Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah . . . has conquered . . . Revelation 5:5
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . Galatians 6:14
You have been very angry with your Anointed One. Psalm 89:38
For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2
Let the motto upon your whole ministry be - "Christ is All!" - Cotton Mather

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Incomparable Christ!


Evangelist Sam Jones said:

"More than 2000 years ago there was a man born contrary to the laws of nature. He laid aside his purple robe for a peasant's tunic. He was rich, yet for our sake He became poor. This man lived in poverty and was raised in obscurity. He received no formal education and never possessed wealth or widespread influence. He never traveled extensively. He seldom crossed the boundary of the country in which he lived and that was during exile in his childhood. His relatives were inconspicuous, not influential, and had neither training nor education. In infancy, He startled a king; in childhood, He amazed religious scholars; in manhood, He ruled over the course of nature, walked on stormy waves as if pavement, and hushed the raging sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for his services. 

He never wrote a book, and yet all the libraries of the world hold books written about him. He never wrote a song, and yet He has furnished the theme for more songs than all the songwriters combined. He never founded a college, but all the schools put together do not have as many students as does He. He never practiced medicine, and yet He has healed more broken hearts than all the doctors throughout history. He never marshaled an army, nor drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun, and yet no leader ever had more volunteers who have, under his orders, fought against truth’s enemies. 

He is the Star of astronomy 

The Rock of geology 

The Lion and the Lamb of the zoological kingdom 

He is the Revealer of snares that lurk in the darkness 

The Rebuker of every evil thing that prowls by night 

The Promoter of all that is wholesome 

The Adorner of all that is beautiful 

The Reconciler of all that is contradictory 

The Harmonizer of all discords 

The Healer of all diseases and the only Savior of all mankind. 

He fills the pages of theology, hymnology, and the book of Psalms. Every prayer that goes up to God goes in His name and is asked to be granted for His sake. The names of the proud statesmen of Egypt and Babylon and Greece and Rome and every other earthly kingdom have come and gone. The names of the past scientists, philosophers, and theologians have come and gone; but the name of this Man is still relevant and powerful and shall forever be so! 

Though time has spread 2000 years between the people of this generation and the scene of His death, yet He still lives. Herod could not kill Him! Satan could not seduce Him! Death could not hold Him! He stands forth upon the highest pinnacle of heavenly glory, proclaiming God, acknowledged by the angels, adored by saints, and feared by the demons, as a living, personal Christ. A study of the Bible reveals Christ as its central subject and great theme. What the hub is to the wheel, Christ is to the Bible. It revolves around Him. All its stories point to Him, all its truths converge in Him; all its glories reflect Him; all its promises radiate from Him; all its beauties are embodied by Him, all its demands are exemplified by Him, and all its predictions are realized through Him. 

Abel’s lamb, that first sacrifice to God, was a type of Christ. 

Abraham's offering of Isaac on Mount Moriah was a foretaste of God giving Christ on Mount Calvary. 

The Passover Lamb in Egypt was a type of Christ. 

The bronze serpent in the wilderness that Moses held up for the people’s healing was a type of Christ. 

The scapegoat of Old Testament times symbolized Him bearing the sins of the world. 

He was with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. 

He was with Abel at his death. 

He walked with Enoch. 

He floated with Noah in the ark. 

He ate with Abraham in his desert tent. 

He fled with Lot to escape wicked Sodom. 

He watched Isaac reopen the wells that his father Abraham had dug. 

He wrestled with Jacob at Peniel. 

He strengthened Joseph in the time of temptation, protected him in prison, and exalted him to first place in the kingdom of Egypt. 

He watched over Moses as he floated in a basket among the bulrushes, talked to him from the burning bush, led him back to Egypt, opened the Red Sea for him, fed him with heaven’s bread, protected him with a column of fire and finally led him to the top of Mount Nebo for a vision of the Promised Land and his eternal rest. 

He was at Joshua’s side as he crossed the Jordan and the Promised Land became a reality. 

He was with Gideon and his 300 men. 

He was with Samuel as he crowned Saul and David as kings of Israel. 

He was with David as he faced the giant. 

He was with Solomon building the first Temple. 

He was with King Hezekiah as Sennacherib, the Assyrian, invaded the land. 

He was with King Josiah as he restored the worship of Yahweh. 

He was with Ezekiel and Daniel in Babylon. 

He was with Ezra and Nehemiah as they returned from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem and its wall. 

He was with all those who, through faith, subdued kingdoms, brought righteousness, stopped the mouths of lions, and out of their weakness were made strong by the mighty hand of God. 

Abraham heard His voice while living in the desert of Ur of Chaldea. 

Jacob called Him the "Lawgiver of Judah." 

Moses called him "The Prophet that was to come." 

Job called Him, "My living Redeemer." 

Daniel called Him the "Ancient of Days." 

Isaiah called Him, "Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, and the Prince of Peace." 

Is all of this in the Old Testament? Yes, and much more besides. 

Micah tells of the place of His birth. 

Jonah tells of His death, burial and resurrection. 

Amos tells of His second coming to build again the tabernacles of David. 

Joel describes the day of His wrath. 

Zechariah tells of His coming reign as King over all the earth. 

Every page is filled with Him! Its sacrifices show Him, its symbols signify Him, its histories are His stories, its songs are His sentiments, its prophesies are His pictures, its promises are His pledges; and our hearts burn within us as we walk beside Him across its living pages! Concerning His royal lineage, He was born in Bethlehem, the seed of Abraham, the Son of David, the Son of Mary, and the Son of God. He was acknowledged as "King of the Jews," "Christ the Lord," "God’s Son," "The Savior of Men," by angels, shepherds, demons, and wise men. Concerning His service, we learn that He labored as a carpenter, opened the eyes of the blind, unstopped the ears of the deaf, loosed the mute tongues, cleansed lepers, restored withered hands, fed the hungry, sympathized with the sad, washed the disciple’s feet, wept with Mary and Martha, preached the gospel to the poor, and gave His life on that cross. He was born of a woman, as a little babe, He was wrapped in swaddling clothes, grew up and developed in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man. He worked with His hands. He grew weary. He got hungry. He got thirsty. He slept. He got angry. He shed tears. He sweat great drops of blood. He was betrayed, went through the mockery of a trial, was whipped, His hands and His feet were pierced; He wore a crown of thorns, was spit upon, was crucified, was buried in a borrowed tomb behind a sealed stone, and was guarded by Roman soldiers. He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, spoke matchless words, stilled storms, calmed waves, rebuked winds, multiplied loaves, turned water into wine, raised the dead, foretold the future, healed diseases, forgave sin, claimed equality with God, arose from the dead, and possesses all authority in heaven and in earth. 

He was both God and man. As the God-man, He was thirsty, and yet He gave living water. He went to a wedding and turned the water into wine. He slept in a boat, yet He stilled the storm. He was tempted, yet He sinned not. He wept, yet He raised Lazarus from the dead. He prayed to the Father and He also makes intercession for all His people. This is what Paul means when he writes, "Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifested in the flesh, justified by the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16). He is the Bread of Life and The Light of the World. He is the True Vine and the Good Shepherd. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life! He is the Door to Heaven! He is the Faithful Witness, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, Alpha and Omega, the Lord who was and is and is to come! He is the Savior of the world. 

In Genesis, He is the Seed of woman. 

In Exodus, He is the Passover lamb. 

In Leviticus, He is our High Priest. 

In Numbers, He is the Pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. 

In Deuteronomy, He is the prophet like unto Moses. 

In Joshua, He is Captain of our salvation. 

In Judges, He is Judge and Lawgiver. 

In Ruth, He is our kinsman Redeemer. 

In 1 and 2 Samuel, He is our trusted Prophet. 

In Kings and Chronicles, He is our King. 

In Ezra and Nehemiah, He is the Rebuilder. 

In Esther, He is our Mordecai. 

In Job, He is our Everlasting Redeemer. 

In Psalms, He is our Shepherd and grant theme of our song. 

In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, He is our Wisdom. 

In Song of Solomon, He is our Bridegroom. 

In Isaiah, He is the Prince of Peace. 

In Jeremiah, He is the Righteous Branch. 

In Lamentations, He is our Weeping Prophet. 

In Ezekiel, He is a Heavenly Vision. 

In Daniel, He is the Fourth Man in the fire. 

In Hosea, He is the faithful Husband. 

In Joel, He is the Baptizer with fire. 

In Amos, He is our Burden-Bearer. 

In Obadiah, He is the Mighty to Save. 

 In Jonah, He is our Great Foreign Missionary. 

In Micah, He is The Messenger of Beautiful Feet. 

In Nahum, He is the Avenger of God’s Elect. 

In Habakkuk, He is God’s Evangelist. 

In Zephaniah, He is our Savior. 

In Haggai, He is the Restorer. 

In Zechariah, He is the Fountain filled with blood. 

In Malachi, He is the Sun of Righteousness with Healing in His wings. 

In Matthew, He is the Messiah. 

In Mark, He is the Miracle-Worker. 

In Luke, He is the Son of Man. 

In John, He is Son of God.

In Acts, He is the Builder of His Church. 

In Romans, He is our Justifier. 

In Corinthians, He is our Sanctifier. 

In Galatians, He is our Redeemer from the curse of the law. 

In Ephesians, He is the Christ of Unsearchable Riches. 

In Philippians, He is our great treasure and boast. 

In Colossians, He is the fullness of the Godhead. 

In Thessalonians, He is our Soon-Coming King. 

In Timothy, He is our Mediator. 

In Titus, He is our Faithful Pastor. 

In Philemon, He is a Friend closer than a brother. 

In Hebrews, He is our great High Priest Forever. 

In James, He is the reason for good works. 

In 1&2 Peter, He is our Shepherd. 

In 1, 2, & 3 John, He is Love. 

In Jude, He is coming with His saints. 

In Revelation, He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. 

He is Abel’s Sacrifice, Noah’s rainbow, Abraham’s Ram, Isaac’s Well, Jacob’s ladder, Moses’ Rod, Elijah’s Mantle, Elisha’s Staff, Gideon’s Fleece, Samuel’s Anointing, David’s Sling, Daniel’s Visions, and Malachi’s Sun of Righteousness. He is Peter’s Rock, Stephen’s Mighty Words, Paul’s Blinding Light, and John’s New Jerusalem. 

He is Father to the orphan, Husband to the widow, shelter to the traveler in the night; He is the Bright and Morning Star. To the lonesome, He is the Comforter. He is the Rose of Sharon, and Water from the Rock in a "dry thirsty land." He is the brightness of God’s glory, the Image of His Person, the King of Glory, the Pearl of Great Price, the Water in the desert, the Cup that runs over, the Staff of Comfort and the Sustainer of life and the Author of Salvation! He is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the Living God! 

He is not just a representative of God; He was not merely a good man that God chose; He was and is God! He is my Savior, my companion, my Lord and my King! At His name, "Every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that He is Lord." 

Have you made that confession? One day you will; Scripture promises as much."

Please make that confession now before it is eternally too late!

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