Only Jesus...

As I was preparing to write this post on Christ Alone, I noticed one word kept coming up on the book, and in the scripture I read - joy.  Actually, that pretty much sums it up for me. As a famous song goes: Once I was lost and now I am found.

When I consider my life before Christ, before reading His Word regularly, there was little joy. Even though I knew who He was, it didn't matter to me. But, once my eyes and my heart were open, there was and is such joy. Not a happy, happy thing. Nor even a life is good thing, but a joy that reaches deep down.

Psalm 51:12 really captures it all for me. "Restore to me the joy of Your salvation," yes, that sums it up nicely. Then I turned to 1 John1:4 to catch a glimpse of an idea for this Bible Blast today and verse 4 struck me: "We write this to make our joy complete."  

I came upon 2 John 12, "I have much to write to you, but I don't want to use paper and ink. Instead I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete." Do you think God is trying to tell me something and maybe you too?

I rounded out my preparation time in Philippians 2:2 "...then make my joy complete by being like minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."

Only Jesus can fill our hearts with this type of joy. Only Jesus would put this word in front of me numerous times as I prepared to share this morning's devotion with you. Only Jesus. Could you use a healthy dose of joy this morning?  Consider it done!

Colossians 1:15-23

If Jesus, then only Jesus

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: “... Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”  Acts 4:8, 12

Salvation is found in no one else?  Oh, come on, Peter!  You’re so narrow-minded!

You know, the whole “narrow-minded” accusation is just that – academic bullying that intimidates us from examining or embracing the truth of a matter.  And I use “academic” loosely, for how broad is the mind that dismisses without examination the possibility that Peter was right?

If the Bible were just a philosophy by which we made our way in the world around us, then perhaps we could lump it in with every other religion and validate them all as elaborate coping mechanisms, lofty thoughts that make us feel good.  But if its claims are true, it is not the narrow mind, but the sound mind that accepts them.

In Leviticus, God told Moses that “the life of a creature is in the blood,” and therefore “it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s sin.” In other words, it takes the sacrifice of one perfect life to pay the penalty for the sin of another.  And this is exactly what Jesus did for us.  Now, if Jesus were human but not God, his death would save no one but himself.  If, however, he were God but not man, there would be no human atonement for us.  But he was fully both, and his death and resurrection means life – abundant and eternal – for us.  How selfless he is!  If Jesus, then only Jesus.

Through Isaiah, God foretold Jesus’ suffering, sacrificial atonement, death and resurrection.  “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wound we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  If all sin has been laid upon Jesus, then atonement has been made for all.  There is no other name by which we even can be saved, because it’s already been done.  As it is, we are forgiven and need only to accept this gift of grace in faith.  How loving he must be!  If Jesus, then only Jesus.

To his disciples, Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.”  If he were just another man, we should not only dismiss Jesus’ bold exclusivity claim, we should repudiate it as non authoritative, dishonest and even a little crazy.  But if he is God, we can, in faith, rely completely on him.  What comfort we have!  If Jesus, then only Jesus.

We needn’t be intimidated or misled by hollow accusations.  Nor should we hold grudges against those who utter them, for Jesus atoned for the sins of all – theirs and ours.

Instead, take courage!  Jesus is who he says he is.  He has done what he said he would do for a world he loves.  Freedom is ours, a gift.  And that’s a good thing.

Jesus.  Only Jesus.

[Click here for the daily reading in Acts 4:1-14.]