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Posts Tagged ‘Person of Christ’

Messiah Shall Be

Posted in Doctrine, General, God Thoughts, God's Word, Person of Jesus, Praise, Reflection, Work of Jesus, tagged , , , , , , on February 7, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Snow delayed church today, enabling extended, much needed sleep and more time for personal worship. I frequently recall the phrase “Prophet, Priest, and King”, which pretty much summarizes all that Jesus is to us. But as this thought returned to me as I was reading the Davidic Covenant in II Samuel 7, I began reflecting on who this King, this Messiah would be, and was, and is. In the next hour I listed and referenced the following names, titles, and functions of our Lord. It is not exhaustive*, but it is glorious.

Messiah shall be…

  • Creator Genesis 1:26, John 1:3, Colossians 1:16
  • Seed of woman Genesis 3:15
  • Seed of Abraham Genesis 12:3, 17:19
  • Prophet Deuteronomy 18:18-19
  • Captain of the host of the Lord Joshua 5:14
  • Holy One of Israel Isaiah 48:17
  • Suffering Servant Isaiah 52:13 – 53:11
  • Root and Branch of David Isaiah 11:1, 53:2; Revelation 22:16
  • Redeemer Job 19:25, Isaiah 54:5
  • Son of Man Daniel 7:13
  • King Daniel 7:14, Isaiah 23:5, Matthew 27:11
  • Messiah the Prince Daniel 9:25
  • Priest and King Zechariah 6:13
  • Son of God Matthew 26:63-64, Luke 22:70, John 1:34, 3:18
  • Word John 1:1
  • I Am John 8:58
  • Savior Matthew 1:21, Luke 2:11
  • Sustainer Colossians 1:17
  • Head of the Church Colossians 1:18
  • Resurrection and Life John 11:25

As a recent documentary my wife and I were watching said, “He is worth it.” Worth what you may say? He is worth giving up all that we desire and pursue, worth pain and persecution, misunderstanding and dismissal, and loss of all for gain of Him. My life doesn’t always reflect that worth in all I do and say and think, but I believe it and am wanting it more as time goes along.

*He is God, The Door, The Good Shepherd, The Alpha and Omega, Lord, Friend, The Lamb, Warrior King, and on and on the Scripture reveals. Extend my list and reference it. It will focus your mind and strengthen your heart.

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Earnestly Contend

Posted in Doctrine, Faith, General, God Thoughts, Person of Jesus, Poem, Work of Jesus, tagged , , , , , , , on December 4, 2020| Leave a Comment »

My recent reflection on the hymn “Of the Father’s Love Begotten” (“The Only Begotten of the Father”) had a precursor thought to it in the form of a poem. I noticed the late 4th century date of composition and reflected that there was much heresy in the church then that centered mostly around the person and work of Christ.* True believers are called upon to always “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 1:3) Considering both the earnestly contending for the faith that has occurred in times of challenge to the truth and the person and work of Christ as revealed in Scripture, I wrote the following poem:

Songs, sermons, various creeds
Born in time of heresy
For those moments and those needs
Help us all their truths to see

To the Christ of Scripture point
The One Who God did anoint
God the Savior did appoint
He beginning and endpoint

Our focus must always be
Second person of the Three
In Jesus the Father see
He bought grace so rich and free

By words and deeds we defend
Truth of Christ against new trend
Knowing truth will transcend
Not allow with error to blend

New songs of praise we should write
With Scripture truth, never trite
Sermons preach with Gospel might
Know the creeds, why they are right

*In reality, there is always a focus on destroying our knowledge and faith about the person and work of Christ. This early time was just when many of the heresies went through the church the first time or first became public.

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His Inimitable Person

Posted in General, God Thoughts, Poem, Random thoughts, Work of Jesus, tagged , , , , on January 29, 2018| 2 Comments »

When my pastor was leading the Lord’s Supper yesterday, he spoke of the Savior’s perfections, making mention of His impeccable life. For those who have read my blog for some time, you know that words and thoughts can set me off. Words beginning in “im” and “in” began to pour into my mind concerning all the ways that Jesus is perfect. The only one that didn’t come to me was inimitable, but I was looking for an “i” word that means perfect to use in the title. I came home in the afternoon and wrote the following poem. I have provided definitions below to help you.

His impeccable life
On display to see
His impervious character
The reason it could be
His invincible power
Makes His enemies flee
His indescribable wisdom
Totally beyond me
His indefatigable grace
Has set believers free
His incomparable mercy
I praise on bended knee
His interposed blood
Rescued His church, we
His inconceivable love
In salvation the key
His infinite existence
The great I AM is He

Inimitable-so good or unusual as to be impossible to copy; unique
Impeccable-in accordance with the highest standards of propriety; faultless
Impervious-unable to be affected by
Invincible-too powerful to be defeated or overcome
Indescribable-too unusual, extreme, or indefinite to be adequately described
Indefatigable-persisting tirelessly
Incomparable-without an equal in quality or extent; matchless
Interposed-place or insert between one thing and another
Inconceivable-not capable of being imagined or grasped mentally; unbelievable
Infinite-limitless or endless in space, extent, or size; impossible to measure

 

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Juxtaposition within the God-Man

Posted in Advent, General, God Thoughts, Work of Jesus, tagged , , , , on December 3, 2017| Leave a Comment »

When two different objects or ideas are placed near to one another, so that their nearness emphasizes their differences, this is called juxtaposition. [Raise up an off white, slightly stained rag and ask, “Is it clean?” When there is doubt, say, “Let me help you.” Raise up a very white, clean rag and point to the first rag, saying, “Is it clean?”] The hymn writer highlights the juxtaposition well, a contrast of seemingly incompatible facts, when he writes: “’Tis myst’ry all: th’ Immortal dies: Who can explore His strange design?” (Charles Wesley) Indeed, how can this be, that the infinite, immortal, all powerful, all knowing, everywhere present, eternal God sovereignly limits Himself to finite, mortal, frail, limited in knowledge and location and time, human flesh?

We do not merely speak of incarnation. You and I are incarnate, that is, housed in flesh. No, we speak of Divine Incarnation, God in flesh. As the Scripture says, “Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself” (Philippians 2:6-8) But another Scripture says, “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” (Hebrews 1:3)

We have stated the fact of God the Son taking on human flesh. But what was the means? How did it happen? The Scripture says, “an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.” And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.” (Matthew 1:20-24)

Through the conception by the Holy Spirit within the Virgin Mary, Jesus retained His sinless, divine nature enabling Him to live a perfect life and overcome death, which had the power to save. By being developed in Mary’s womb, Jesus gained a body of flesh and human nature and capacities by which He could be a substitutionary sacrifice for “without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin.” (Hebrews 9:22)

Therefore, we should celebrate the Incarnation of Christ, because by it we are both saved and taught about God. We should also resolve to serve the Incarnate Christ, because we owe Him our life now and for eternity. As the songwriter says:

“From heaven you came helpless babe
Entered our world, your glory veiled
Not to be served but to serve
And give Your life that we might live

This is our God, The Servant King
He calls us now to follow Him
To bring our lives as a daily offering
Of worship to The Servant King”                (by Graham Kendrick)

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Overflows from the Heart

"But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart…" Matthew 15:18

CreatorWorship

Pointing to the One who made, saved, and sustains