renewal – Simply True

Jesus Christ—the King we need

What do we have in mind when we think of Jesus our Saviour—now seated beside God in heaven? We are familiar with his days spent among us on earth and these are important for us to know. But what about now?

Peter has called him our Leader and Saviour. But on Pentecost day, when many gather and hear about the wonderful works of God, Peter says that he is Israel’s long awaited Messiah, or Christ.

The words ‘Messiah’ or Christ’ simply mean someone anointed by God to act and speak for him—like priests or kings in Israel. But the words (one is Hebrew, the other is Greek) have become widely used to refer to the person God has promised to send—a great king to lead his people truly and powerfully.

Knowing that Jesus is this promised Christ is not new to the disciples. John the Baptist has pointed to it. Peter has confessed it personally. The disciples have expected him to have a kingdom in which they will share. It’s the question raised at Jesus’ trial.

But now, it’s different. Jesus has been ‘made’ Christ by God raising him from the dead and seating him at his side.[i] He is the King identified by David, to whom all nations will become subject.[ii] As Jesus has already said, all authority in heaven and earth is given to him.[iii] Or, as Paul says, he has been ‘declared to be the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead. Jesus Christ our Lord.’[iv]

From now on, the apostles will rarely call him Jesus without adding one or more of his titles. He holds a position that requires reverence. Before this, they have argued with him about whether he should die or not. They have asked for favours in his kingdom. But not now.

Their sins have been laid bare—painfully. The atonement for them has been offered—in the most graphic and final way possible. Victory over death, and the sins that led to this, have been plainly demonstrated. And they are forgiven.

So now, the disciples are ready to follow Jesus—humbly—into the victory he has won. And they are prepared for the battle that will follow.

The implications of this are enormous and they are life-changing.

God has poured all that he has promised to do for us and for our world into one person—his anointed King. He’s made lavish promises about what he will do through this one man.

But Jesus surprises everyone, including his own disciples, because he doesn’t do some of the things they’re expecting. No-one can guess what healing for the nations will look like until it happens.

Jesus deals with this, after his resurrection, when he talks to two disciples about what they expected a Messiah to be.[v] He explains what they should have expected ‘from all the scriptures’—not just from the triumphant ones. He says they are foolish not to have understood that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and then enter into his glory.

God’s anointed is not only God’s King but his Servant.[vi] He’s the suffering Servant announced by Isaiah.[vii]

So, the Christ acts gently, not stridently. He gathers people to the Lord, not just makes their life convenient.[viii] He suffers, and is able to help others who suffer.[ix] And, far from punishing his enemies, he wears their sins as his own. And then he declares that those who trust him are righteous.[x]

We can see Jesus acting with this kind of authority, even as he suffers for us on his cross.

He prays that his torturers will be forgiven.[xi] He tells a thief he will share in his kingdom.[xii] He announces that what he has been given to do is complete.[xiii] Then, he lays down his own life.[xiv] The officer in charge of the execution has never seen anything like this. He says that Jesus must be the Son of God![xv] This is effectively a confession that the sign above him is correct. Jesus is the King of the Jews. He’s Israel’s Messiah.

And now that Jesus is raised to exercise unfettered power, he acts with the same spirit that he showed on his cross. He remains the humble servant of our need.

The Apostle John sees visions of Christ as Ruler and King—fearful enough to make John fall down as though dead[xvi]. But then, in another vision, this same Ruler is weak enough to look like a lamb that has just been killed. Jesus will always remain the Lamb—even while he administers the movement of nations.

This is how Jesus Christ, from his throne in heaven, uses his authority. He changes people by the most intimate of loving, and by the costliest of actions. He removes the debris that prevents us from being truly human and recreates us as living children of God.

In fact, God’s plan is to unite everything in Jesus Christ.[xvii] Without his sufferings and our submission to him, we breed disunity. Only God’s Messiah, ruling from the heavens, can create peace.

But Christ works by persuading, not forcing. The parables he has told[xviii] have shown the disciples how this will work, and they now have the opportunity to be the agents of it happening.

So, Christ in in charge of everything.[xix] He determines the rise and fall of the nations.[xx] But he also enables each of his servants to have their place in his church. He—not us—is the one who will fill everything with his fullness.[xxi]

So, the church’s authority is not political or militaristic. It’s prophetic. We speak Christ’s word, and he, not us, breaks down hostility. And he draws people to himself.[xxii]

Jesus, the risen Christ, introduces his reign by giving his peace to the disciples. Then, he makes his regime public on Pentecost day by having Peter announce forgiveness of sins to those accountable for his execution. He calls us all to repentance, and to faith in him—faith in him and in nothing else.

This is radical. We’re called to leave behind all our good works—they were a charade. And all our bad works—they are forgiven. And all our complaints—we’ve never been treated so generously. And all our selfish ambitions—we’ve been transferred into his kingdom, and there’s no horizon larger than that. And to leave behind all our fears—Christ is for us; who can be against us.[xxiii]

So, from now on, we live for Christ.[xxiv] And this is not only appropriate, it’s possible. He is living for us.[xxv] And this love of Christ constrains us to live selflessly.[xxvi] In fact, we are all destined to be transformed into the likeness of Christ.

And we will see all God’s enemies defeated.[xxvii] It is folly for world leaders to over-rule Christ’s reign. The Lord laughs! He’s appointed his Son to be in charge, and to inherit the nations. Both leaders and people should rejoice in him, and be in awe of him.[xxviii]

If all this seems unreal, we need to remember what Jesus tells Nicodemus. We cannot see the kingdom of God, or enter it, until we are born again.[xxix] We need the gift of the Holy Spirit—to know Christ, and to be personally renewed. In this way, we are transferred into God’s kingdom[xxx] and begin to discover the powers of the age to come.[xxxi]

Confessing that Jesus is the Christ may get us into trouble with those who don’t like God being in charge of anything. But, as Paul says, compared with Christ, everything else is like something that can be thrown away. Christ has made us his own![xxxii] He’s met us in the depths of our need. And he’s continually leading us to the victory he has won.[xxxiii]

[i] Acts 2:36

[ii] Acts 2:33-35

[iii] Matt. 28:18

[iv] Rom. 1:4

[v] Luke 24:25-27

[vi] Acts 4:27-30

[vii] Isa. 42:1-4

[viii] Isa. 49:1-6

[ix] Isa. 50:4-9

[x] Isa. 52:13—53:12

[xi] Luke 23:34

[xii] Luke 23:39-43

[xiii] John 19:28-30

[xiv] John 19:30

[xv] Mark 15:39. He speaks out of his idolatry, but unwittingly expresses what is actually true.

[xvi] Rev. 1:9-20

[xvii] Eph. 1:7-10

[xviii] Matt. 13

[xix] Acts 23:11

[xx] Rev. 6:9-11

[xxi] Eph. 4:7-16

[xxii] Rom. 10:17; 2 Cor. 10:3-5

[xxiii] Rom. 8:31-39

[xxiv] Phil. 1:21

[xxv] Heb. 7:25

[xxvi] 2 Cor. 5:14

[xxvii] Psa 110:1, quoted by Peter in Acts 2:34

[xxviii] Psa. 2, quoted by Peter in Acts 4:25-26

[xxix] John 3:3-8

[xxx] Col. 1:13

[xxxi] Heb. 6:4-10

[xxxii] Phil. 3:12-14

[xxxiii] 2 Cor. 2:14-17

Wanting what the Holy Spirit can do

I’d like to share a brief series on how the Holy Spirit is given to us, and how he works in our lives—taken from John’s Gospel. But first, let’s take a moment to consider how significant the Spirit is in our walk as Christians.

God ‘pours out’ his Spirit on Pentecost day, just a few weeks after raising Jesus from death. We know that this death and resurrection has changed everything—for the whole world really, but particularly for us believers. But the same is true when God pours out his Spirit on the day of Pentecost.

Let’s see how this works out.

What has happened to Jesus has demonstrated how much we hate God. But his resurrection is a decisive victory over our perversity. That’s the best news ever! And God has put him in charge of everything from then on.

But now, the evidence of this victory is that God pours out his Spirit on everyone who turns from their godlessness[1]. The Spirit will begin the enormous task of renewing and transforming the whole creation.

This is the way God fulfills his promise to create a loving and faithful people[2]. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin[3]. It is he who enables us to call Jesus Lord[4]. He makes forgiveness real by coming to us as a presence[5]. He enables us to call God Father in the same way Jesus did[6].

Because the Spirit lives in us, our whole life is a sacred space where pollution is out of place[7]. We can begin to produce fruit that has a definite ‘made in heaven’ label on it[8]. And much else besides—as we shall see.

The question for us all is this: do we want this change? Do we know ourselves well enough to know that change is going to have to be by a presence and an energy that comes from above?

It’s important to get this clear because the world around us, and our own nature, teach us to live by what we see, and especially by what we can do. But no one can be a Christian in this way. The Christian life is a ‘top-down’ life. Everything essential comes from God.

So, we must always be expecting the Holy Spirit to be supplying what we can’t do—within us as well as by us. Effectively, every Christian needs to know that their life is an ongoing miracle—quiet perhaps but still a miracle.

What others need to see in us is not what we have made of our lives but what God has done. If they see our good works, it needs to be clear that they are seeing what has come from above[9].

Here’s an example of what I mean—from Luke’s Gospel. The disciples have seen Jesus rejoicing in the Holy Spirit while praying to his Father[10]. That must have been an amazing experience. A little later, they ask Jesus to teach them to pray and Jesus says that his Father will answer them willingly. He will give his Spirit to them. They will relate to the Father, and pray to the Father, just as he did[11].

Isaiah warns against wanting something that is not of his Spirit[12]—something that comes from us rather than from above. It’s possible to think we are pleasing God by reading the Bible as a text book and then going through the motions of doing what it says, while, all the time, our desires are fixed on something else.

In a similar way, Paul warns the Galatians not to try to finish their Christian lives using their own ideas and energies rather than what the Spirit supplies[13].

So, in these few articles, let’s ask God to show us, and encourage us, to believe that the same real and intimate relationship that Jesus has with his Father, by the Spirit, can be ours also. Then, it will be clear to us, and to others, that our godliness is exactly that—us being full of God—full of his Spirit, and full of the naturalness and energy that he creates.

[1] Acts 2:33

[2] Ezek. 11:19; 36:27

[3] John 16:7-8

[4] 1 Cor. 12:3

[5] Acts 2:38

[6] Gal. 4:6

[7] Rom. 8:9-16; 1 Thes. 4:7-8; 2 Thes. 2:13; 1 Pet. 1:2

[8] Gal. 5:22-23

[9] Matt. 5:16; 1 Cor. 2:4-5

[10] Luke 11:21

[11] Luke 11:1-13

[12] Isa. 30:1

[13] Gal. 3:3

Christ is risen! But where’s the Hallelujah?

We’ve just had our Easter celebrations and I found myself needing to be renewed, so as to give thanks with a full heart.

We can get distracted, self-sufficient or inward—looking at things that are seen and felt rather than things that are unseen and eternal.

So, here’s my answer to myself—what the Psalms would call ‘lifting up our hearts’, or what the apostles would call ‘setting our minds on things above’. This is not a study. It’s just telling the truth to myself—and to us all.

The first disciples are glad when they see their Lord Jesus alive again.[i]

I should say so! Their whole life has revolved around him for three years. They have hoped for eternal life through him. They have expected the restoration of God’s reign on earth. None of this will happen without his presence, or with the way they have behaved through this crisis! But now, he’s with them!

And he’s still here. He said, ‘I will be with you always.’[ii] Our Leader and Saviour is not a memory. He’s a presence.

So, speaking personally, here’s what it means that Jesus has been raised from the dead. He comes to me with all that he has achieved as God’s Son and my Saviour.

First, the resurrection of Jesus means I’m justified in God’s eyes[iii]. He sees that I’ve turned away from self-trust, and he’s happy to count me in on what happened to Jesus.

Here’s how this works out. Jesus pleases God—totally—especially in being the willing offering for our sins. So, God vindicates or justifies him[iv]. That’s what I’m sharing in. The Father has reason to be pleased with his Son. But because the Son carries me with him in his love—through death and into resurrection, he is also pleased with me—a grateful recipient of what he has done. I’m accepted—in the Beloved Son[v].

Like Peter, I’m aware of failures. But then, because of Christ’s resurrection, I’ve also been born again to a living hope. Christ’s alive, and so am I—alive to God and alive with a hope of transformation[vi]. Christ says to us all, ‘Peace be with you’[vii]. And like Thomas, I say, ‘My Lord and my God!’

So, I’m ‘all ears’ when it comes to the resurrection!

Second, Christ’s resurrection means I’ll also rise from the dead[viii].

The Father always planned that the resurrection of Jesus would be the first one of many[ix]. We are the rest of the fruit that will make Father and Son deeply satisfied.

This wouldn’t be important if I’m living as though I’ve got forever. But I’m ‘numbering my days’. It’s wiser to do that[x].

So, there’s no shame in my death. No victory for the accuser. And it won’t be a terminus. I’ve been given eternal life and will be raised up again[xi]—with a better body and a better location. In fact, my present flesh is not good enough to inherit what God has prepared[xii].

Knowing I’ll be raised from the dead is not just a consolation. It’s a victory. I’ll see the Lord! And there won’t be a reason to cry ever again. The whole creation will be what it was created to be—and I’ll be part of it. And then, even while I’m getting weaker, God sees to it that I’m being inwardly renewed[xiii]—getting ready for the big day.

I’m already living this eternal life[xiv]. So, right now, I can do things that will last forever[xv]. Life is full of purpose.

The difficulties along the way are lessened by knowing this. Jesus tells me to only deal with what must be done today[xvi]. And this leaves head space for the coming victory to shed its light back over my troubles—for God to fill my days with joy and peace in believing[xvii]. God is always doing something—for my good and for his glory[xviii].

Third, I have a narrative to live in that’s full of hope instead of pessimism.

Running and approving my own life, as Adam tried to do—is never workable. Rather, I’m free to live as God intended—receiving his gifts, his blessing and approval. And then, I will eat from the tree of life and live forever.

This world will never be a Garden of Eden. And my attempts to make the world perfect will never succeed. But Jesus has bruised Satan’s head. And the victory of Jesus, not the failure of Adam, dominates the narrative. He’s in charge.

Many around me drown their loss of immortality with ambition, self-indulgence, fun or bluster. But eating, drinking and being merry is what you do when you’re just expecting to die. Better by far to live in God’s story.

And so, I say, ‘Christ is risen. Hallelujah!’

[i] John 20:20

[ii] Matt. 28:20

[iii] Rom. 4:25

[iv] 1 Tim. 3:16; cf. Rom. 1:4

[v] Eph. 1:6

[vi] 1 Pet. 1:3

[vii] John 20:19, 21, 26

[viii] 1 Cor. 15:19-20

[ix] 1 Cor. 15:20-24

[x] Psa. 90:12

[xi] John 6:54

[xii] 1 Cor. 15:50

[xiii] 2 Cor. 4:16

[xiv] John 17:3

[xv] 1 Cor. 3:12-13

[xvi] Matt. 6:34

[xvii] Rom. 15:13

[xviii] Rom. 8:28, 37