Jesus is One many know, but often, He isn't One many know intimately. To know about Jesus is very different from knowing Jesus. Today Pastor Benny Ho gave a great sermon from the Book of Hebrews to illustrate Jesus in His Glory and what He actually did for us. Here are just a few salient points from that sermon.
Most of us know or should know that Jesus is the Son of God, and that He was born on Earth as a human baby through the Holy Spirit. But how many of us know that He shed His godhood whilst he was on Earth to do what God the Father wills as a Man? That's right, He was a mere mortal when on Earth, and every moment of His life, filled with enlightening teachings, and miracles and the ultimate sacrifice, He did as the Son of Man, who had the Holy Spirit within Him and who was hence able to "only do and say what the Father wills.
Many think that His ministry, His miracles and ultimately, His death on the cross for us was not a thing to be admired per se, because He was God anyway thus He did these things easily. This is wrong thinking, and it is totally unscriptural, because although He was tempted to access His divine supernatural power, our Lord Jesus toughed it out as mortal man.
Jesus did them all, as a Man.
When we realize this, we realize what we have to do. The term "Christian" means "follower of Christ". When we accept that His ministry on earth was done as a Man, we have no choice but to follow. To accept the Spirit into our hearts, to be able to discern the Word of the Father, and to build up such faith, that we can do "whatever we discern the Father Wills". Jesus spent many hours praying and waiting on the Lord, and acted only when our Heavenly Father led Him. Do we do the same? Have we followed Jesus in this regard?
As Bill Johnson once said " If Jesus did it as God, i am impressed, but i am not compelled to follow. If he did it as a man, i cannot stay where i am". Because Jesus did it as a man, we as mortals, can and must do it like Him. Hebrews 1:2 says "but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the universe." The word "spoke" in Hebrew in the Old Testament, is alesan, meaning progressive revelation. The prophets spoke of God's nature in bits and pieces and give a progressive revealing. However, the world "spoken" in Hebrews 1:2 is elalesen, meaning FINAL REVELATION. The progressive revelation from the Old testament was ended with the coming of Jesus, when he completed the puzzle and revealed the entirety of God's nature. What better way than to come down Himself?
Finally, the picture was complete! Bible revelation is always progressive, not revolutionary. New truth is always built on the old, and new truth will never displace older truth, because He is the God of the beginning, the now, and the end. The book of Hebrews claims Jesus to be "the heir of all things (1:2)". We can certainly think of it as God making a will, and Jesus is the inheritor. Jesus was also involved in the creation of the universe! "through whom he made the universe". But not only that, He is also the sustainer of all things! It's like he built the house you live in, and pay your rental for you too!
He is the RADIATOR of God's Glory. Jesus to the Father can aptly be described as the Sunlight to the Sun. Anyone ever seen that picture of Dad and I? Well, some people see him in me. I don't know whether that's a compliment...but i'll leave it there. Humanity was also made in the image of God, but we were marred by sin, like an old Australian coin where you can't even tell whether the Head is the Queen of England or the Queen of India! The salvation Jesus brought to us allowed us to undergo a restoring process so that we become more in His likeness, until one day, the coin can shine like new again!
Most importantly, Jesus is the purifier of sin. He was able to do this, because he was the only one who lived a perfect life, free of sin. Because of that, He was able to take on ALL our sin, and FACED the full judgment of these sins alone. When he was on the cross....at that moment, even the Father turned away, and the Trinity were momentarily separated. And that was when darkness covered the land. When the price is paid, the curtain in the temple of God tore, and we were no longer cut off from the Father, and we again had access to His presence, His words. Yet many churches nowadays do not aim for this privilege! Priests of old sacrificed daily to intercede for our sins, but sin was never vanquished.
Jesus's one sacrifice, sealed the deal and vanquished sin beneath His feet. If only we accept Him, He shall be the bridge to everlasting life! Remember when the Jews complained of the life they led when they left Egypt? God sent poisonous snakes who bit the Jews. Moses interceded and prayed and was commanded to make a bronze snake on a pole and to lift it up, so all who see it were healed. Jesus is like that bronze snake. Focus your eyes on Him, and not on the hardship around you, and you shall be set free, healed and saved. When God is with you, who can stand against you, brothers and sisters?
Hallelujah to the Lord, for He has gained Lordship over the Earth and all living things. Jesus is ordained as our King and our ever-interceding High Priest! Who else is more worthy? As a side note, many ancient civilizations had kings, but those kings were indirectly controlled by their priests, who could commune to Gods and ordererd the king in major decisions. This can even indirectly relate to the British monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church in earlier times. Notice how the writer of Hebrews state Jesus as the King AND the priest?? Through this, He has complete dominion over the earth! because He can commune to the Father himself, no longer cut off from the Father's glorious presence by sin.
Rejoice O' Earth!!! Salvation has arrived! Accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord while you can!
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