If he's real but not reigning, he can't help me. If he's risen but not real, he's just a good story. If he's not risen, he can't return. But if he returns, then he proves that he is Real, he is Risen, and he Reigns. By faith we trust that he is real, risen, and reigning, and we look for his final return as the end of the age.
I used to work with an amazingly sweet lady who believed that Jesus saved her from herself and from messes, but that any further salvation was unnecessary. She did not live in the fear of the Lord, but brought great shame to the name she claimed to bear. Jesus is not a fake-savior or wishful thinking or an inspiring story. He is not merely a threat to make bad people live in fear or a sweet story to make good people not fear. He is the Creator of the universe. He is the author of our salvation.
Hebrews 2 says, "we do not yet see everything in subjection to him." But we DO see that the other things spoken about him all came to pass, guaranteeing the completion of his work. He has not lied to us--every past deed is proof of his future deeds. When the time was right, he came as a man. When the next time is right, he will come again to judge the living and the dead. His word is good and cannot fail, and so we trust in our blessed hope.
How often we live like he is not real, or not risen, or not reigning, or not returning. We talk a lot about him, about his resurrection and reign. But how many of our conversations dwell on his return? How does his glorious, triumphant return define and change our lives?
Thursday, September 02, 2010
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