I Give Up: Christ Alone
It is most fitting that this Friday, Good Friday, that we look to the fourth of the Sola’s. Solo Christo or by Christ alone. Last week we talked about our Creator’s love for us, and how he desires all to be saved. As it says in 1 Timothy 2:3-4 (ESV)
This (prayers for those in office and who have power over us) is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
He does this out of His love for us. Not because we have earned or deserved it, but by His grace. Its love we didn’t deserve, but it was given to us anyway. So how was this love delivered? Well, let’s continue on with what is written in Timothy verse 5 and 6.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.
Or we could look at 1 John 4:9-10
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
There is only one mediator. There is only one individual that can stand before God as a righteous individual. That is Jesus Christ. Many times we want to do things ourselves. We want to be recognized for our own achievements, and want to mediate our own life on our own terms. In the Reformation Martin Luther struggled with the Roman Catholic tradition that had placed church leaders such as priests in the role of intercessor between the laity and God. Repeating the Lord’s Prayer and serving penance, while beneficial to your faith life, will not bring about God’s approval. Instead Christ’s atonement for your sin’s, paid on the cross of Calvary, ensures you life everlasting. Because of this we worship Christ as our “High Priest”, the author of our faith. As it says in Hebrews 4:15 (ESV)
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
But perhaps I am getting ahead of myself; because all of this leads to a simple question: Who is Jesus.
When Jesus was talking to His disciples in Caesarea Philippi he asked them this very question. “Who do you say that I am?” It’s a question society struggles to answer.
Mormons answer this question by saying that Jesus is the spirit brother of Lucifer.
Jehovah’s Witnesses answer by saying that Jesus is the archangel Michael.
Muslim’s will call him one of the great prophets.
Unitarian’s say Jesus is an avatar or enlightened messenger, a great moral teacher.
Jesus, however, answered by claiming that He was God.
Look what He says in John 10:30 (ESV)
“My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
Or John 8:58 (ESV)
Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Jesus went so far as to use the very words by which God revealed Himself to Moses from the burning bush.
In our Lenten study Jesus brings this before the High Priests and the teachers of the people.
Caiaphas the High Priest asked him: “‘Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?”
“I am”, said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven”.
Jesus was making a reference to the Son of Man in Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 7:13-14). In doing so, He was not only claiming to be the Creator and Sustainer of the Cosmos but also prophesying that He would prove His claim valid by judging the very court that was in session and now condemning Him.
So we have Jesus claims that He is God. How does He back it up. By defeating our greatest foe: death
Jesus resurrects the widow’s son at Nain – Luke 7:13-15
Jesus raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead – Matthew 9:18-25
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead- John 11: 43-44
At His crucifixion – Matthew 27: 50-54
At His resurrection – Matthew 28:5-7
Because Jesus stands as the mediator between you and God – You as well.
As proof I leave you with these words from 2nd Corinthians 4:7-18 (ESV)
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you. Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
So what are we giving up? While, because He lived the perfect life, I don’t have to. That does not mean I should go out of my way to sin, but it does mean I can give up trying to win God’s approval. Instead of letting sin drag me down, I can let it drag me to the cross of Christ, and leave it there.
Won by the One,
Pastor Dan