Topic : Christ

English form of a Greek word meaning “anointed”; “Messiah” is the English form of the Hebrew word with the same meaning. In Old Testament days God anointed people for special service, especially the king (2 Sam. 1:14; 23:1) and the priest (Lev. 4:3). Eventually the understanding developed that an outstanding “anointed one” would appear, who would do God’s will in a very special way (Dan. 9:25-26). This great One is often referred to without the use of the term anointed (Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1-9). The New Testament shows that Jesus was this chosen One, God’s Messiah (John 4:25-26; cf. Matt. 23:10; Mark 9:41).

The Shaw Pocket Bible Handbook, Walter A. Elwell, Editor, (Harold Shaw Publ., Wheaton , IL; 1984), p. 347

He came from splendor to be born in poverty. He left the presence of angels, for the company of me. He laid down a scepter in heaven to be laid in a manger, and exchanged the worship of Arch-angels, for the praise of lowly shepherds.

He walked into the world with all the power of Almighty God at his bidding, but he was carried out a mutilated body lowered from a cross.

He rebuked the pious, but he comforted the sinner. He refused earthly Kingship, although he was still a King. He loved his mother yet gave her away at the Cross. He healed the broken-hearted, yet he himself, died with a broken heart.

He loved the fellowship of friends, yet was cast out by his kinsmen. He rebuked both sage and seer, then blessed the little children. He held an executive meeting on the Mount of Transfiguration, then wept alone in the Garden of Gethsemanee.

He could walk on water, but could not walk away from the tears in the eyes of the Widow from Nain. He could command the stars in their orbits, but he refused to change the circumstances of his own execution. His mission was a commitment to free all men, yet he was imprisoned on the testimony of one man.

He delivered many from pain, but he was delivered to suffer agonizing pain. He dried the eyes of multitudes, but no one dried his eyes in Gethsemanee. He carried the burdens of the world, but only one was brought forth to help him bear his Cross to Calvary.

His execution was thought to be insignificant, but became the controversy of the ages. His life was extinguished in a brief second of time, but then ignited to lighten the world. His short span of thirty-three years on Earth should have passed unnoted were it possible, but no one life has ever had such impact on the minds of men.

His three and one-half years in the public’s eye was brief indeed, but his achievements are the greatest ever recorded.

He has inspired more men, conquered more hearts, delivered more prisoners, consoled more mourners, than any figure in the history of man. He spoke of love, but was murdered with hate. He shared all that he had, then on the Cross...he shared paradise with a thief. He gave the World light, only to be driven into the cavern of Death. He gave mankind guidance, only to be guided to Golgotha. He pointed men to the Tree of Life, they nailed him to a tree on a hill called the Skull. He laid down a scepter in heaven, to be laid in a borrowed tomb.

He walked out of heaven, pure, perfect, and beautiful. He returned beaten, mutilated, and nail scarred. he fulfilled all that was written of him, and yet man did not believe Him. His coming changed the course of nations, his return will be to judge the nations. His title was simple as stated on the Cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” but to those who have ever known him, He is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.

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• When you are the neediest, He is the most sufficient.
• When you are completely helpless, He is the most helpful.
• When you feel totally dependent, He is absolutely dependable.
• When you are the weakest, He is the most able.
• When you are the most alone, He is intimately present.
• When you feel you are the least, He is the greatest.
• When you feel the most useless, He is preparing you.
• When it is the darkest, He is the only Light you need.
• When you feel the least secure, He is your Rock and Fortress.
• When you are the most humble, He is most gracious.
• When you can’t, He can.

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While 88% in a recent Barna poll believe Jesus Christ was a real person, what they believe about him differs sharply from scriptural teaching. 42% (even 1/4th of the “born again” Christians) believe that while on earth Jesus sinned just like other people. 61% believe the devil is just a symbol of evil, not a living being. And 54% think that if people are good enough, they will earn a place in heaven regardless of their religious beliefs.

Barna Research Group, November 2, 1994

• Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord;
• Once it was the feeling, now it is His Word;
• Once His gifts I wanted, now the Giver own;
• Once I sought for healing, now Himself alone.
• Once ‘twas painful trying, now ‘tis perfect trust;
• Once a half salvation, now the uttermost;
• Once ‘twas ceaseless holding, now He holds me fast;
• Once ‘twas constant drifting, now my anchor’s rest.
• Once ‘twas busy planning, now ‘tis trustful prayer;
• Once ‘twas anxious caring, now He has the care;
• Once ‘twas what I wanted, now what Jesus says;
• Once ‘twas constant asking, now ‘tis ceaseless praise.
• Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
• Once I tried to use Him, now He uses me;
• Once the power I wanted, now the Mighty One;
• Once for self I labored, now for Him alone.

- A.B. Simpson

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He is the King of kings, the radiance of His glory, the Lord of the spaceless, fabulous, infinite universe, omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, unspeakable holy, dwelling in light, unapproachable, changeless ... and yet He condescended to be enclosed in lowly human flesh, to be born a despised Judean, in a filthy stable, in the womb of a simple Israeli woman and without fanfare or pomp.

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• He came unto His own, and His own received Him not.
• The loftiest and most exalted became the embodiment of humility and simplicity.
• The richest became the poorest that the poor might become rich.
• He came out of dry ground to become a fruitful vine.
• He feasted with publicans and sinners that they might not starve in their sin.
• He starved for 40 days in the wilderness that we might feast on the impeccable Bread of Life.
• He taught us to love our enemies, to do good to those who treat us badly.
• He emptied Himself that we might be filled.
• Mighty conquerors with vast armies and terrible weapons have sought in vain to subdue the world—He conquered a vast kingdom with simple weapons of agape.
• The Lion became the Lamb that sheep might become shepherds.
• His heart was broken that He might bind up the broken-hearted.
• - His body was crushed that we might be made whole.
• We come into the world to live; He came to die.
• The purest One was called illegitimate, blasphemer, winebibber, glutton and impostor by guilty sinners.
• The Lord of lords became a lowly servant to serve the pitiful needs of mankind.
• The Man of Sorrows acquainted with the depths of grief became the joy of the world.
• He was rejected that we might be accepted.
• He was bruised that we may be healed.
• He was condemned that we might be justified.
• He was judged that we would not be judged.
• He was deserted for a time by the Father that we might find access to the Father.
• He died as the innocent One that the guilty might be declared innocent.
• By grasping life we die; through death we find life.
• Glory to the Lamb, the Paradox of God.

Dr. Anthony Fortosis, quoted in Prokope, November/December, 1992, p. 4

John Newton was a rough, dirty sailor with a foul mouth and an appetite for rotten living. He hated life and life hated him. He was captain of a slaveship.

Then someone placed in his hands a copy of Thomas a Kempis’ The Imitation of Christ. He also had the gift of a good mother who told him about the Saviour when he was young. And then he was saved. He went all over England sharing his faith. Well past his “retirement” age, he had to have an assistant stand in the pulpit with him on Sundays. He was nearly blind and spoke in whispers, but nothing could keep him from preaching while he still had breath.

One Sunday, while delivering his message he repeated the sentence: “Jesus Christ is precious.” His helper whispered to him: “But you have already said that twice.”

Newton turned to his helper and said loudly, “Yes, I’ve said it twice, and I’m going to say it again.”

The stones in the ancient sanctuary fairly shook as the grand old preacher said again: “Jesus Christ is precious!”

If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator; If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist; If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist; If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer; But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.

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• A love that can never be fathomed
• A life that can never die
• A righteousness that can never be tarnished
• A peace that can never be understood
• A rest that can never be disturbed
• A joy that can never be diminished
• A hope that can never be disappointed
• A glory that can never be clouded
• A light that can never be darkened
• A purity that can never be defiled
• A beauty that can never be marred
• A wisdom that can never be baffled
• Resources that can never be exhausted.

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There are two hundred and fifty-six names given in the Bible for the Lord Jesus Christ, and I suppose this was because He was infinitely beyond all that any one name could express.

Billy Sunday in a sermon, “Wonderful,” quoted in The Real Billy Sunday

• Christ for sickness, Christ for health,
• Christ for poverty, Christ for wealth,
• Christ for joy, Christ for sorrow,
• Christ today and Christ tomorrow;
• Christ my Life, and Christ my Light,
• Christ for morning, noon and night,
• Christ when all around gives way
• Christ my everlasting Stay;
• Christ my Rest, and Christ my Food
• Christ above my highest good,
• Christ my Well-beloved Friend
• Christ my Pleasure without end;
• Christ my Savior, Christ my Lord
• Christ my Portion, Christ my God,
• Christ my Shepherd, I His sheep
• Christ Himself my soul to keep;
• Christ my Leader, Christ my Peace
• Christ hath wrought my soul’s release,
• Christ my Righteousness divine
• Christ for me, for He is mine;
• Christ my Wisdom, Christ my Meat,
• Christ restores my wandering feet,
• Christ my Advocate and Priest
• Christ who ne’er forgets the least;
• Christ my Teacher, Christ my Guide,
• Christ my Rock, in Christ I hide,
• Christ the Ever-living Bread,
• Christ His precious Blood hath shed;
• Christ hath brought me nigh to God,
• Christ the everlasting Word
• Christ my Master, Christ my Head,
• Christ who for my sins hath bled;
• Christ my Glory, Christ my Crown,
• Christ the Plant of great renown,
• Christ my Comforter on high,
• Christ my Hope, draws ever nigh.

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Among the Jews there suddenly turns up a man who goes about talking as if He was God. . . Now let us get this clear. Among Pantheists, like the Indians, anyone might say that he was a part of God, or one with God: there would be nothing very odd about it. But this man, since He was a Jew, could not mean that kind of god. God, in their language, meant the Being outside the world Who had made it and was infinitely different from anything else. And when you have grasped that, you will see that what this man said was, quite simply, the most shocking thing that has ever been uttered by human lips.

Christian Theology in Plain Language, p. 99