesus? 

Church, let’s leave a lasting impression of Jesus’ love on each person we come in contact with.  

Let us be His hands and feet. 

All glory to God.