Posted by Gary on January 15, 2010
This past Sunday our sermon Scripture was Revelation chapter 1 which includes a description of Jesus that I believe is so far from our conception of Him. This of course is the glorified Christ, as He is now after the resurrection in heaven and what do we know about such a Jesus?
Revelation 1:13-18 “and in the middle of the lampstands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, “Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of death and of Hades.
Hair white as wool? Eyes like a flame of fire? Feet like burnished bronze? A voice like the sound of many waters? A sharp sword coming from His mouth? A face like the sun shining in its strength? A presence that causes even apostles to fall to the ground?
Our idea of Jesus is basically a gentle hippy. Long brown hair, deep blue eyes ( no flames in the eyes of our Jesus). Our Jesus has a gentle face with cheeks it would seemed brushed with rouge, the real Jesus’ face cannot be looked upon for the light from it is blinding. We could throw our arms around our Jesus, John sees Him and falls at His feet as if he were dead.
Our Jesus is only love and love to us means that He wants us to do whatever we think will make us happy even though what makes us happy is unholy and unlike Him. Is our Jesus the same Jesus who rules with a rod of iron and treads the winepress of the wrath of God Almighty?
Revelation 19:15 “From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty.”
Please be certain that your Jesus is the Jesus of the Bible and almost certainly you will have to make some vast adjustments to your perception and thoughts. With all this said, the awesome, fearful, holy Jesus is full of mercy toward those who fear Him and have placed their faith in Him. For those like John who fall down before Him His response is always and mercifully, “Do not be afraid…”
Posted by Gary on December 19, 2009
Take a moment and read these truthful, helpful thoughts from Charles Spurgeon on the Incarnation of Christ and what it can mean for you:
This joy began with the shepherds, for the angel said to them, “Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” Reader, shall the joy begin with you to-day? It avails you little that Christ is born, or that Christ died, unless unto you a Child is born, and for you Jesus bled. A personal interest in the birth, life, and death of Christ is the main point for each one of us…
…Jesus is the Friend of the poor, the sinful, and the unworthy. You, poor ones, need not fear to come unto Him; for He was born in a stable, and cradled in a manger. You have not worse accommodation than He had; you are not poorer than He was. Come and welcome to the poor man’s Prince, to the peasant’s Savior. Stay not back through fear of your unfitness; the shepherds came to Him in all their dishabille (casual dress). I read not that they tarried to put on their best garments; but, in the clothes in which they wrapped themselves that cold midnight, they hastened, just as they were, to the young Child’s presence. God looks not at garments, but at hearts; and accepts men when they come to Him with willing spirits, whether they be rich or poor…
…No aristocratic Christ have I to commend to you, but the Savior of the people, the Friend of publicans and sinners. Jesus is the true “poor man’s Friend;” He is “a Witness to the people, a Leader and Commander to the people.” Oh, that each one of us might truly say, “Unto me is Jesus born”! If I truly believe in Him, Christ is born unto me, and I may be as sure of it as if an angel announced it personally to me, since the Scripture assures me that, if I believe in Jesus, He is mine, and I am His, and through union with Him I become a partaker in His everlasting life, and in all that He has.
Charles Spurgeon from “The Incarnation: The Foundation of the Christian Faith”
It is one thing to declare that we believe that Christ is the Son of God and that He was born of a virgin. But do you believe that He died and rose again as the payment for sins? Even this is not enough…do you believe that He was born for you? That He died for you? That He rose again for the forgiveness of your sins? Christ is not yours until He becomes yours by an act of personal faith and reception of Him into your life. Is Christ yours?
Posted by Gary on April 21, 2009
Acts 5:38-39 “I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God."
Just over a week ago we disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ celebrated His victory over sin and death on Resurrection Sunday (Easter). This past Easter was near the 2000 Easter since Christ’s resurrection.
Through these 2000 years billions of people have professed faith in Jesus Christ. Of those billions, many have been willing to suffer for and even die for their faith in Him. No faith has been or is more vehemently attacked than the Christian faith. No book is more consistently assailed than the Bible and no event has more doubt cast upon it by scholarship and the media than the resurrection.
Through these 2000 years the voice of a man has been speaking, his name is Gamaliel. Gamaliel was a father in Israel and teacher of God’s law. From what the Bible says of Gamaliel, he was highly respected:
Acts 5:34 “But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the Law, respected by all the people…”
Saul of Tarsus who would later become the Apostle Paul was trained by this same Gamaliel:
Acts 22:3 "I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.
What is it that this highly respected Gamaliel has been saying these 2000 years? He has been telling us that Christ is who He claimed to be, the Son of God and Savior of the world.
On one particular occasion the apostles were brought before the Jewish council because they persisted to preach that Christ is Lord. The council had intention to kill the apostles (Acts 5:33) but Gamaliel stepped in and gave a word of caution. Why did Gamaliel do this? Was he convinced the apostles were telling the truth? Likely not. Yet, as one who knew God to be real and great he was not willing to dismiss the teaching of the apostles either.Gamaliel’s advice to the council prevailed and it speaks to this day:
Acts 5:38-39 “I say to you, stay away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or action is of men, it will be overthrown; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them; or else you may even be found fighting against God."
Gamaliel told us that if what the apostles were teaching was their own teaching or the work of the gospel a mere idea of man it would be overthrown. Well, 2000 years later has Christ and His gospel been overthrown? No, though all hell has been at war with Christ and the gospel. Gamaliel gave us wise advice, if these things were of man they would be overthrown as other works of men have been (Acts 5:36-37).
Gamaliel must be listened to twice. First, in his declaration that Christ is Lord for Christ and His gospel have not been overthrown. Secondly, Gamaliel has warned us, if the gospel is not overthrown and one opposes it they have ultimately waged an attack on God, they are fighting against God, for Christ is of God.
You and I are in one of two places today, we are sided with God through faith in His Son Jesus, or we are His enemies by rejecting Him. Christ and His gospel endure and prosper 2000 years since the resurrection what do you say to this? Gamaliel declared truth, will you heed him?
Posted by Gary on April 13, 2009
“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”
1 Corinthians 15:16-17
“The divinity of Christ finds it surest proof in His resurrection (Romans 1:4). Christ’s sovereignty also depends on His resurrection (Romans 14:9). Again, our justification hangs on Christ’s resurrection (Romans 4:25). Our very regeneration depends on His resurrection (1 Peter 1:3). And most certainly our ultimate resurrection rests here (Romans 8:11). The silver thread of resurrection runs through all the blessings, from regeneration onward to our eternal glory, and binds them together.”
Charles Spurgeon
“Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.”
Martin Luther
“The resurrection of our divine Lord from the dead is the cornerstone of Christian doctrine. Perhaps I might more accurately call it the keystone of the arch of Christianity, for if the fact could be disproved, the whole fabric of the gospel would fall to the ground.”
Charles Spurgeon
"Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead."
Acts 17:30-31
