The Wednesday Word [25 May, 2022 A.D.]

 

Jesus: Our Gospel!By D.G. Miles McKee 

The Lord Jesus is God’s good news from heaven about Himself.  (Titus 2:13).  He is our gospel.  Listen to the good news in its fullness.  Christ was prophesied.  Christ was born. Christ was sinless.  Christ lived.  Christ was crucified.  Christ died. Christ was buried.  Christ rose again from the dead.  Christ ascended to heaven.  Christ sat down in cosmic authority as our ever-living High Priest and Christ is coming back (see, 1 Corinthians 15:1ff; Romans 1:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:21;  Romans 8:34; Hebrews 1:3; Hebrews 10:12; 1 John 2:1; Hebrews 7:25). These are the great facts of the good news. They are few and simple; so simple that any among us can understand them.  Yet these statements, although unassuming, have profound meaning.  They are treasure chests that contain the riches of heaven.  They are brief statements, but God's wisdom is bound up in them.  Indeed, these facts of the gospel are so simple that a child can grasp them, yet they are so deep that the intelligence of the world cannot refute them. The gospel of Christ alone brings eternal salvation. (Romans 1:16).  With respect, the collective wisdom of Confucius, Buddha and Mohamed could not cause one guilty person to be acquitted before God.  But the gospel is different.  In the gospel, we see that there are no lengths to which the Lord will not go to rescue His people powerfully and effectively. (Titus 2:13).   We, as believers, have the privilege to daily preach the gospel to ourselves. When we hear this gospel, something deep inside us reaches out to trust the truths that are unfolded therein. As we listen to the gospel, we learn to rest our total confidence on the risen Christ, His doing, dying and rising again. In the gospel we discover the revelation of the name (the character and essence) of God.  It is written, "They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee." (Psalm 9:10). How can anything be simpler?  Salvation is in Christ alone.  He Himself is the good news. He Himself is the exegesis of God. (John 1:18).  He is God in human flesh appearing. (1 Timothy 3:16).  In short, He is our gospel! There's an excellent text in 2 Timothy 1:12 where the apostle says, “… for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day."  Notice the phrase, "I know whom I have believed."  Many years ago, ‘Rabbi’ Duncan the then Professor of Hebrew at New College, Edinburgh, was discussing this particular text with his class. One of the students quoted it saying, "I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded." Immediately, Professor Duncan stopped him and said, "Repeat that text." The student said, "I know in whom I have,""My dear sir," interrupted ‘Rabbi’ Duncan, "you must never let even a preposition come between you and your Saviour."  It's "I know whom I have believed." Yes indeed!  We must never let even a preposition come between us and our Saviour!He is our Saviour.  He is our gospel.And that’s the Gospel Truth!


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