Thank God For Jesus - 21/04/10
By Ben Radkovic
Each Sunday we stand in church and sing praises to God, and thank Him for sending His son to us. So why thank God for Jesus? Well, here are a just a few good reasons:
Jesus was with the Father at the creation of the world, at its first destruction at the Flood (Noah), and at the first salvation of God’s people − the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt (check out John’s Gospel chapter 1, Genesis 9 and Jude 5 for details). Each of these things alone are sufficient reason to revere the Son of Man, but none explain why we call Him ‘Lord.’
God made us, we rejected Him and in doing so we have dragged God’s good creation down with us to be un-good, bad, twisted and sinful. We deserve to die because of our rejection of the Father. Like a broken toy we should be tossed onto the fire.
Therefore thank God for Jesus!
Because at the greatest cost to Himself, he redeemed us ‘broken toys,’ for no reason other than His magnanimous love. Not only does He remove condemnation for what we deserve, but He is the example of the life we are to strive for (check out Hebrews for more on this theme). And though on our own we will never achieve any credit in God’s account (Isaiah 64:6), by His grace we have the Holy Spirit − given to us to help, comfort and guide us through His Word − who can work in us such changes that we can be of use to Him and please Him.
So, as they say in Kiswahili Bwana Asifiwe!*
By God’s Spirit we are set free from the Law of sin and death (Romans 8:2), and made slaves to righteousness, so it is now our nature to stop rebelling against our Creator.
“Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness” Romans 6:16-18 (it goes on, but I couldn’t fit it all in here. Read all of Paul’s letter for more).
The work of our salvation has been finished, completed and fulfilled by Jesus. There is nothing we can possibly do to help or deserve it, for it is our sure inheritance as God’s adopted sons and heirs. We wait eagerly and patiently for the day when He will return, trusting only that Jesus of Nazareth, who died on a cross for us two thousand years ago, then three days later was risen to life again, is seated at the right hand of the Father and will collect us as Sons of the Father with grace.
“The Lord is not slow to fulfil His promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the Earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed” 2 Peter 3:9-10 (Again, please keep reading what God has to say through Peter. This lack of space is a problem!)
Thank God for Jesus!
If we want an end to suffering and death, we have to realise that such an end would be perfect and complete, for our God is perfect and pure. This means He will get rid of all evil and suffering, and that includes us. The last time the Father destroyed the Earth it was with water (Genesis 6-9), and that same God has promised to destroy the Earth and the Heavens with fire. If we care at all about anybody else, we will wish them to escape from that dreadful day. This is why we proclaim Him, Jesus, the Christ, crucifixion and all.
So join with me, and proclaim to our Father a joyous shout of gratitude, for stepping into His creation, for giving us His only son and for making us co-heirs with Him. Thank God for being patient with us, so that we have a window of opportunity to tell others before that dreadful and glorious day, to snatch them out of the fire, to show the mercy first shown us. If we care about anyone else at all, how can we do anything else?
*‘Praise the Lord’
Ben Radkovic is in second year Arts, majoring in French and War.
His favourite food is Ostrich steaks with garlic, and he really doesn't like chocolate.