The Lord Jesus Christ—Man of Many Titles
ADVOCATE; ALPHA & OMEGA; ATONING SACRIFICE; AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH; BAPTIZER; BRANCH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS; BREAD OF LIFE/LIVING BREAD; BRIDEGROOM; BROTHER; CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION; CHIEF SHEPHERD; CHRIST/MESSIAH; CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL; CORNERSTONE; CREATOR; DELIVERER (1); DELIVERER (2); DOOR; EMMANUEL; FIRST FRUITS; FOUNDATION; FRIEND; GRAIN OF WHEAT; HEAD OF THE CHURCH; HEALER; IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD; INTERCESSOR; JEHOVAH; JUDGE; KING; LAMB OF GOD; LIFE-GIVER; LIGHT OF THE WORLD; LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH; LIVING BREAD; LORD; LOVE (1); LOVE (2); LOVE (3); LOVE (4); PASSOVER; PRIEST; PRINCE OF PEACE; PROPHET; PROPITIATION; RABBI (1); RABBI (2); RANSOM/REDEEMER; RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE; ROSE OF SHARON; SANCTIFICATION; SAVIOUR; SECOND MAN/LAST ADAM; SERVANT; SON OF GOD; SUSTAINER; TRUE VINE; WAY
ADVOCATE
My little children, I am writing these things to you, so that you do not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1
An advocate is a person who pleads his client’s cause in a court of law.
In His role as advocate, Jesus Christ is able to represent sinners before God. The court of God the Father is perfectly just, and Jesus is the perfect advocate.
In the secular world, if I commit a crime I am called to the law-court and have to face charges. If they are serious charges I will need someone to represent me; someone who knows what they are doing, someone who is well acquainted with laws and courts and procedures. Such a person is normally called a barrister, and the role they play is that of an advocate—they plead my cause for me. It is costly, but often the only way to see justice done.
Thinking spiritually, humanity has broken the laws of divinity, knowingly or unknowingly, and one day we will all be summoned to appear before God. Here is a court of true equity. God knows all things, so His justice is exact. Every thought, word and deed will be taken into account, and each one of us would inevitably be pronounced guilty. We have no excuse; we are guilty! You, me, all of us. If one is going to plead on our behalf, how then can they succeed? God knows all, and is incorruptible. He needs no evidence or witnesses. He has everything infallibly recorded.
Jesus is willing to be an advocate for anyone who sees their need. Yet He is not going to make out a good case for us, nor plead mitigating circumstances. He is actually going to accept right from the start that we are guilty and fully deserving of all that God’s justice would demand of us.
And yet His advocacy will be successful for all who are trusting in Him. How? He will tell His Father that He has already paid in full the penalty demanded; that the punishment for sin has already been borne by Himself; that on Calvary’s cross, He voluntarily gave up His sinless life to be a full and final sacrifice for the sins of others.
This is why—when writing his epistle in the light of this wonderful truth—John the apostle encouraged the believers not to sin; but that if they did fall into sin, their advocate Jesus Christ was continually representing them before the Father.
Even now, before the altar in heaven, there is the blood of the slain Lamb, the blood of Jesus Himself, the only remedy for sin, the only plea which can free you from deserved condemnation and judgment.
Here then is the assurance of a successful outcome—our advocate has already won the victory. He can be trusted with your very soul. And you need to trust Him! Without an advocate at heaven’s court, how would you fare? How shall you escape, if you neglect so great a salvation? Why struggle on, when the advocate’s services are free?
Jesus died but took again His life! He lives eternally. His advocacy is available.
He is able. He is willing. He is the ultimate, the only, advocate.
Will He be pleading for you at the Judgment?
ALPHA AND OMEGA
“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8
Jesus is the Alpha and Omega. He is the First and the Last—as He described Himself in Revelation 1:11, 17, and 2:8. He is the Beginning and the End, who is, and who was, and who is to come—the Almighty.
How difficult it is for us to understand the eternal nature of Christ.
We know, for example, that He now lives in the power of an endless life, that His life is eternal as we look forward in time; and so He is called Omega, which is the last letter of the Greek alphabet. But if the last letter signifies His eternal existence looking forwards, then the first letter, Alpha, also signifies His eternal existence, but this time looking backwards—He has always been.
And then He calls Himself the Almighty—none other than the Lord YHWH, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
At any point in time, whether before creation or after it, Jesus can always say, “I AM.” During His time on earth, He actually made that inference when He enigmatically said, “Before Abraham was, I AM.”
Two millenniums have passed since the first coming of Alpha & Omega. Then, it was a coming in humility and poverty, a Child of a virgin, born in a cattle-stall rather than a palace. But this Lord declares in our text that He is the Almighty who is yet to come. He is coming to us for a second time—as He actually is!
This second advent will herald the close of history. He will come in glory, power and majesty, with all the holy angels, and with the blast—as St. Peter says—of a great and loud trumpet. The Christ comes as Omega, the fulfilment, to judge the world in righteousness, and usher in eternity. The world, as we know it, will cease to be, being engulfed in flames, and all shall know then that Christ is Lord of all. Eternal destinies shall be set, and the new order put in place: there will be new heavens and a new earth, a home of righteousness and peace.
Our minds are so feeble, so finite, that to try to understand the doctrine of the full deity of Christ will leave us frustrated and humbled. Far better to simply believe in the Alpha and Omega, and enjoy fellowship with Him, loving Him, serving Him, worshipping Him, glorifying Him, and enjoying Him forever.
His offer of a fresh start is made to all without exception. And those who have availed themselves of His forgiveness have found—also without exception—that they have come to know God personally through spiritual union. This is what being reconciled to God is all about.
This union, the mystical union, has been purchased by Him, and is applied by Him through the new birth, as a free gift. Whoever knows this union, knows that Christ is the Almighty, the Eternal Word.
ATONING SACRIFICE
For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, how much more, being reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. Furthermore, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:10-11
Atonement is described as the reconciliation of man with God through the life, sufferings, and sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the only atoning sacrifice. His sacrificial blood makes atonement for our sins and reconciles us to God. There is no other way but this. If you desire to be reconciled to God and eternally saved, this sacrifice of Christ is of crucial importance. You must not neglect this, but make it a first priority in your life.
The whole world is by nature at enmity with God; enemies indeed, and by thought, word and deed we declare defiance against the Almighty. Our tendency is to go our own way, unaware of our slavery to sin. Proclaiming freedom, we are slaves still. This fact has always featured in the great historic confessions of faith in the Christian church.
Yet though we are enemies of God by sinful deeds and rejection of His authority, He has purposed to reconcile rebels to Himself, and He does this through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. What a purpose! And what grace! Such condescension!
This reconciliation is legal and actual: He declares us forgiven and justified, so that there is no more enmity between us; He comes to dwell within our hearts by His Spirit, a union takes place between God and man. This is the immediate effect of the application of atonement in a person’s life. We are reconciled to God.
This union is so real and profound, that anyone who knows this in their experience can say with assurance: “I know Him whom I have believed in.”
Faith is not blind, not a groping in the dark—it is coming into the light, and seeing the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It is to hear Him calling, with gentleness, love and power.
The first tentative step of faith is when you can say, “Because of my unbelief, I have been a rebel against God. I have broken His laws, trampled on His love in Christ, and am lost. I have become His enemy, and have actively resisted coming to faith. I deserve nothing but condemnation. Yet, do I hear Jesus calling to me? Do I find a change of heart being worked in me? Do I now see something of Christ’s purpose in dying on a cross? Surely my soul is being lifted up, away from all earthly things, and is having its meditation centred on God and the salvation of my soul. Now I can see that there could never be any merit in my own works; I must come to Him with empty hands, and a repentant heart, a heart that grieves over my sins.”
Jesus made a sacrifice of atonement to reconcile sinners to God. His work, there on Calvary’s cross, was a perfect work, and it achieves its goal. Atonement was made, and reconciliation paid for. Enmity with God is replaced by love and worship. Guilt is removed, the conscience cleared, you begin to really live.
Jesus is real! Jesus is alive! Jesus atones for sin! He restores us to God!
Do you know Him? Has He reconciled you to God?
AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF OUR FAITH
Let us look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
An author is an originator, or creator; and a finisher is defined as one who brings to a desired or complete condition.
Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
Faith in Christ is that which makes us Christian, and it is a trust that rests wholly and solely on Jesus Christ and what He has done for us in His life, death, and resurrection.
This particular title of Christ is most comforting to believers, for it shows us where our faith originated: we did not conjure it up, rather Christ has formed it within us. Once there, in our hearts, Christ purposes to maintain and feed it, causing it to grow and come to maturity, a faith to move mountains. He Himself is the originator, and He will achieve the desired end. Our faith may, at certain times, be weak, yet He will sustain it; it is all a part of the growing experience.
The salvation of God is not dependent on man’s effort, man’s goodness, man’s faith, man’s commitment. It is wholly the work of Jesus. With Jesus, we have all; without Jesus, we have nothing.
It is true that faith comes by hearing God’s word, through the preaching or reading of the Scriptures, but not everyone who attends the preaching of the word, or who reads the Bible, comes to faith. There is more needed. God must act. He must come to make alive our spirit and illuminate His word. Without this, there can be no active faith. There may be intellectual assent, but no real experience of hearing the voice of God, and responding to Him in penitence. The only remedy for spiritual death is regeneration.
Jesus proclaimed that no one knew the Father; but that He could reveal Him. Even an understanding of the Person of Christ cannot be learned by men, but only shown us by the Father. Whichever way you look at it, we are dependant on God totally.
So man—in all his supposed wisdom and knowledge—does not know God, nor does he glorify God. Man does not even seek after God; he pretends rather that God doesn’t exist, or that He exists only in some impersonal way.
But in some—the reasons for which are known only to God—Jesus originates faith and draws out repentance. This happens in such a powerful way that for their lifetime the person leaves sin and follows the Lord. They wholeheartedly rest their eternal hope on Jesus only. Such a person prays, reads the Scriptures, engages in good works, proclaims the salvation of God from day to day, glorifies the Saviour, and looks forward to being with God for ever. They have become citizens of heaven.
All this, let it be known, because Jesus has authored, will sustain throughout life, and will complete, the salvation He has been pleased to bestow through faith. For He who is the author of faith is also the finisher, the one who completes His work.
Therefore if any man can glory in anything, let it be in this—that he knows and loves the Lord, thanks to His authorship. If therefore your name is written in heaven, take comfort from these words, and know for sure that you have eternal life.
BAPTIZER
“I indeed baptize you with water to repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Matthew 3:11
Jesus is the great Baptizer; He baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Here is found that unique period in history when the old covenant merged with the new covenant. The Old Testament had served its purpose, and the New Testament was being ushered in. Though not accomplished in an instant—the actual transition took some decades—yet the prophet of God declared what was happening, and pointed away from himself to Christ. This is the duty still of all ministers of God—to point men and women, boys and girls, to the Lord Jesus Christ.
John Baptist preached on the banks of Jordan River as the forerunner of Jesus. His message was simple yet powerful: “Repent! Turn from sin to God!”
The words of this young prophet were heard, and responded to, by large numbers of Jews who had come out into the desert to hear him. Upon their confession of sin and declaration of heartfelt repentance, John led them down to the river and baptised them with water. This was a seal, or sign, of their repentance, and it put into picture language the fact of their having been cleansed by God from sin.
The old covenant was full of such pictures; it had to be necessarily, for the reality of pure spiritual life would only begin when the pictures found fulfilment in Christ. He would usher in the age when types and shadows were made obsolete, having served their purpose. There is no more need of types when the antitype arrives.
Baptism was one such picture, and Jesus retained this baptism with water as an ongoing declaration of repentance and cleansing.
Yet there is a better baptism, a baptism in its fulfilment. A baptism by Jesus Himself.
Think of what John Baptist said in our opening text. He is saying: “If you are obedient to my call to repent, I will then baptise you and seal your confession, and you will be acceptable to God. But there is soon coming one who will preach that you should repent and believe the gospel. He is worthy to preach this word, for He is the Lord from heaven. He will not baptise you with water, but with the Holy Spirit, and with fire.”
While on earth, Jesus never baptized any with water; it was always His disciples that carried out this task. Jesus had a better baptism to bestow, one that He would perform Himself. This spiritual baptism was to be ongoing till the end of the age, and it assures and empowers all who believe in Jesus—all who repent and believe the gospel.
Since His ascension into heaven, Jesus has baptized millions, hundreds of millions, all who have called on His name and repented of their sins.
Somewhere in the world, while you read these lines, there are those whom Jesus is baptizing with the Holy Spirit. They are set on fire with zeal for Him. It is a continual work that will not cease until He returns. This baptism still serves as a sign, but this time it is inward, silent. It is the Spirit of God poured out on the new convert. It is the seal of God. It is His stamp of acceptance. It is God’s direct way of saying: “I forgive you all your sins; you are now My child, My beloved child, forever.”
BRANCH OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
The days are coming, says the LORD, that I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the earth. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely. And this is the name by which he will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Jeremiah 23:5-6
A branch is an offshoot or secondary part.
Jesus is the Branch, the offspring of David.
It is to the glory of God that He humbles Himself and is pleased to refer to Himself in human terms, that is, according to His human genealogy, by which He is of the lineage of David according to the flesh.
This prophecy of Jeremiah links with Isaiah’s in proclaiming Jesus as the Branch, the offshoot, of David the king and Jesse. This Branch shall be raised up by Jehovah, and will be a righteous Branch, that is, perfectly righteous.
This is to be the King of the Jews, the one set by God on His holy hill of Zion. He is to reign, not territorially, but over the entire earth. He is to prosper in all His judgments, executing righteousness and perfect justice. Jews and Gentiles alike will come under His authority, and should all pay Him homage.
Judah and Israel, typifying all with a like faith as Abraham—the entire church—will dwell safely in His kingdom. All who subject themselves to His rule, and voluntarily become His servants, remain under His protection and authority at all times and forever.
This King, Jesus the Righteous, the righteous Branch, is here named as Jehovah our Righteousness. Not only is He the incarnate God—that is, God manifest in the flesh, of which mystery we cannot fathom the depths—but He is also declared to be our righteousness, a perfect and imputed righteousness which is by faith alone, apart from works. The moment you trust in Christ, God declares you perfectly righteous in His sight.
So that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says: ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be ashamed.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is generous toward all who call upon Him. For, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ (Romans 10:9-13)
The prophecy of Isaiah 11 says of the Branch that the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord. He is described as one who would judge justly; not by what He hears or sees, but as He omnisciently knows.
Here then is the perfect justice of God, who will slay the wicked and strike the earth in righteousness, there will be a world-wide manifestation of the glory of God, with the final judgment of God upon His enemies.
BREAD OF LIFE/LIVING BREAD
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:51
Bread is necessary food, nourishment, for our physical and temporal bodies.
Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is living bread from heaven, a spiritual bread. If anyone eats of this bread, they will live forever.
There is no controversy about the words of Jesus here—if you would live forever, you must eat of this bread; it is God’s loving provision for you. It is nourishing bread, it is necessary food; without it you will certainly die eternally.
What exactly is this bread? Jesus said that it is His flesh, which He gives for the life of the world. God gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. It is to the cross you must go, in order to find this bread; to Christ crucified for you, His body broken and His blood shed, His life given up, that you might live.
Whatever your thoughts concerning sacraments, one thing is needful—you must feed your soul on the crucified Saviour. Give up all thoughts of your own merit or goodness before God, and humbly come to Him as a sinner, saying, “God have mercy on me, a sinner.”
The good news of the gospel is that God has provided for us, in the Person of His Son, a perfect remedy for sin and its consequences. When the body of Jesus was broken, and His blood was spilt, He was bearing the consequence of sin; not His own, for He was sinless and undefiled, but the sins of others. He died for the ungodly, so the Bible tells us. Let me ask you a question: Are you ungodly? Did Christ die for you? Will you own up and humble yourself before God, claiming nothing but deserved punishment? If you can, there is hope for you in Christ; for you will find in Him all the nourishment you need to maintain and keep your life for all eternity.
In the world, we might say that a man eats and drinks his work: he loves his job, and is not happy unless he is working at something; he lives for it. Such a man is called a workaholic, and his life is totally taken up with his chosen profession.
When a man is so taken up with Christ that He becomes his whole life, such a man is called a Christian; his life is centred upon Christ.
The sentiment is summed up in a song that a Chinese Christian taught me: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus in the morning, Jesus in the noontime; Jesus, Jesus, Jesus when the sun goes down.” It’s all about living every day with and for Jesus Christ.
Are you hungering and thirsting for something more tangible than that which the world has offered you?
Is your soul dry, your spiritual life languishing?
Jesus is the bread of life; you need never hunger or thirst again.
BRIDEGROOM
“But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out to meet Him!’” Matthew 25:6
A bridegroom is a man who has just been, or is about to be, married.
Jesus is the bridegroom for His people. He is preparing for marriage; not a marriage in the human sense, but a deeply spiritual union between Himself and His church. The entire church from the beginning of creation is called the bride of Christ; there will be a marriage.
When is this marriage to take place? It is at midnight. We do not know the date, the year, or even the century; but we do know that as far as world history is concerned, it is at midnight (the final hour of time) when Christ shall come as the King of kings to conclude the final moments of history before eternity begins.
Our Scripture text comes in the middle of a parable told by Jesus—The Parable of the Ten Virgins. It is a parable to both delight us and cause us to be circumspect.
There were five wise and five foolish virgins, all claiming to be awaiting the sound of the bridegroom’s coming. Yet because He seemed to delay, they all slumbered and slept.
These five wise were a picture of true, yet lax, Christians. They began well, they were full of joy at the prospect of seeing Christ their Saviour face to face, and their hearts were longing for His appearing. They were not hypocrites, but they had grown weary in their pilgrimage; they were neglecting the means of grace necessary to keep them enlightened. They were His bride but not really behaving as they ought. Yet still they had His mark, an indelible mark of ownership; they belonged to Him, they were greatly beloved, they were still betrothed to the Lord. His love extended to them still, for they were all chosen, even in the knowledge that they would fail Him many times, and that their ardour towards Him would cool.
The five foolish were a picture of false Christians, hypocrites, and deceivers. They made a show of professing faith in Christ, but would not believe His words, nor seek to make Him known to others. The light they possessed was not a God-given lamp, but a spark of man’s devising. There was no heart-faith, no real love for Jesus, no earnest desire after holiness of life. Persecution would have them scurrying for cover, not willing in such times to confess Christ. They preferred to be praised by others rather than be accounted a fool for Jesus’ sake. To forsake all for Christ, and thus be His disciple, was a step too many; they had worked out a Christianity that was far less demanding on their time, money and gifts. It was religion without regeneration or blood-redemption.
The bridegroom comes. The five wise had oil in their lamps; they had made provision for the eventuality of running out and had brought spare with them. But the five foolish had no oil left; their lamps burned lower and lower, and finally flickered out, their false profession being seen then for what it was.
Jesus the bridegroom is coming for His people: only for HIS PEOPLE. The marriage supper of the Lamb is for those who want to be there, and who are willing to be identified with Christ even if it means material loss or being shunned by others. It is for those who are not ashamed of Jesus Christ or any of His words or commandments. May the parable teach us!
BROTHER
Then Jesus said to them [to Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, and Salome], “Do not be afraid. Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” Matthew 28:10
Apart from the familiar sense, brother can also mean belonging to the same group, profession, nationality; a fellow member.
Jesus is the brother of every believer. He calls us His brothers. His God and Father is our God and Father; we are brothers together with Christ.
This aspect of Christ’s role is most warming and endearing. To think that the Creator of all is willing to call me His brother; and the entire body of believers who belong to Him, He graciously refers to them as His brothers.
Such a close relationship by way of family, profession and calling, has provoked several Christian sects to use such a delightful thought in their title: The Brethren, The Little Brothers of Jesus, Brethren of the Free Spirit, and countless others.
And it goes deeper still. Jesus is intimately close to His people; any persecution or intimidation they suffer on account of following Him He takes to Himself. Such was the case of Saul of Tarsus who, although it was Christians that he was persecuting and imprisoning, was justly rebuked by the resurrected Jesus, who demanded, “Why are you persecuting Me!” Saul, subsequently converted to the Christian way himself, never stopped giving thanks to God, who had shown such mercy to the chief of sinners.
For unrepentant persecutors, though, there will be no hope on Judgment Day, when Jesus will say to them, “Whatever you did to the least of these My brothers, you did it to Me.” Remember, a Christian is a brother of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Knowing Jesus Christ includes a real comradeship, a real warmth of fellowship, a real unity of purpose. Following His resurrection, He spoke to Mary Magdalene—who had gone with the other Mary to visit His tomb—saying, “Take this word to My brothers: I’ll meet them up in Galilee.” My brothers! The brothers of Jesus Christ!
Who are these brothers? These are the genuine disciples of Christ. They are those who honour Him, see Him as the Christ of God, and through Him are reconciled to God as adopted sons. They are the sons that He is leading to glory.
I believe it does us well to acknowledge and enjoy this aspect of Jesus Christ, this friendliness, this closeness to us. We need to see Him as the friend of sinners, the true befriender, the one who will stick close by us through every eventuality of life.
At the same time, we must never lose sight of the fact that He is Almighty God, the King of Creation, and an All-Consuming Fire. He can be gentle, but He is not always gentle. Is He safe? How can He be safe! He’s the Very Source of all Power, Light, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Life! A nuclear explosion is less than a spark to Him.
Yet in Christ, we are safe; we have found the place of refuge from the coming storm of judgment.
And He is to us our beloved brother, our own kinsman-redeemer.
CAPTAIN OF OUR SALVATION
For it was fitting for Him, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Author [or Captain, or Pioneer, or Originator] of their salvation perfect through suffering. Hebrews 2:10
Captain: A person in command of an organisation. [Please note that different Bible versions have translated this word in a slightly different way. At the time I wrote this article I was using the KJV exclusively, and it has the word ‘Captain’ in this verse. The MEV, which I use mainly today has the word ‘Author’, others have ‘Pioneer’, ‘Originator’, and so on.]
Jesus is the Captain of our salvation. In Him is all authority concerning the salvation of souls.
Jesus is the only one authorised to grant eternal life, and He gives it to those who have been given to Him by His Father.
Jesus has all authority in all things in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth. His voice can, and does, raise the dead. One day, all the dead will be so raised.
Outside of Christ, there is no-one commissioned by God to save souls, or bring men and women to eternal life. Jesus is unique. There is no other name given to us, that we might be saved, and delivered from sin and its consequences. It is Jesus or nothing.
It stands to reason that there can only be one captain. Have you ever seen a rugby match where each team had more than one captain? Or have you ever heard of twenty five captains in command of a seagoing vessel?
Jesus authors salvation for us. All things are for Him, and by Him—what need have we to search anywhere else? If the Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe is willing to author salvation for us, it is Him that we need. He has dealt with the sin problem once and for all, suffered for it, paid the price on our behalf for it, and now offers salvation to us as a free gift, unmerited, undeserved, and freely given.
But this is not just for our souls. It is not a one-way ticket to heaven. The grace of God has a bearing on our lives in this world. The intention of God is that we should live an abundant life here and now. This is why the law of God is so important, for it is in the keeping of His law that we find a better way. All of God’s laws are there for our happiness and well-being. Read through them and imagine what life would be like in our world if everyone kept them perfectly. Of course, the law convicts us of sin initially, for we have broken His law; but having been forgiven and pardoned, we show how genuine our repentance is by trying to obey God, and in keeping the law of Christ. This is the law of love, which can only work through faith.
Now Jesus also captains the great spiritual vessel bound for Beulah Land. This is that majestic body of the church, that regards itself a stranger and a pilgrim in this world; it is looking for a better habitation. God owns this vessel and has unlimited resources for its upkeep. Jesus captains it perfectly. The Holy Spirit is the Person who energises it and empowers it on its journey. These three are one, and they are perfect in every way. The steering gear is provided by the Scriptures, which also give us a long view to the horizon. But then comes the crew: you, me, and all the others that are on board by faith. We have roles to play too, and if we stick to the task Jesus has set us, and keep our position, not yearning after a new position, or a higher one, then the ship will run smoothly. We are imperfect, but if the Captain is regarded as the Highest Authority, and is fully obeyed, all will be well on the voyage.
Jesus is the Captain, and He is transporting many sons to glory. Hallelujah!
CHIEF SHEPHERD
Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, take care of them, not by constraint, but willingly, not for dishonest gain, but eagerly. Do not lord over those in your charge, but be examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of glory that will not fade away. 1 Peter 5:2-4
One definition of the word shepherd is a person who guides or watches over a group of people.
Jesus is the Chief Shepherd of God’s people, God’s precious and beloved flock.
Peter’s exhortation is given to fellow elders, who are to shepherd the flock of God—the disciples of Jesus—by their good example. They are to work under the authority of the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ. In so doing, they may expect, at the second coming of Christ, to receive by His hand an eternal crown of glory.
Throughout Scripture, God has made continual reference to shepherds and shepherding, sheep and sheepfolds, with New Testament disciples often referred to as sheep, the sheep of His pasture.
God is concerned that people who have applied to Him for security and instruction should be fully supplied with all their needs and guided in the right way. So much so, that during a time of spiritual declension in the Old Testament, when the appointed shepherds were not performing their duties, God Himself declared that He would be the peoples’ Shepherd, that He would care for them personally. This was made a reality at the coming of Christ—the incarnate God.
Christ’s role as Chief Shepherd reveals to us His great wisdom and ability to sovereignly care for His people. Despite our failures, and the failings of those destined to lead us, God still makes all things work together for our good.
He does not compare us to sheep without reason—we are very much like sheep. What does this loving Shepherd do? He seeks His lost sheep, with longing and compassion. And what does the sheep do? It runs away, fearing even the one who loves him and has determined only good for him.
Thank God that He never gives up on His own, but pursues them until they are too tired to run any more. Then He catches them up onto His shoulders, sets off for home, and with much joy says, “Rejoice with Me; I have found the sheep that was lost.”
In understanding Christ as the Chief Shepherd, we are helped in understanding His purpose for the New Testament church and its officers. Ministers are responsible under Christ for shepherding the flock of God. They are to tend, and care for, and feed, and protect the flock of God. They are to actively go in search of those who are lost, thus emulating the one they seek to serve.
World mission is a priority for church ministers. Every church, in every place, should be a mission station; the aim being to enfold lost, repentant sinners.
What a provision! And what a responsibility! Who is up to it? They are to proclaim Christ, not themselves. They are to know Him intimately themselves, and go on to make Him known to others. Their work is to present the flock mature in Christ, fully grown and perfect. They are to lead their people in all the ways of Christ.
Jesus is the Chief Shepherd: let us never forget that, lest we become man-centred and thereby obnoxious to God.
CHRIST/MESSIAH
He said to them [His disciples], “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:15-16
Christ: Jesus of Nazareth, regarded by Christians as fulfilling Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah; the anointed one of God. [derives from Latin Christus, from Greek khristos (anointed one), translating Hebrew mâshîah (the Messiah)].
Jesus is the Christ. He is the long-prophesied Messiah. He is the anointed one of God. He is Christ, the Son of the Living God.
John, in his gospel, tells us about the purpose of his record: Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
It is through believing in Christ that we have eternal life.
Sometimes, kings in Israel were called Christ—they delivered God’s people in a temporal sense only. Jesus as Christ was to be a spiritual deliverer—He would deliver sinners from their sins and put them in the way to heaven.
Throughout the Old Testament, God had always spoken through prophets. One theme ran throughout—the coming Messiah. God promised Him, and He came.
How do we know that this Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah? Let us check out a few of the countless prophecies, and see how Jesus matches them. He would be—
Born of a virgin; born in Bethlehem; born of the tribe of Judah; born to be King of the Jews; born with the title Immanuel (God with us); called out of Egypt; begotten by the Father; a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek; a humble King, even riding on a donkey; oppressed and afflicted, and as a lamb before its shearers is silent, so He would not open His mouth; wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace would be upon Him, and by His stripes we would be healed; numbered with transgressors, bear the sin of many, and make intercession for sinners; struck, beaten, laughed at, mocked, crucified, His clothing would be divided by lot; forsaken by God; not left in the grave, but would be resurrected the third day; ascended as a Victor into heaven.
These are just a few of the many prophecies relating to the promised Messiah. Jesus fulfils each one because He is the Messiah. He didn’t have to try to fulfil the prophesies, for prophecy is foreknowledge; it all happened just as the prophets said.
There are other prophecies given by Jesus Himself concerning the end time. He is the final word from God, and He will have the last word when He sits as Judge over all the earth, dividing the sheep and goats, and appointing everlasting life or everlasting death.
The testimony of Scripture is this: “God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” Do you see now why a relationship with the Son of God is so crucial?
It is good sense to believe in the Son of God; for He is the one whom God has appointed as Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world.
CONSOLATION OF ISRAEL
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. Luke 2:25
One definition of consolation is a person who is a source of comfort in a time of disappointment, suffering or grief.
Jesus is the Consolation of Israel, eagerly awaited by one Simeon, and many other true Jews of the day.
With God silent for 400 years, and no prophet since Malachi—the last of the Old Testament seers—it is remarkable that when Jesus finally came, there were those on the earth who were devout, righteous, and discerning.
Simeon was one such. He lived for God in a time of spiritual declension; yet the testimony of Scripture is that the Spirit of God was upon him, and he knew by revelation that God had sent His Christ. This was the one thing Simeon lived for—to see Him.
When Joseph and Mary brought the Child Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, Simeon received Him in his arms and blessed God, saying, “Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32
The Christian church is included in the expression Israel, for God has one people, not two; He has divided the wall of partition between Jew and Gentile by Jesus Christ, and all the faithful are accounted children of Abraham, heirs of the promises, and recipients of eternal life.
Jesus is therefore the consolation of every believer. He comforts and consoles. His care is perfectly matched to our need and, as Scripture declares, He will never leave us nor forsake us. There may be times when He does not appear to be present, but He nevertheless is present; and any trial we suffer without His consolation will be for a purpose, often to draw us ever closer to Himself, that our trust and confidence will be in Him, not in our circumstances in life, or anything else apart from Him.
Simeon saw a baby boy and immediately declared Him to be the Messiah, the Consolation of Israel. The old saint rejoiced at the sight, content, and willing then to depart this world for a better one. For many years he had patiently and devoutly waited in anticipation of this event. He did not know if it would happen during his lifetime; yet his life was a godly life, his eyes spiritual eyes, his ears spiritual ears and, when the baby boy, the Christ-Child was presented at the temple, he recognised Him for who He was.
Have you seen Jesus to be such a one? Has the Spirit of God shown you that this Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God, the consolation of your heart, the one who would never leave you, nor forsake you, if you did but put your trust in Him?
Jesus is the great consoler.
To know Him is to know consolation in its highest form; for it is a consolation that dwells within, rather than a stimulus from without. It is Christ in you. It is His Spirit fellowshipping with your spirit. Hallelujah!
CORNERSTONE
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious. But to those who are disobedient, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and, “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.” 1 Peter 2:7-8
Jesus is The Chief Cornerstone, The Stone of Stumbling, and The Rock of Offence.
The first, the cornerstone, is what He is to every believer. The other two, the stone of stumbling and rock of offence, is what He is to the unbeliever. Let us treat of them separately and see what each title means.
The Chief Cornerstone
There is a building under construction. It is called Zion and is made up of people. The builder is God Himself, and the work has been going on ever since a man was first created on the earth. All of God’s people, throughout all history, make up Zion. This spiritual building is visible to God despite man’s divisions and subdivisions, his sects and denominations, his organisations and mission groups. Zion is one church, and God is only building this church. The living stones—as Peter calls them, true believers in Christ who are born from above—are built together to make a temple of worship, the true Zion of God, irrespective of man’s label. God knows those who are His.
Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of this construction work. He holds it all together. He is the unmovable rock, the solid foundation for time and eternity. Jesus is the undisputed Head of Zion. He assures His people that even the continual assaults of Satan will not prevail against them. This living and elect church is safeguarded because it has a cornerstone, from whom it gets its stability and security.
True Hebrews of the Old Testament, and True Christians of the Last Days, are collectively Zion. These will be forever with God in heaven, having been redeemed by the blood of the Son of God and in time called and justified through faith in Jesus Christ.
The Stone of Stumbling and the Rock of Offence
A great number of people have tripped up on the stone of stumbling. They did not see Jesus correctly. Although His works proved Him—turning water into wine, commanding the elements, healing every illness including death, and so on—yet most men in their darkness still did not recognise the coming of God to earth.
Most men are still making the same basic mistake today; they see nothing in Jesus Christ, nor do they understand His purpose of redemption. Despite the testimony of millions of Christians who claim to know Him, yet these unbelievers do not believe that Jesus rose from the dead. To such, the words of Jesus, and the claims and preaching of His disciples, are offensive. In their heart is antagonism and hatred. Confront them with genuine love and absolute harmlessness, and they mercilessly persecute and vent their wrath. Good men, even men of peace, have been slain for no good reason. History is full of such martyrs: it began with Christ, continued with the twelve apostles and the early church, and has been going on ever since. Even so, God is always glorified, even in the death of His saints; for He appoints all things, even the wicked for the day of doom.
CREATOR
God, who at various times and in diverse ways spoke long ago to the fathers through the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the world. Hebrews 1:1-2
The word creator is defined simply as a person or thing that creates; also used as an epithet of God.
Jesus is the Creator of all that is.
This fact may come as a surprise to some, but the testimony of Scripture is that all things have been made by Him, and for Him; and that in Him all things hold together.
Here is one of those grand reasons why Jesus is exalted high above the heavens. No ordinary man this Jesus; no powerless religious leader; in truth, no ordinary human being at all.
Who is He? Jesus is God the Creator. He is both fully God and fully Man in one body forever. The first verse of the Bible says that in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Who created the heavens and the earth? God did! But God made all things through Jesus Christ. It’s perfectly logical when you think about it; for Jesus is YHWH made flesh. He is God Incarnate. He is the one God made Man. Scripture tells us that God was manifest in the flesh, and His name was Jesus. Glory to God!
Jesus is the image of the invisible God. ‘For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.’ Colossians 1:16-17
He has the pre-eminence in all things.
I wonder if you’ve ever looked really hard at the creation, and seen its great diversity and beauty, its complexity, the ability of its living creatures and plants to procreate, the amazing ability we have as humans to see, hear, touch, taste, smell, discern, reason, and all the other things we can do, thanks to God’s creative design.
The heavens declare the glory of God; the firmament shows His handiwork. Day after day they speak to us, and every night they tell us what a great God we serve. Their voice extends to every part of the world; every man can hear God speaking through His works. For this reason, no man may be excused through ignorance; for the invisible God has shown Himself through that which is visible. Every planet, every star, the sun and moon, the whole universe, has been purposefully made; and that purpose is to glorify and exalt the one that made them. The more we discover about the intricacies of the natural world, the more we should wonder at the detailed creativity of Jesus Christ.
Creation is a wondrous thing of immense glory, and Christ certainly deserves to be glorified in it.
DELIVERER (1)
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Galatians 1:3-5
A deliverer is one who releases or rescues (from captivity, harm, corruption etc.).
Jesus is the Deliverer of all who trust in Him. He gave Himself for our sins and delivers us from this present evil age: all according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be all the glory forever and ever.
If the first century was described as an evil age, how much more should we think of our own time as an evil age; it is corrupted beyond description. This corruption is the result of the Fall. Mankind became separated from God’s friendship, was subjected to the curse, and received the penalty of death at God’s hand.
Man is created a spiritual creature; but the vital, internal organ that is designed for us to live by, namely our spirit, is dead to God, dead to the world, dead to its possessor. In one sense we live, but in another sense—the spiritual sense—we have already died. In spiritual terms, we are without any life at all. It is utter darkness.
Some types of music have been dubbed soul music, because it is imagined that this form has a deeper dimension—that it reaches the spirit of man. This is a misnomer, for no music of any kind can reach a soul or spirit. The soul of man cannot respond unless it is first raised from its corpselike state. Soul music touches the emotions, and as a musical form it can be powerful; but it cannot raise the dead soul, nor impart truth or life. Only the Life-Giver can perform such an operation.
All of us have gone astray, following the desire of our heart, and live in spiritual darkness. We have three prime enemies, from which we desperately need a mighty deliverance: the world, our own carnal flesh, and the devil.
The World
This is an enemy because it would seek to draw us away from God. It is not world, in the sense of planet, but in the sense of worldly thinking. This ethos is greatly propagated through all the various forms of media, and it is brainwashing huge sections of society around the globe. It is fundamental hedonism—a belief that pleasure is the most important thing. It is materialism—a belief in amassing more and more wealth. It is total atheism—a belief in no god nor afterlife, a belief that inevitably leads to the proverb of the ungodly: “Let us eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.”
The Flesh
This enemy lurks within our own heart; it is our own carnality, that rebels against God, and refuses—by its own nature—even the love and grace of God. Our flesh is fallen flesh; it inherits the sinful nature passed down through generations. Even those who have been delivered from this enemy know how powerful a foe it can still be. It must never be underestimated; but, once delivered by Christ, should continually submit itself to the Lordship of Christ. It must continually die to its own desires, and seek to do the will of God. This is the only path of peace; it is the narrow way that leads to life.
The Devil
This enemy is the father of evil; that is, he is the instigator of many acts of rebellion against God. While he has his freedom, he seeks to draw men from God. But Jesus Christ delivers completely! His work is powerful, and it is eternal!
DELIVERER (2)
For they themselves declare how we were received by you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who delivered us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10
A deliverer is one who releases or rescues (from captivity, harm, corruption etc.).
Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come. To understand how He so delivers us, we must observe not only this text, but others like Galatians 1:3-5, already mentioned.
The Lord has laid on Him (Christ) the iniquity of us all; it is by His stripes that we are healed and delivered. The chastisement that brings us peace was on Him; He bore away our sins in His own body on the tree, being wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. This is what it means when it says: He gave Himself for our sins.
To deliver us from our sins, Jesus had to bear the consequences Himself, in His own body. As holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners, He could do this. Being eternal and infinite, He could do this for an infinite number of people; indeed, the gospel states that Jesus Christ delivers all who come to Him by faith. And this deliverance is not automatic; it is not applied wholesale. You have to apply to Christ personally. He saves and delivers individuals who cry out to Him.
In Noah’s day, God revealed His wrath from heaven, and the entire population of the world bar eight were drowned. Noah and his family escaped by doing what God said.
In Lot’s day, God revealed His wrath from heaven, and the wicked, largely homosexual communities of Sodom and Gomorrah were totally destroyed by the raining fires of God. Lot and his family escaped that judgment by doing what God said.
In our day, we have the fullest revelation of God’s plans for the future. There is coming a Great Day of Wrath, when God will judge the world in righteousness by the Man He has appointed. This is a simple fact, and we ignore it at our peril. Is there a deliverance from the wrath to come? Is there an ark we can make use of at the time of God’s wrath upon the earth? Is there a place of safety from the inferno that will consume and destroy both the heavens and the earth?
It matters nothing, don’t forget, that some people, indeed the majority, do not believe in the wrath of God. At the time of the Flood, there were only eight people throughout the earth who believed and took steps. And when the waters covered the earth and the mountains, all the rest of the populace believed—but TOO LATE! There were skeptics also in the town where Lot lived; they did not believe in the wrath of God either—until God poured out blazing fire on all the cities of the plain. NOTHING SURVIVED!
Praise God there is a deliverer available for us right now. God has provided Him.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in Christ will not perish, but have eternal life. God gave Him FOR OUR SINS. He gave Him up to be CRUCIFIED FOR US. The justifiable wrath of God toward us was taken away by JESUS on the CROSS. His blood is our hope, our shelter, our ark, our place of safety.
Trust but once in that precious blood, and you will know that it is a place of safety, a sure deliverance from the coming storm. Jesus is a sure deliverer.
DOOR
Then Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters through Me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:7-9
The definition that best suits our text is a means of access or escape.
Jesus is the door; He gives access to salvation, and an escape from tyranny.
Jesus often used natural terms to describe spiritual experiences. Here He says that He is the door, and that those who enter through that door will be saved.
In the last section, we looked at Christ as deliverer; and in this chapter we have the clearest indication that in order for us to be delivered, we must enter through a door, and so be saved.
This going through is a deeply mystical experience, hard to describe; but it is nevertheless a tangible experience, known and felt, and that if you once enter in through this divine door, you will find yourself in deeply spiritual pasture—the kingdom of God.
Going through the door is a transition from the natural to the spiritual. In the apostle Paul’s words you will be reconciled to God and you will have access by the blood of Jesus to The Most Holy Place—the very dwelling-place of God the Father.
Have you ever wanted to speak to God directly? You can, if you enter through the door, beholding and trusting in the blood of Jesus. You must come with the sacrifice that God has ordained for this very purpose—the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary’s cross. Do not attempt to come with anything of your own; you need nothing more than Christ. But come humbly, acknowledge your need of Him, confess your sins, repent and turn away from them, bow the knee to the King, and submit yourself to Him. Then, you will find a reception, a warm reception; it is the response He is patiently waiting for.
We need saving. The door is large and the road wide that leads to destruction, and many travel that way; but the door is narrow and the way hard that leads to life, and there are comparatively few people that find it. So said Jesus.
Can I advise you? Seek this door with all your heart! If you seek, you will find. If you knock, it will be opened to you. Seek the Lord while He may be found by you. Do not wait for anything or anyone. Go to Him just as you are; He welcomes, and pardons, and gives entry to, all who come to Him in faith. But go straight to Jesus. No man on earth can save you, nor any church. It is through the door you must go, if you are to know peace with God and be saved for all eternity.
I rent a farm bungalow, and outside my window there is pastureland—sheep graze contentedly. They all had to come in through an aluminium gate at the far end of the field. Picture them standing around in the middle of the lane, as they are shepherded towards the field: they know the grass is near, they look for the entrance, they go through, they achieve the desired end.
There is a reality in Christianity! There is the real thing! Jesus really is alive, and He really is a door, and you really can go through. He really does save sinners!
He is still the sinner’s friend, and the doorway to heaven.
EMMANUEL
Therefore, the Lord Himself shall give you a sign: The virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14
Definition: the Child whose birth was foretold by Isaiah and who in Christian tradition is identified with Jesus. [from Hebrew Immânû’el, literally: God with us.]
Jesus is Emmanuel, born of the virgin Mary, and a sign given by God, as Isaiah the prophet foretold, some 700 years before the event. We know that this prophecy relates to Jesus because it is quoted in Matthew’s gospel in reference to His birth. He was not given the name Emmanuel—He was called Jesus, for He would save His people from their sins. (Jesus = Saviour.) Yet He was still Emmanuel; for this is a title, a description, rather than a name.
Now here is something remarkable and informative: the Hebrew word Immânû’el has a literal meaning, as the dictionary definition above shows—GOD WITH US. Think about that for a moment. Jesus is no created being, no angel, no man, no spirit.
Who is He?
This is one of the greatest questions. Who is Jesus? He who said, “Before Abraham was, I AM?”
Jesus is God with us. And what does that mean? It means that Jehovah, the Almighty God, took to Himself human flesh and became like us in every way except sin. Christian theologians throughout history have tried to put this into words—you can read their definitions in all the great confessions and creeds—but I think the most helpful expression for us ordinary souls is that Jesus is the God-Man. He is fully God. He is fully Man. Forever united in one body.
As the disciples saw Him after His resurrection, so He is for ever, except that His glory is no longer veiled, as it was when He trod the earth.
Jesus said that whoever had seen Him had seen the Father. Whatever His Father commanded, He did. Whatever His Father said, He said. And so Jesus Christ is the perfect representation of the Invisible God.
If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus and His life. Read through the gospels and epistles in the New Testament, and whatever you see that Jesus did or said or thought, you may know that this is what God is like. Take in the whole, though, not parts only, lest you get an unbalanced view. Preconceptions must be laid to rest, or they will influence us as we try to picture the character and purposes of God.
God has spoken to us in these last days by His Son; hear Him therefore, and be wise.
Jesus is Emmanuel—God manifest in the flesh.
He is the Almighty God. He deserves therefore our worship and service, He who came not to be served, but to serve, and give His life a ransom for many.
FIRST FRUITS
But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. 1 Corinthians 15:20
First fruits are defined as the first results, products, or profits of an undertaking.
Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection.
Here is a mammoth undertaking—the resurrection of the dead! For no matter where a body is, or whether it is whole and buried or cremated to ashes, it will be raised again to life at the general resurrection.
Jesus Christ is the proof that this will happen. He was raised on the third day, and now has an endless life. He is the first, and He will be followed on Resurrection Day by billions of souls who now lay in the grave, or are scattered across the waters. From every corner they will come: rich, poor, black, white, east, west, good and bad—all will be raised from their place of rest, and they will all see Jesus, the resurrection forerunner.
By man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all must die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in order: Christ the first fruits, and afterwards those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end of all things, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, and puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death itself.
The power of God is immense and inconceivable. What would it take to resurrect seven billion people, some of them thousands of years old? Yet God is well able to do it—and He will do it! He has planned and purposed it, and He will carry it out.
For a Christian, resurrection is the fundamental hope; for how can I have eternal life unless I’m alive? And as I must one day die—as all men must—my Christian life would be futile and pathetic if there was to be no resurrection. There would be no purpose at all in serving God, or seeking holiness of life.
Why believe so strongly in the resurrection? Because Jesus Christ Himself was resurrected. Before the event, He had said, “I have power to lay down My life, and I have the power to take it again.” Such power guarantees the raising up of His people, that they might reign with Him in the glories of heaven forever.
He will raise all others—those that do not know Him. But He knows them! He knows their every thought, word and deed. He will say these words: “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”
If we reject Christ now, throughout life, we have to accept that He has the right and the justification to reject us on that day. To live an ungodly life, and still think to gain favour with God at the last day, is a deception that has led many souls into hell.
There is a resurrection unto eternal life, and a resurrection unto condemnation. Please make sure that you’re laid to rest at the right end—spiritually speaking—of the cemetery!
Jesus is the first fruits of the resurrection, and His undertaking to resurrect the world is drawing nearer. All is ready, angels are on full alert, it is the final countdown.
FOUNDATION
According to the grace of God which has been given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, but another builds on it. Now let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no one can lay another foundation than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10-11
A foundation is simply that on which something is founded.
The apostles and all the prophets pointed to Jesus Christ as the foundation for all spiritual practice.
In fact, all people, from Adam up to the last person to be born before the end of the world, will relate to God only in the way in which they have related to Jesus. From the very beginning, when man sinned and God had to redeem him by blood sacrifice, it has been the sacrifice of Christ that saved individual souls.
Adam’s son Abel, for example, offered spiritual worship to God by means of a blood sacrifice, and God accepted him and received him. Although it was the blood of an animal, God counted it as being the blood of Christ, who would be crucified thousands of years later.
Adam’s other son Cain sought to offer up to God the fruit of the ground for his oblation, but was not accepted by God, because fruit cannot take away sin. Cain disregarded God’s ways and sought to try his own. He was self-righteous, seeing no need of a blood atonement; and to make matters worse, he even killed his righteous brother Abel, the first of a multitude of murders in the history of the world.
The very foundation of being acceptable to God is blood sacrifice. This is why on many churches you will see a cross—it openly portrays the fundamental of the faith, that Christ died to take away our sin and reconcile us to God. Deny this aspect of Christian belief, and you are left with that unacceptable method of Cain, which produces a people who think that any sort of sacrifice is acceptable to God. Such people even deny the necessity of Christ; but Christ is the God-appointed foundation of faith. Without Him—no matter how impressive the spiritual building might look—it does not have the foundation of God and will therefore collapse when tested by God. I assure you that false religion will collapse.
Do you want full assurance, solidity, soundness, a definite hope, a sure and stable foundation? Do you want to rest your soul and its eternal destiny on something fixed and unbreakable? Something that God accepts? Something that God is well-pleased with?
Look only to Jesus Christ.
He is invincible! He has paid the price for sin by His own blood. He has risen from the dead. He has ascended into heaven. He sits upon a throne. He orders all things. He is returning to earth one day in glory.
Have Him as your foundation, and you will never fear again, but you will rejoice with unspeakable joy!
FOUNTAIN
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-38
A fountain is a natural spring of water, especially the source of a stream.
Jesus is a fountain, the very source of rivers of living water.
To understand our text, we must look at the feast that Jesus attended, and at which He made this declaration that whoever was thirsty was to go to Him and drink.
In Israel, there were seven religious festivals to be celebrated throughout the year. To three of them—Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles—all Jewish males were expected to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem to participate in the celebrations.
The feast in our text was The Feast of Tabernacles, and it took place in Jerusalem from the 15th to the 22nd of Tishri. (i.e. September or October.)
The feast lasted seven days, and all Israelites were to construct temporary places to dwell in for its duration. There would have been tents on top of houses, shelters in the open countryside, booths in the temple precincts. Anywhere that could be used for these simple structures was filled with campers from far and near. It would have resembled one of our western camping and caravanning rallies, only on a massive scale. Jerusalem would have been inundated with travellers, all needing food and daily necessities. It was one of the religious highlights of the year, with the reading of Scripture, worship, and acts of penitence: a rededication of lives to God and to the law of God.
The concluding meeting, on the eighth day, was a holy convocation. It would have been the day when everyone gathered to hear the closing words and exhortations from God’s men. It was on this day, when His audience would have been most numerous, that Jesus stood up and preached this particular and astounding message.
It is recorded that He cried out. It was a word of supreme importance, a word to ponder and meditate on; but above all, it was an invitation to act upon, a promise to get a hold of, a revolutionary thought to inspire the dullest. What was this word?
He said, “If anyone thirsts, let them come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me shall know rivers of water gushing forth from their very heart.”
As mentioned in another chapter, the old covenant was drawing to a close and would soon be obsolete. Here, Jesus begins to introduce the people to the new covenant; it was to be a new covenant in His blood, and its highlight was the promise of the Spirit for every single believer.
To believe in Him meant understanding His roles as priest and sacrifice; it meant realising who He was and why He had come. The age of the Spirit had finally arrived.
The invitation of Christ since then has always been: “Come to Me.”
He can satisfy the thirsty soul. He can revive dry religion. He can lubricate the wheels and cogs of church life.
He is the source of the Spirit, the very fountain of life. Without the Spirit’s presence in our heart, life is drab and meaningless.
To all who thirst, therefore, Jesus says, “Come! Come to Me! Let me fill you to overflowing!”
FRIEND
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.” John 15:14
A friend is a person well-known to another and regarded with liking, affection and loyalty.
Jesus is a most glorious, likeable, affectionate, and loyal friend towards all who hear Him, believe in Him, and willingly obey Him.
In this passage in John’s gospel, Jesus tells His disciples about the greatest love anyone can show towards his friends—namely, to lay down their life for them. Here is the greatest act of love known in all history: that Jesus should voluntarily sacrifice His life on a cross that His friends should be saved, forgiven, and reconciled to God. It is at the cross that our understanding of both God’s justice and His immense love is revealed.
How could anyone doubt whether God loves them or not? See the cross, and God’s Son dying there for you, in your place. You deserve God’s anger, not Jesus; yet He willingly died there in your place because of the joy of knowing that His friends would be redeemed and made acceptable citizens of heaven for eternity.
Repentance involves a complete turn around; for by nature we do not love all persons without exception. We are not like God; rather we are ungodly and vile sinners.
But Jesus would have us love Him first of all; then to love all our friends and enemies alike with the same non-judgmental love and mercy. This is why, of course, that so many will not become Christians. They would prefer to hold on to bitterness, or a partisan spirit, or unforgiveness, or self-justification. They are not willing to obey Jesus, who says, “You are My friends if you do whatever I tell you.”
Jesus says, “Love one another.”
This radical teaching of Jesus has already been exemplified by Himself. For in His sacrificial love, He actually reconciles God’s enemies to God. He turns them around, by His Spirit, not only to see their need of Him; but, when they call upon Him and crave His mercy, He makes them anew, so that they become a new creation. Old ideas and characteristics die, and everything becomes new. The old man is crucified with Christ, and the new man is raised to life, just as Jesus was raised to life. And just as Jesus ascended into heaven and sat on His throne, so the believer will ascend into heaven and sit upon a throne.
This is total identification with Jesus Christ, and it is biblical Christianity.
Would you be a friend of Jesus or His enemy?
Please do not even think of sitting on the fence. He says, “Whoever is not for Me is against Me.” Christ is a divider. Many reject Him despite His wonderful friendliness. Yet many receive Him, enjoy His friendship, and persecutions beside. To follow Christ by faith means to accept also the ridicule of supposed friends.
Choose the best friend you can ever know; for He is always there, always protective, always instructive, always loving with an inconceivably great love.
Jesus is the ultimate friend.
GRAIN OF WHEAT
“Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.” John 12:24
A grain is the seed of a cereal plant, such as wheat or barley.
In this passage in John’s gospel (verses 20-36), Jesus likens Himself and His mission to a grain of wheat and its purpose.
Jesus had entered Jerusalem for the last time; He was shortly to die on a cross.
Before celebrating the Passover with His twelve apostles, Jesus publicly announced His imminent departure from this world. “The hour has come,” He said, “that the Son of Man should be glorified.”
He prayed, “Father, glorify Your name.” And there was a voice from heaven, which said, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
God was well in command. He had a purpose to fulfil, and that purpose would be completed in the right way and at the right time.
The Scripture at the head of this section illustrates for us perfectly the whole objective of Christ. Indeed the very fundamentals of the Christian faith are found here.
Think about it. In the fields, wheat-grain is necessary for growing more wheat; but that seed only becomes effective when placed in the ground and dies. In its dying, it gives life to another plant, which when mature produces more seeds, capable of producing a multiplied return.
Jesus applied this principle to Himself; and also to others, those who would be His disciples and follow in His footsteps.
Let me say outright that it is in the giving up of His life that Jesus bears fruit for eternal life. From His death, and particularly death by crucifixion, has sprung up a crop of saved souls who are trusting in His death. They can see no other way to life, but through His death. It is life out of death, and it is life fed by blood; for without blood being spilt there can be no remission of sins; and without forgiveness of sins, no soul may enjoy eternal life. Every Christian in this world has recognised at some point their need of a blood sacrifice for sin. Jesus is that sacrifice; He is the grain of wheat that died in order to bring new life to others. The only difference is that Jesus was raised from the dead; He is a victorious Saviour, with an endless life. He lives today, tomorrow, forever.
Those who are born again by the Spirit of God and receive this, also die—they die to self, that they might live only to God. In so doing they too bear fruit for the Lord, and are pleasing to Him. Without dying, there is no fruit-bearing.
Jesus asks, “Do you really want life? You must deny yourself, take up your cross daily, and follow Me.”
Let us then die with Christ; for he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life; but he who loves his life will lose it at the last.
Jesus is the grain of wheat that dies, is buried, and bears fruit for eternal life. We who are the fruit of this, ought to follow Him in like manner.
HEAD OF THE CHURCH
And He put all things in subjection under His feet and made Him the head over all things for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all things in all ways. Ephesians 1:22-23
The definition of head appropriate to us is the person commanding most authority within a group, organisation.
The overall head of the church is Jesus Christ.
The biblical position in a local church is that Jesus is the chief shepherd; He is the head of that church. Under Him, He has appointed shepherds of the flock, variously called elders, overseers, bishops, or pastors.
Different Christian churches have differing ways of selecting and bringing into office these under-shepherds; but the principle of the autonomous New Testament church often seems to be the election of elders by the congregation from amongst the congregation.
Debate aside, the important thing is that Christ Himself is the ultimate authority over any group of His people and, by necessity, the holy Scriptures must be the documented statement of the whole of God’s will concerning man’s salvation and his sanctification in holiness. How can Christ be head unless His word is authoritative?
The word of God (the Bible) and the Spirit of Christ work together in power for the accomplishment of God’s will in every place. The Bible is a living word, active and powerful, bringing men and women, boys and girls, to faith in Christ. The Spirit of Christ applies redemption, and indwells every true convert, teaching and sanctifying them.
When these two things—the Bible and the Spirit—are accepted and encouraged, they produce a dynamic church, a procreating church, one that is holy and separated unto God.
Christ, of course, as the head, has the final say in all matters, and can from heaven execute justice in His church when the need arises. The Acts of the apostles, and the book of the Revelation, show this quite clearly. Jesus can give life and take life away. He can build up a church, and He can demolish a church. He can establish His name in a place, and later remove it again. He can withhold blessing, and He can bestow blessing.
Yet He does nothing without good reason or justification.
If, therefore, a church is glorifying God, accepting unreservedly His word, proclaiming the truth of the gospel, administering the sacraments, and seeking to edify the saints, it can expect Jesus to be there in power and blessing; for it is being obedient to Him, and doing things in a way that is ordained of God.
But if sin creeps in, if church discipline is lax, if the doctrinal teaching departs from truth into heresy, if the gospel is not preached, and if the people do not worship spiritually but merely go through a form, does not the head of that body have the right to be angered and impose His own discipline?
It is Christ’s church. He has every right to deal with it. After all, His honour is at stake. He has chosen to work through His people, within the local church, to reveal His great love to those outside. His people are to manifest the wonder of the Spirit-filled life.
Christ is the head! Let the body conform to Him therefore and be blessed. Let all the church follow Christ to the letter.
HEALER
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Luke 4:18-19
A healer is one who restores to health; one who assists in natural repair; or one who restores to friendly relations.
Jesus is the incomparable healer.
In our text, Jesus was reading in a synagogue a prophecy of Isaiah, and He applied it to Himself. “This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears,” He said.
Jesus was anointed with the Spirit of God—what to do?
To preach the gospel to the poor
His main healing purpose is to heal us of sin-sickness. To accomplish this needful healing He was wounded (crucified) for our transgressions, and it is with His stripes that we are healed. There is no greater healing than this. Those who are poor in spirit and who see their need of Him respond in faith to the gospel message, and are so mightily blessed that many light up with divine health, as the Spirit brings life to their mortal body.
To heal the broken-hearted
In this tragic world, broken hearts are found everywhere. There is no real cure known to man; but Jesus heals. The Lord Himself builds up Jerusalem; He gathers together the outcasts of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and tenderly binds up their wounds. He comforts and consoles those who mourn, and gives them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.
To proclaim liberty to the captives
“Whoever sins,” says Scripture, “is a slave to sin, a captive to lusts.” And we have all, like sheep, gone astray; we’ve all sinned. But in Jesus there is liberation declared. He sets free. He releases from captivity. Christ doesn’t bind people up, He unbinds them!
To let the blind see
In His three years of ministry in Galilee, Judea and Samaria, Jesus healed many people of physical blindness. He healed anybody of anything, such was the proof of His being God in the flesh. But there is a worse blindness which many are unaware of—the blindness of heart and mind. There is a veil over these which does not admit spiritual truth; it shuts out the light. Praise God that He can remove the veil, open the mind, and give us our sight back, that we might turn to Him. We will then be able to sing: “Once I was blind; but now I can see!”
To set at liberty the oppressed
God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Oppression means to enslave by cruelty or force; it is to afflict or torment; it is something which lies heavily on the mind or imagination.
Oppression is always a trial to those that are under it, whether it be from within or without.
God’s people in Egypt were cruelly enslaved for some four hundred years. But God heard the cry of His people and sent His servant Moses to deliver the Israelites from their oppression. God worked with him in power and signs and wonders.
Christians also have been set free from oppression; they are at liberty. This work of Christ is perfect and complete; none who come to Him are ever left in a state of oppression. The chains come off, hearts are freed, and the convert rises up, goes forth, and follows Jesus. Make no mistake about this. You may, as a Christian, be oppressed by men—Jesus foretold this—but you are completely set free from the tyranny and rule of the powers of darkness. You are at liberty. This is why the apostle Paul exhorts the believers at Rome to reckon themselves indeed dead to sin but alive to God. Sin’s power has been demolished, he argues, and you are no longer under its dominion; therefore obey the Lord, and serve Him with liberty.
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord
Supposing you were to ask me this question: “When is it acceptable for me to come to God, to repent and turn away from my sins, to put my trust in Jesus Christ, and receive Him as my Saviour and Lord?”
My reply would be: “Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation; now is the era of God’s grace in Christ; now is the time when God will receive you, forgive you, make you His child, and give you His Spirit.”
Do not delay, therefore, one moment longer. To procrastinate is to continue in sin and unbelief. Do you imagine that God would encourage you to delay? No, His desire is that you should turn around now. The sooner you give your life to God, the more of your life He will have available to use for His glory. Children as young as three-years-old have known conversion and gone on to live fruitful, contented lives. Real life only begins at a Christian conversion, when Christ the healer makes His mark.
An important consideration
To conclude, let me say that Jesus does, on occasions, directly heal today, as He did all those years ago; but it is very rare; and godly, Christian men and women are just as prone to catching a common cold as their unbelieving contemporaries. However, I must also say that a healthy lifestyle does produce better health! That is why it is called a healthy lifestyle!
The redemptive, healing power of the cross of Jesus will one day ensure that our physical body will be totally redeemed and perfect forever; but for the present, we must accept ailments and death as part and parcel of a fallen world.
In His wisdom, Jesus often changes our thought patterns concerning ailments; it is when we accept them that we become free to live, even within limitations. It is true to say that character is built faster through trials than through blessings.
This should not stop us from asking Him for healing; but our attitude ought to be like that of the apostle Paul, who asked God three times for the removal of an affliction. Paul heard the reply of God, who said to him, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” It was because of Paul’s infirmity that God was able to work so mightily through Him.
Humility precedes usefulness.
Jesus is the healer. He heals of sin-sickness; He proclaims liberty to the captives; He opens the eyes of the blind; He heals the broken-hearted; He sets at liberty those who are oppressed; and He proclaims the acceptable year of the Lord.
IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD
He is the image of the invisible God and the firstborn of every creature. Colossians 1:15
An image is a representation or likeness of a person or thing.
Jesus is the image of the invisible God; an exact representation of the Lord YHWH in character, will, and power.
God is invisible. He is pure Spirit. How then could He relate to us on a personal level unless He revealed Himself to us? And what better way than by becoming one like us? Besides, His coming to earth was primarily to provide salvation by substitution. How could He have substituted for us unless He had become a Man?
For us humans, it is most wonderful that God has also revealed to us His character in an actual, earthly life.
At every point, Jesus manifested God; and by reading and studying the four gospel accounts, we can arrive at a good understanding of God’s character.
What is He like towards this or that? Look at the life of Jesus. How does He relate to sinners like us? Read the testimony of Jesus. What is God planning to do? Hear the words of Jesus. What is needed to be a disciple? Hearken to the words of Jesus. How much power does God have? Observe the power of Christ over the elements, over plant life, over sickness, over death; see Him as the Creator as He makes mature wine out of plain water, as He pays His temple taxes by creating coins in a fish’s mouth, as He repairs by creation a severed ear, as He feeds a multitude by multiplying bread and fish, as He recreates a withered arm, as He creates calm during a storm, and as He brings a shoal of fish by the boat for Peter to catch.
Studying the life of Christ in the four gospels has to be the most astounding experience of knowledge possible. It is here that we see God walking, talking, doing.
These accredited gospels are a historic account of the life of Jesus Christ. And what a life! Who in all of history could be compared with Jesus, the exact representation and image of Almighty God?
What a delight it is to the burdened and guilty soul to find that God is willing to save, pardon, and forgive; more, that it was He who planned it. He took the initiative, and now applies redemption to us, as loved individuals.
Whenever I want to learn more about God’s character, and how He relates to me, I only have to read about Jesus; for there, God was revealing Himself to mankind, the invisible became visible, the unapproachable became accessible, and the estranged God became my friend and Saviour.
Praise the Lord for Jesus, the image of the invisible God!
INTERCESSOR
But He, because He lives forever, has an everlasting priesthood. Therefore, He is able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, because He at all times lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:24-25
An intercessor is one who acts as a mediator or advocate between parties, or one who offers petitionary prayers to God on behalf of another.
Jesus is the great intercessor.
He is able to save those who come to God through Him because He is eternally a priest, mediator, and intercessor; and for those who have accepted Him, He is always praying and bringing them before God, thus ensuring their continued care and blessing.
The role of intercessor is rare but not absent from God’s own people. Elijah, the Old Testament prophet, was an intercessor. He was a godly man, and as such had power with God. He prayed, and there was a drought for three years; he prayed again, and the rains came.
In our day, I believe that anyone who is totally crucified to self and devoted only to the will of God can take their place as an intercessor; but it takes much discipline and a devotedness to the ministry of prayer. Hence the lack.
Jesus of course is the perfect intercessor because of His perfection; He is righteous and pure and totally committed to God’s will. But for whom is He interceding?
He intercedes for those who are coming to God, those who see their need of a Saviour, those who are willing to turn from sin and live for God. If this is you, then you may know that Jesus is praying effectual prayers for you; He is coming before God with requests for you. What a comfort, that we have someone in heaven who is pleading our cause and making intercession for us; one whose prayers are always answered, always effectual, always rewarded.
Unbeknown to the apostle Peter, Satan had requested of God that he may sift him as wheat. “But,” said Jesus, “I have prayed for you, Peter, that your faith does not fail!”
All success in the Christian life, and the height to which our faith might rise, can be attributed only to the grace of God, as Jesus prays for us. This is both humbling and highly rewarding—our faith will not fail while Jesus prays and intercedes for us.
In John’s gospel, we have one complete recorded prayer of Christ’s intercession. It is both informative and heart-warming. It serves also as an exemplary prayer. Here are some of the verses.
He says, as intercessor, “I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those whom You have given Me. For they are Yours. Holy Father, through Your name keep those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are one. I have given them Your word. And the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world. I do not pray for these alone but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You. May they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me.” [note, the whole prayer may be found in John 17.]
Great intercession from the great intercessor!
JEHOVAH
This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens… Genesis 2:4
The LORD (YHWH) has made all things for Himself, yes, even the wicked for the day of evil. Proverbs 16:4
For by Him [Jesus] all things were created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they are thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers. All things were created by Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16
Definition: the personal name of God, revealed to Moses on Mount Horeb (Exodus 3). [C16: from mediaeval Latin, from Hebrew YHVH, YAHWEH; the vowels a, o, and a were substituted in the Masoretic Hebrew text of the Old Testament for YHVH, this name being regarded as too sacred to be pronounced; in mediaeval Latin translations they were incorporated into the name as Jehovah (YaHoVaH).]
Jesus Christ is the Old Testament God (Jehovah) manifest in human flesh. He is God made Man, and is both fully God and fully Man—the God-Man. It was God who came down from heaven, to dwell among us.
It is helpful to us to glimpse even a little of this glorious truth, lest we vainly imagine that the God of the Old Testament is somehow different from the Jesus of the New Testament. No, these two are one—they are one and the same, in character, personality, and will, in mercy and in judgment. Yet though one, they are nevertheless distinct.
Jesus entered our world, and though the world was made by Him, yet the world did not recognise Him. Even though He came unto His own (Israel), yet the majority did not receive Him nor acknowledge Him to be their God, the Lord Jehovah (YHWH).
However, some Jews did receive Him. They acknowledged Him as their Messiah, and worshipped Him as their Lord and God. To these, Jesus gave the right to be accounted children of God, the true Israel of God, being born from above.
Of these, twelve men were chosen by Jesus as apostles, and He gave them the commission to begin the grand work of proclaiming the gospel around the world.
It was not long before Gentiles (non-Jews) were outnumbering Jews in bowing the knee to Christ. To this day, there is a larger number of Gentiles who proclaim Christ as King; and the numbers continue to increase. Heaven will be well-populated. God will have His banquet, and all who have received Christ will be there, rejoicing with Him.
Is Jesus God manifest in the flesh? Yes He is! (see 1 Timothy 3:16)
Then worship Him as such. Give Him equal glory with the Father and the Spirit, for these three are one, and these three are equal.
Each Person of the triune God is at the highest point; they could none of them be greater than they are, nor lesser than they are. Even when Jesus humbled Himself and became a Man, His power was not diminished, and His glory was merely veiled. He took a lesser role—that of Son—without divesting Himself of any quality. His incarnation involved the taking of humanity into His divinity—not the other way round.
This is Jehovah—Almighty God! Worthy of our worship, our thanksgiving, our praise, and our service. This is Jesus, about whom I am writing.
JUDGE
God overlooked the times of ignorance, but now He commands all men everywhere to repent. For He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a Man whom He has appointed, having given assurance of this to all men by raising Him from the dead. Acts 17:30-31
A judge is a public official with authority to hear cases in a court of law and pronounce judgment upon them.
Jesus has been ordained by God to be judge over all the earth on the day set aside for that purpose. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment!
There is but one day in which God will judge the whole world in righteousness. One court-case, one judge—the Lord Jesus—and the entire population of history. Souls will be resurrected to appear before God. None will be able to avoid this summons, for it is God’s Day of reckoning, and He will have all stand before Him.
What are the criteria with which He will judge us? It will be by His law.
Men may alter statutes to suit the trends of the day, but God’s laws will never be changed. The original laws which God gave to Moses on Mount Horeb are the laws with which He will judge the world.
What are these laws? They are found in the Old Testament and the New. The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus Chapter Twenty, and these alone are sufficient to condemn us, for all have broken each one. But there are many other laws given by God which man should obey. Man, in his so-called wisdom, despises these laws, and wilfully and openly breaks them, and encourages others to break them. The twentieth century must go down in history as the age of absolute rebellion against God and God’s law; the way we are now going points to the twenty-first century as being far worse.
Not only will men be condemned at the judgment of Jesus Christ, but it often turns out that God also judges in time.
Some say: “Why does God allow so much suffering in the world if He is so good?”
For myself, I am astonished that God has permitted man to live at all, seeing that he lives in such an ungodly and rebellious way.
Remember the Great Flood, when God judged and destroyed the whole world except eight—Noah and his family? Why so much suffering, as men, women, and children died an awful death by drowning? Why not? God is perfectly justified. Have you ever thought of the preaching of Noah? Perhaps you didn’t know that God had him preaching for a century before He sent the great deluge upon the world. Isn’t that enough warning? I rather think so. I certainly think that God is most merciful and long-suffering.
And have you thought of the fact that there have been Christian preachers for two thousand years now, who have preached in a similar vein? God has forewarned us of the coming judgment. This judgment is approaching. Let us repent therefore, while there is still time.
For in the preaching of God’s word, we find that He has already judged sin. He has pronounced the sentence, and Christ has died—even the judge Himself—and now offers a full pardon to all that will receive it. Jesus becomes no more a judge to me, rather a most wonderful friend and Saviour. That is something worth celebrating!
Yes! Jesus is the judge! But He is willing to bear our guilt and save our souls.
KING
Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight, that I would not be handed over to the Jews. But now My kingdom is not from here.” John 18:36
King: a male sovereign prince who is the official ruler of an independent state; a monarch.
Jesus is the King of glory. He is the official ruler of that independent state known to us as heaven. He is also supreme King over all earthly rulers.
The kingdom of God is not of this world, but is otherworldly, a heavenly country. And yet Jesus rules sovereignly not only there, but also in the affairs of this world, in the kingdoms of earth. He is called in the book of Revelation the King of kings and Lord of lords. The powers of earth are continually subject to the overruling powers of heaven, despite any unbelief or lack of acknowledgement; He is well able to turn the hearts of kings, and often raises up and pulls down leaders.
The heavenly kingdom is one of absolute purity. This is a requirement for all who aspire to dwell there. The angels who rebelled against God were cast out to demonstrate this. Heaven is a place of love, kindness, gentleness, peacefulness.
What hope then has mankind, which has gone its own way and rebelled against the Lord of heaven?
Let me here make the royal proclamation: The King Jesus has secured a pardon for any who will lay down their arms of rebellion against God’s authority. It is when we do this that we show true penitence and a desire for the purity of heaven.
If you want to sin, then please do not expect to enjoy the eternal joy foretold in the Scriptures. There is only darkness awaiting you. The King will cast you out forever, He whom you have rejected all your life.
If you want to have done with sin, seeing it as being wrong, ungodly, then there is hope for you in Jesus Christ; for He is not only King, He is also the atoning sacrifice for sin. God cannot forget your sin, and pass it over; but Christ has paid the price of sin Himself, He has already suffered the consequences FOR you.
Do you see what you need to do, in response to His oblation?
You must repent and believe the gospel. God has appointed His King. This King has died in your place and made your redemption complete. Believe it! Act upon it! Cry out to God to save you! Turn your life over to Him! Turn your back on sin for ever! Seek to live only for the Lord! Desire real purity of life! Become heavenly-minded! Put your trust in Jesus! Look to His cross and live! Look to His sacrifice and be pardoned! At this very moment, there is life for a look at the crucified one!
Ask God with all humility to fill you with His Spirit, that you may be sure that you have your petition answered. His Spirit is commissioned to grant full assurance of sins forgiven; He fills us with the peace of God; He causes us to cry, “Abba, Father!”
Jesus is the King! It truly is the most marvellous thing—to know, love and serve the King of heaven.
LAMB OF GOD
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Here is the great uniqueness of Christ, and the keynote of the Christian faith; for no one else has, nor is anyone else capable of, accomplishing this task of taking away the sin of the world.
The John referred to in our Scripture quotation was that great prophet and herald of Jesus, John Baptist. He was living under the terms of the old covenant, and was therefore well acquainted with the sacrificial system of his Jewish heritage. A system, remember, which was instituted by Jehovah Himself, as a means of satisfying His justice yet providing a way of return for His own and elect people.
The most well-known of these sacrifices was that of the Passover, which recalled the exodus from Egypt of God’s people after being enslaved there for some 400 years.
Each Israelite family had to slay a pure lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorposts and lintel of their home, to avoid certain death. The angel of death went through the whole of the land of Egypt, putting to death the firstborn in every family of men and animals, making no distinction in human terms; but in God’s terms, wherever He found the blood sprinkled on the door, He passed over and the occupants were safe. Jehovah instructed His people to remember this event by the sacrament of the Passover Meal, where unleavened bread would be eaten and wine drunk. The bread was to remind them of their sudden and hasty departure from Egypt, and the red wine was to remind them of the blood of the lamb they had sacrificed.
The yearly celebration of this deliverance ceased when Jesus Himself celebrated this meal with His disciples for the third and last time. For, at the meal, using the symbols before Him, He brought in the new covenant and the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist), saying that the broken bread now symbolised His broken body, and the wine His blood spilt on the cross at Calvary, an event which was shortly to take place.
This is why the New Testament, in its teaching, refers to Christ as our Passover, slain for us.
The blood of Jesus, God’s Son, is able to take away all sin and the condemnation that our sin brings upon us.
He is the Lamb of God; that is, God’s own provision for us of an acceptable sacrifice.
Have you beheld Him? Have you been sprinkled and washed in that blood? Do you want to have life? Then behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!
God’s angel still looks for the mark of the shed blood. To be sheltering under the blood of Christ is the safe and sure way of protection from the coming wrath.
Why die in your sins?
Jesus is the Lamb of God! He takes away the sin of the world.
LIFE-GIVER
Then he showed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Revelation 22:1
The Scripture I have chosen for this chapter is part of a description of what heaven will be like. Remember though that much of the Revelation cannot be taken absolutely literally but must be understood in descriptive or symbolic terms; for flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven, it is an eternally spiritual place.
This verse shows us that from the throne of heaven, there is a river flowing. It is a pure river, as clear as crystal, and it imparts life; it is a life-giving stream. The river is alive, and life flows out from it.
This river has been flowing out to the world ever since the Day of Pentecost, when God, having accepted Christ’s sacrifice, and witnessed His blood sprinkled on the altar in heaven, poured forth the promised Holy Spirit on all who had received Christ and were His disciples.
The river is God the Holy Spirit; and wherever the river flows, He imparts life. It is a powerful and life-changing stream.
The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing.
But in order to bring His life to an individual, that person must be made willing to embrace the life of Christ and become spiritual; for in their natural state, they are at enmity with God and His Christ, choosing sin over righteousness.
His first work then is to convince of sin and righteousness and judgment to come. His second work is to illuminate the mind as to the truth, especially the truth concerning the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, showing Him as being able and willing to redeem and forgive all who apply to Him in humility and repentance. His third work is to so draw the sinner with love—showing them the wonder and beauty of Christ—that they are compelled to seek the Lord, and to cry out to Him, saying, “Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner.” His fourth work is to apply forgiveness and justification—the sinner is forgiven by God and declared to be perfectly righteous in His sight by faith. His fifth work is to assure the new believer that all is well now with their soul. He does this by sealing them with His Spirit—God now dwells within the believer! His sixth and ongoing work for the rest of life is to lead them into all truth and sanctify them thoroughly; that is, having saved them freely, He now seeks to make them actually holy in character and life.
This new life is found in Christ.
Whoever has the Son has life; if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.
Does God’s Spirit dwell within you? Have you known this new life? Are you truly born from above? Are you an inward Christian, empowered by His Spirit?
Jesus is the life-giver; His Spirit is a stream, a river, a torrent of power, an ocean of love and forgiveness. None who experience these waters will ever need another source or fount. The river of God excels all competition; and it is eternal.
Jesus is the end of the search, and the beginning of a long pilgrimage home.
LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12
Jesus is the light of the world. Whoever follows Him, and conforms their life to His life, shall not walk in darkness, but shall be enlightened by the Lord.
By light and dark, Jesus is not referring to any natural thing, like day and night. No, it is a spiritual darkness and a spiritual light.
Today, there are multitudes who are enveloped in a darkness that is so black they no longer realise it. It is like when you move home to a rural area for the first time. Initially, the darkness, and a lack of street lighting, can be alarming; but after a few years you get used to it and it becomes the most natural thing. You get used to it being dark for much of the time.
When Adam and Eve, our first human parents, broke God’s law for the very first time, they both became acutely aware of the penalty for sin. They lost intimate fellowship with God, and were afraid and heartbroken. But after many decades had passed, and generations had come and gone, people were no longer aware that they were designed for God’s glory. They had lost the knowledge that mankind was to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. They lived in a void, a darkness that they were unaware of.
But a man called Noah found grace in God’s sight. He saw the light, and responded to it. He bowed the knee to Almighty God and became His friend. Noah preached about the darkness, and the need for people to repent and return to God.
But what happens when people live in spiritual darkness? They get further and further away from God’s ways, which are based on love, and get closer and closer to the ways of sinful man, which are all centred on greed, hatred, self-centredness, and materialism. We may not recognise this, because our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; yet this is God’s judgment on the state of our inner man.
In Noah’s day, God decided He would wipe out the whole world bar eight—Noah and all his family. But God is righteous and just; He never comes in wrath upon the world without warning. He instructed Noah to preach to the people and to warn them. Noah obeyed but had no converts. But in hell today, all those people who ignored God’s warning are wishing that they had listened to Noah instead of hurling abuse at him.
Those in darkness will often not hear of any spiritual light—they prefer to live in the darkness. They proclaim themselves free of all control; yet all the time they are willing slaves of Satan himself, who is crafty enough to persuade them that he doesn’t exist.
There is a light that can make a difference. It is the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. This gospel introduces you to the light of the world, Jesus; and once you have Him, you have eternal life.
As soon as He has enlightened you, and you become acquainted with truth, you will not rest day or night until He has assured you of sins forgiven, peace with God, enmity removed, and the wrath of God toward you appeased—by His blood.
Jesus is the light of the world. Follow Him in the light and live.
Why go on walking in darkness?
LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH
Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Look! The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5
Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah. But what does that mean? And what is this scroll with seven seals that He alone is able to open?
The book of the Revelation was written by the apostle John, who was exiled for his testimony on Patmos Island, Greece. It was here, in the seclusion of his open prison, that he had the most remarkable encounter with the risen Christ, He who had been put to death decades earlier.
It was called the book of Revelation because Jesus spoke to him face to face, and dictated letters to him to send to local churches. John was also granted amazing visions and insights into the heavenly economy. In the spirit, he even entered heaven itself for a while, and witnessed many things, some of which he was able to record for our benefit.
In this passage of Scripture, John tells how he saw a door open in heaven, and an invitation was given him to enter. He entered. There he saw the throne of God! Around the throne were worshippers, continually giving praise to God, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.”
In the right hand of Him who sat on the throne was a scroll, with writing on the inside and on the back; it was sealed with seven seals. A strong angel proclaimed with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” John sensed in his heart that within this document was information pertinent to the history of the world, and he longed to know the content. But he was also convinced that there was no-one worthy who could open it out and show it to him. He wept! He wept greatly!
Then comes our text at the head of this article. An elder disclosed that the Lion of Judah was worthy, and that He would open the scroll, and loose its seals.
John looked for this Lion, and saw, in the midst of the throne, a Lamb standing. It had the appearance of a slain Lamb, a sacrificial Lamb; but this was indeed the Lion whom the elder had spoken about. The Lamb came forward and took the scroll out of the hand of the Lord YHWH.
At this, the whole company of heaven bowed down and worshipped the Lamb, saying that He was worthy of all praise, for He had been slain, and that His blood had redeemed a people to God out of every nation, tongue, and tribe. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” (i.e. Jesus Christ.)
At this, the Lamb began to open the seals, and to loose out for John to see, all that was contained within. Do you also want to see what was written there? It is recorded for us, there in the Bible, from Revelation Chapter Six!
Jesus is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David. He is titled a ‘lion’ to denote His kingship, His power, His invincible authority. ‘The tribe of Judah and the king David’ refer to His earthly lineage according to the flesh; Mary His mother and Joseph were descended from these forefathers.
LIVING BREAD
“I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live for ever. The bread which I shall give for the life of the world is My flesh.” John 6:51
In an earlier chapter, we noted that Jesus called Himself the bread of life: here, a few verses further on in John’s gospel, He calls Himself living bread.
If any chapter of the Bible is especially worth meditating on, and praying over, it is this sixth chapter of John. For here we have a clear indication of how we may have eternal life, how we may be saved. “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever.”
Jesus was talking to people who had asked Him for a sign, that they might believe in Him. For, they argued, in the time of Moses, that great religious leader of the fathers, he had given them manna to eat, a supernatural bread, that fell from the skies every day except the Sabbath. What would Jesus do to confirm His commission?
The Lord pointed out that it was not actually Moses who had given the fathers the bread—it was the gift of God Himself. Now, in the new order of things, there was another type of bread given; not manna—as previously, which sustained life for a while but could not impart life—but a living bread, bread that had life in itself, and which imparted life to whoever ate of it. This bread, said Jesus, is the bread of God from heaven, that gives life to the world.
The enquirers in the crowd asked Jesus to give them this bread. “Lord, give us this bread always.”
Listen to some of the answers Jesus gave them, and meditate on them:
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me shall never hunger, and whoever believes in Me shall never thirst.”
“Whoever comes to Me I will by no means cast out.”
“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise them up at the last day.”
“Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me; and whoever believes in Me has eternal life.”
“I am the living bread. If anyone eats of this bread they will live for ever. This bread is My flesh which I shall give for the life of the world. And unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”
“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me and I in them.”
“As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so those who feed on Me will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down from heaven; and whoever eats this bread will live forever.”
Yes, Jesus is the living bread from heaven. Partake of this bread and you will live forever.
Do you hunger and thirst for spiritual food?
LORD
…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation….Romans 10:9-10
Jesus is Lord over all; that is, He has complete authority over everything.
He is Lord of angels and heavenly beings; Lord of mankind; Lord of the sun and moon; Lord of stars and galaxies; Lord of weather systems; Lord over matter; Lord over spirits; Lord of events; Lord of circumstances; Lord over life and death; Lord of the godly; Lord over the ungodly; Lord over the animal kingdoms; Lord over the vegetable kingdoms; Lord over the microscopic-being kingdoms; Lord of the oceans; Lord of the land; Lord of the ionosphere; Lord of lords and King of kings. He is Lord over all.
For myself, as an ordinary human being, Jesus is Lord by right. After all, He created all things, including me. I owe my life to Him, as I also owe it to my parents through whom God brought me into this world. Yet He is also my Lord by submission: I have voluntarily laid down my own ‘freedom’, and chosen to bow down to Jesus, receiving Him as my Lord and Master. So I could now truthfully sing that old prayerful hymn which begins: “O Jesus I have promised to serve You to the end. Be Thou for ever near me, my Master and my Friend.”
Some see Jesus only as a harsh lord; others see Him as a genial friend who wouldn’t swat a fly. Personally, I see Him as neither of these. He is to me an honourable and just Lord, the greatest friend who saves me from the wrath to come.
Did you notice what the Scripture said at the head of this chapter? It spoke of being saved. It tells us what simple thing God requires of us, that we might be saved; not only saved, but how we can glorify God and enjoy Him forever. What is it?
The word is incredibly close to you, as close as your mouth and your inner spirit. It is a word of faith, the faith of the Christian church throughout history: that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will—most assuredly—be saved.
Jesus is alive!
Let me say it again, for it thrills me to declare it.
Jesus lives! Crucified for our sins, but raised again so that He could save us, and declare us perfectly righteous in God’s sight by faith.
Jesus is Lord! I confess it! I confess it unashamedly, anywhere, and at any time. Jesus Christ is Lord! It is humbling, yes, but humility always leads to good things.
Do you want to believe but find it difficult? Read this chapter over again, and let God speak to you, instead of the world. Shut your ears to the secular and concentrate your efforts on the spiritual. You are not able to believe without God’s grace; but God is gracious to the humble and turns no one away who seeks Him with a whole heart.
“Ask and it shall be given you; seek and you will find; knock, and the door shall be opened to you.” Definitely! This is the word of God to you right now!
Jesus Christ is Lord!
LOVE (1)
the psalms 