What did Jesus Say?

I have had a couple conversations recently and have seen many postings on the internet lately, probably in relation to the upcoming holiday called Easter or Resurrection Day, in which Christians celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus the Christ. These posts have compelled me to write this, and I write it with no disrespect for anyone, only a deep love and respect and desire for my Lord to be represented accurately as he really is.

So here goes. Jesus did not come so we can all have our "best life now". Jesus did not come so that I can have a million dollars, or a nicer car, or a huge house. Jesus is not merely a teacher or a wise man. Jesus isn't some 1960's hippy. He didn't come to preach against global warming. He wasn't all about tolerance and looking the other way at sin. He didn't come so we could post his sayings out of context on Facebook, or attribute things to him that he didn't say. He didn't come to support our agenda, whatever that may be. He isn't a republican; he isn't a democrat. Jesus didn't come so we can all sit around and sing "Cumbaya" together. This list could go on an on...

Here is why Jesus came, to save sinners who are destined for hell -eternity separated from God and his good presence to bless. Jesus is God in the flesh. The first public words out of his mouth were, "From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17).

Jesus came to live a sinless life and to die in the place of those who would believe upon him. You see, God is holy, set apart from sin. His wrath and anger at sin are being stored up against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (Romans 1:18). But the free gift of God for those who repent believe is salvation from sin and His eternal love. The Apostle Paul puts it this way:

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. "(Romans 3:23-25) You see, we are all, by our very nature separated from God and His enemies. The only way to be reconciled is through faith in the Son of God. The One who propitiates, or satisfies the wrath of God.

Here are some other things that Jesus DID say:

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." -- (Jesus in Matthew 10:34-39).

True faith in Christ separates people from one another: those who believe will necessarily think differently from those who don't. Also, to be noticed in this passage, Jesus is calling his followers to deny their own sinful desires, to put the old sinful self to death (take up his cross, the instrument of Jesus' death, and metaphorically his followers' death to sin).

Jesus said this:

"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

(Matthew 5:27-28)

And again, the Apostle Paul could not be clearer, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1Corinthians 6:9-11). The point here is not that Christians are to single out some group of people and vilify or persecute them, whether homosexuals, or otherwise. The point is that if you are a Christian, you have been washed of sin. But make no mistake, Jesus and his Apostles were not unclear on what sin is. In fact, sin is such an offense to God that Jesus had to die for it...The just payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23)

Here is another thing Jesus did, he made the astounding claim that he is God!

Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (John 8:58-59) Two things here, obviously Jesus is claiming that he was around before Abraham, who lived some 1000 years before Jesus birth. But he is also claiming for himself the divine Name "I Am". This is a reference to the account of Moses and the burning bush in Exodus 3 when Moses asks God who he is. God's reply to him was, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'" (Exodus 3:14) Jesus is claiming to be God! And furthermore he claims that he is the only way to have access to God:

Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." (John 14:6-7)

Jesus does indeed also tell Christians to love one another in many places. He and his Apostles also tell his followers to love each other and live at peace with all men, as much as is possible with them.

These things I command you, so that you will love one another. "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. (John 15:17-19). Notice here, that Jesus says that the Christian will be hated by the world. This is because the world hates Jesus and the claims he makes. The world doesn't want to hear that it needs a savior from its sin. In fact, the world wants to keep reveling and glorying in its sin. This is the reason, the Romans and the Pharisees killed Jesus: they didn't want to hear his message! He wasn't telling them to all just get along. He claimed to be God. He claimed to be the only way to God, the Father. His life, death and resurrection stand alone in history as God's own way of dealing with the sinfulness of fallen humanity and its effects. This is an extremely exclusive message and is a far cry from, " Jesus loves you and has a plan for your life". One must come in faith and repentance to Jesus, turning away from their sin and trusting him as their righteousness before God. This is the only way. This is why Christians celebrate the resurrection; because apart from it, we are lost and still in our sin.  Christians are not better than others...In fact, a Christian should have an ever increasing awareness of his or her own sinfulness, and an increasing love and gratitude for his Savior- the wonder of the Grace of God!  This does play out in real life as a concern for others.

This is just a brief sampling of who Jesus is in his proper context. I mean no disrespect by writing it and encourage you read more in the Scriptures.  The fact is, the Gospel is an offensive message to those who do not want to hear it, but it is life and joy and peace to the Christian.

Set Your Hope on Christ

Ray Ortland:

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

The sacred center of Christianity is Christ himself.  Coming personally to the Person.  Coming directly to the Mediator.  No one but Jesus can call us with such authority, and no one but Jesus can encourage us with such a promise.  No one else can give us rest.
If our primary purpose in church is to connect with one another, that’s what we’ll get — one another.  And we’ll end up angry.  Only Jesus gives us rest.  If we will put him first and come to him first, then we’ll have something to give to one another.
If our primary purpose in church is outreach and mercy and justice, we’ll end up exhausted.  Only Jesus gives us rest.  If we will put him first and come to him first, we’ll be renewed for endless mission.
There are as many false and disappointing centers as there are impulses in our hearts.  Everything else will let us down.  Everything.
Only One has ever said and can ever say, “Come to me, and I will give you rest.”
His offer stands.  And we don’t have to deserve it.  He gives it.  But he does come first.

See Here for the post on his blog

The Life Changing, Christ Exalting Gospel

This quote by Andrew Peterson about the Gospel stirs my soul and makes me say AMEN!

"It’s the great, confounding reversal of the Gospel of Jesus. If the word we preach is one of attainable perfection, of law, of justification by works, then when we fail, our testimony fails with it. But if we preach our deep brokenness and Christ’s deeper healing, if we preach our inability to take a single breath but for God’s grace, then our weakness exalts him and we’re functioning as we were meant to since the foundation of the world." -Andrew Peterson, from this blog post

Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder

Let us love and sing and wonder
Let us praise the Savior’s name
He has hushed the law’s loud thunder
He has quenched Mount Sinai’s flame
He has washed us with His blood
He has brought us nigh to God

Let us love the Lord Who bought us
Pitied us when enemies
Called us by His grace and taught us
Gave us ears and gave us eyes
He has washed us with His blood
He presents our souls to God

Let us sing though fierce temptation
Threatens hard to bear us down
For the Lord, our strong salvation,
Holds in view the conqu’ror’s crown
He, Who washed us with His blood,
Soon will bring us home to God

Let us wonder grace and justice
Join and point to mercy’s store
When through grace in Christ our trust is
Justice smiles and asks no more
He Who washed us with His blood
Has secured our way to God

Let us praise and join the chorus
Of the saints enthroned on high
Here they trusted Him before us
Now their praises fill the sky
Thou hast washed us with Thy blood
Thou art worthy Lamb of God

(words by John Newton)

No Mere Cheap Grace

The following quotations are taken from a blogpost I read and are very helpful in understanding what it means to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.  Certainly, true Christians are forgiven; certainly God in his Word holds out to us the promise of eternal life.  But being united to Christ by faith also affords the believer real power over sin.  Here are the quotes:

"'Salvation,' instead of being construed as the gift of a transformed, abundant life in the now-present kingdom of God, begins to be equated with an otherworldly reward. More crassly put, 'salvation' is increasingly viewed as a fire-insurance policy - rather than the gift of new life in the here and now that stands confident even in the face of death, 'salvation' becomes a 'Get Out of Hell Free Card,' guaranteeing an escape from the fires of torment and ensuring the receipt of treasures in heaven."

"Jesus of Nazareth, the Gospel accounts relate, always comes asking disciples to follow him, not merely 'accept him,' not merely 'believe in him,' not merely 'worship him,' but to follow him."

"A 'disciple' is a 'pupil,' a 'learner,' an 'apprentice,' one who typically follows a master or teacher in order to learn how one should live and conduct one's life."

"For Paul, God's grace is always much more than mere legalistic forgiveness of sins; grace is not a mere forensic transaction in which the legal accounts are cleared so we will not be sent to hell in the afterlife. Grace is not merely pardon, but power: for Paul, the gifts of God's love are manifested not merely in forgiveness (though certainly in forgiveness, which we desperately need), but also in freeing us from lives of 'slavery,' freeing us to be the people God intends us to be, seen most fully in the incarnation of Christ."

"Grace that is merely 'forgiveness' is what Paul calls 'sinning that grace may abound' (Rom. 6:1). Or is is what Bonhoeffer called 'cheap grace.' Grace does not merely provide forgiveness so that we may be forgiven, but empowerment to be the people of God, to be the body of Christ, to continue the work and ministry of Christ in human history."

"The Pauline epistles do not depict a cheap salvation by grace by which w are 'forgiven' by giving mental assent to 'Jesus as my Lord and Savior,' but a gospel that proclaims the power of resurrection working among us and in us, that Christ himself now works in us."

Lee Camp, Mere Discipleship, 22, 23, 105 113, 114, 157.

Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior

Here is another hymn saturated with gospel truth.  Even those who have walked with Christ for many years need to be reminded often that it is all God's grace, from start to finish.  Our sanctification, growth in Christ, and increasing holiness is not something we drum up, but it is looking to Christ and our union with Christ that progressively enables us to obey.  May we look to the Author and Finisher of our faith and delight in Him daily!



Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
 
Refrain
Savior, Savior,
Hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
 
Do not pass me by.
Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition;
Help my unbelief.
 
Refrain
 
Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.
 
Refrain
 
Thou the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me,
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav'n but Thee?
 
Refrain

Words - Fanny J. Crosby, 1868

Come Heavy Laden

Christ's love and mercy are inexhaustible!  All of the words of this great hymn below, written by William Williams who lived between  1717 and 1791, stir my heart.  However, the chorus is particularly glorious.  O Savior, that I would seek to know you more intimately.  Jesus is far greater than anything this fleeting and dying world could ever offer!

Come heavy laden, come and rest,
Your souls from fear and pain;
Jesus the God was crucified,
And died and rose again.

Chorus:
Sweet are His words, sweet is His voice
His smiles are heaven below;
Of all the pleasures in this world,
Tis Jesus I would know.

His holy yoke’s easy and smooth,
His burdens all are light;
In His commandments, though severe,
Is infinite delight.

O! would He raise my feeble soul,
To a celestial flame;
I would, for Jesus, either do,
Or suffer all the same.