Word for Today, Monday, 13 April 2009: Jesus is much more than a prophet
Todays-Bible-Minute-for-Mr.-Masinick-April-13-2009.emlPosted by: masinick <masinick@...>
The message this morning from The Bible Minute is about the Greatest Prophet of all, Jesus Christ. Many people have been willing over the centuries to acknowledge Jesus Christ as a great prophet. Some have even been willing to consider Him as one of the greatest prophets of all time and a great teacher, all of which He most certainly was.
In this message, an emphasis was placed on "dependability", being someone who can be trusted - whose words match what they do. That is certainly something that we all should strive for. Credibility and dependability are definitely important traits, and nowhere are they as clearly and perfectly portrayed as they are in the life of Jesus Christ.
However, as the message also note, "He is the God-Man, the Way, the Truth and the Life." I don't want us to miss that. You see, Jesus Christ is much more than just a prophet. The reason that He is the greatest prophet of all is that in every way Jesus Christ was not only a man (which He most certainly was), but He IS God. He became man to live among us, to show us in person who God is and His very nature. He also came to teach us, but most of all, He came to save us.
Sin destroys us. It separates us from God. It hurts us and it hurts others. Not only that, but God cannot tolerate sin. The penalty for sin is death. Therefore, if we are to have a personal relationship with God - and live with Him, our sin must be accounted and paid for in full. That, my friends, was the ultimate mission of Jesus Christ. He came to seek and to save that which was lost - every one of us - and to pay the price for our sins - death - and to provide us with a way back to God the Father through Him - God the Son, the suffering servant.
When Jesus returns, He will not come as a suffering servant, He will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will come, first, as the trumpet sounds, to take all who accept His free gift of salvation to His judgment seat, the Judgment Seat of Christ. All who completely acknowledge Him will have eternal life with Him, yet we will still give an account of our lives to Him - what we have done for Him.
Those who refuse to accept Him as their Lord and Savior, however, will see Him at a later time, when He appears to all who remain on a White Horse, with His bride, the church, following behind Him. He will wipe out those whose names are not written in the Book of Life, but their souls will still be accountable to Him at the Great White Throne judgment. There, He will open the Book of Life, see that their names are not written down, then He will open "the books", which are the books of all deeds (and misdeeds). These books will judge and condemn those whose names are not written down in the book of life, and these will be cast forever into the Lake of Fire, and forever is just as eternal as the eternal home, which God will share with His elect for all eternity.
Therefore, there is a much greater picture here than just viewing Jesus Christ as the greatest prophet. He is the difference between being lost forever, to face eternal condemnation, or to face eternal joy with Him in His Mansion, built for us in glory. Why would anyone even consider the former fate? To be found in Christ is available to all; sadly, not all will choose to find life, hope, peace, comfort, and joy everlasting in Christ.
My prayer is that every one of you who can read these messages either have already found Christ, but if not, these words will inspire you to consider Christ before it is too late. Life is like a vapor - it can appear - or evaporate, at a moment's notice. Do you want to take the chance that you will miss out on the rich blessings of an eternity with Christ and instead face eternal condemnation? I don't want that to happen to you, and that is why I write these messages.
Yours in Christ,
Brian