Praise Jesus, the Person

My favorite, favorite passage.

The Word Became Flesh

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:1-5, ESV)

I find this passage even more moving in the King James Version

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Martyn Lloyd-Jones said in his great sermon, "Christianity: The Only Hope" that, and I paraphrase,

Christianity is not a belief as in men who believe this philosophy or that philosophy. Christianity is a fact. It is about the Person of Jesus Christ, what He did and what He said, and the meaning of His Person. Those who say in these modern times to focus only on the teaching and that it doesn't matter if Jesus was a man or a man-God or a teacher or whatever that we've got the teaching and that's what matters. "They've got it all wrong," MLJ said.

Christianity is a Person. This was the theme of the first century Church. It is the theme of the Gospel according to Luke, and it is the theme of Luke's book Acts of the Apostles. It is about the PERSON of Jesus Christ and all that He began to do and teach.

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,  (Acts 1:1)

We are witnesses to the person of Jesus Christ. We are not witnesses to a teaching, but to a person. The Apostles consistently talked about Jesus, they never started with the social situation or the political situation but spoke of Jesus and the Resurrection. They went to people and spoke of the Person.

For the full effect of the sermon go to the link above. On this Sunday and then every day, re-orient your thinking toward Jesus as Person, who He is and why He came. This Psalm of David speaks of WHO.

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and all that is within me,
    bless his holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity,
    who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit,
    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
(Psalm 103:1-5)

Lars Justinen, "Robe of Righteousness"

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