Monday, June 27, 2011

The Gravity of Understanding (Pt 6: Jesus Understood)

Remember how we began, talking about the awe of understanding something for the first time. Now let us return to that theme.
Let me describe something to you, something that you must understand. Something that will cause you to morn and weep and to rejoice in the extravagance of our God, something that you should, no, you need to feel the gravity of.

Let me describe this Jesus who we must understand. For all of Scripture speaks of him, he is the main character, he is the hero.

He is the radiance of the glory of God the exact imprint of his nature, having finished his work he now sits at the right hand of the throne on high (Heb 1:3). God’s glory is seen in his face (2 Cor 4:6). He is the God-man Jesus Christ (Phil 2:8).

Jesus the one who saves us, who intercedes on our behalf, who was tempted in every way like us but without sin (Heb 4:15). The King from before the foundation of the world (John 1); the One who upholds the Universe by the word of His power (Heb 1:3).

The stumbling block to the ‘wise’(1 Cor 1:23) and wisdom to the called, the wisdom of God, the bearnger of good news, the greatest news possible, the Shepherd of his sheep (John 10:11), the Keeper of the called (John 17), the Redeemer of the Church (Matt. 16:18-20).

This is the King we worship; the one we bow before, the one we, if called to, die for. This is Jesus: King of all possible kings past, present or future Prince of unimaginable peace, Servant to all whom he loves. Master, Ruler, Lord, Savior, Potentate, Majesty any and all of the descriptions of greatness, worth, beauty, excellence and glory must be given to Him.

We say he ‘wants’ or lives but we fall short in this statement. He does not merely ‘want’ our lives… He demands them. Don’t come half way with what he ‘wants’ understand the gravity of the situation and that he demands your life (that is not yours at all) from you. If you clam a stake in the inheritance he bought at the price of his life, then similarly own the demand of your life, the life he laid claim to at Calvary. The life he gave, and gives you.

Oh Christian breathe deeply the free air of the grace of God. You are free. Completely free to revel in the glory of God, free to chase this God that wooed you with himself to himself. Free to go, as Lewis says, “Further up and further in.” to who God is. Free to be passionately in love with Him. Free to move furniture to His glory. Free to work for His glory. Free to take a test to His glory.

So be enthralled with this God of Scripture. Being obsessed with this King of the World. Be head-over-heals in love with the Redeemer of your souls. Be transfixed by His unsurpassing beauty.

For the sake of his name he deferred his anger from you. Therefore you are free.

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