“…the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 1:2-4 NIV
Paul had only one message to share with the world…a message that had many facets but one heart…Jesus…the crucified, risen, Lord. His story was embedded in a book…the Holy Scriptures…a story older than time itself. God had first written this story in eternity, then shared it with His prophets, and finally confirmed it in history by doing He said He would do. He didn’t write it as it happened. He wrote it before it happened so that no one could accuse Him of making it up as He went along. All He did was to confirm in history what He had written in eternity. No one but God could do that!
By the stroke of a pen, Paul married the two truths that cannot, in human terms, like oil and water, mix. Humans like to turn humans into God, like some have done to Mary…but, can God become human?
This is unthinkable unless God Himself, not we humans, did it…and Paul declared that God did.
How did it happen?
Jesus…”to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God”…the son of David and the Son of God in one person. The whole Bible is the story of how it happened.
Man fell into sin and was punished by death. Everyone dies. No one but another man could rescue humans from their fate. There is no man innocent of sin that can take the punishment for man. So God Himself became a man. He never sinned. He was qualified to die for man but…He is God and God cannot die. So…Jesus died as a man and conquered death by rising again and…He was proven to be God and perfect, sinless man by the rising from the dead.
This is the gospel…the good news!
As Charles Wesley, the great hymn writer wrote:
“Let earth and heav’n combineangels and men agree,
to praise in songs divine
th’incarnate Deity;
Our God contracted to a span,
our God contracted to a span,
incomprehensibly made man.”
He captured the story of God’s plan in his beautiful hymn…
- And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?
Refrain:
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!
2. ‘Tis mystery all! Th’Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
‘Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more. [Refrain]He left His Father’s throne above,
3. He left His Father’s throne above
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race;
‘Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me. [Refrain]
4. Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee. [Refrain]
5.No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th’eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own. [Refrain]
Amen.
Author: Charles Wesley
Source: hymnary.org
Love did what no human mind could imagine…God came to us and, through His death as a man, He took us back to Himself.
To be continued