“Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.””
Revelation 5:2-5 NKJV
I recently saw a post listing several religions and the “champion” they are awaiting. This list was followed by the conclusion that nobody’s coming to help us, we must be our own “savior.”
Now, I know that sounds good to some ears. But, that’s where the “goodness” of that narrative ends.
Given, we should never decide that we are just going to “let the world go to hell in a hand-basket” because of the inevitability of that scenario.
We are to carry out the Great Commission to spread the Gospel, while also praying for our country and our world and living lives that bring God’s light into the darkness.
Having said that, to include Christianity as just another religion looking for some “rescuer” who is never coming, is at its best, gross ignorance, and at its worst, an abomination.
Indeed, we do need a savior; and we do, absolutely, have One, in Jesus Christ.
Remember, it was Jesus Who said that without Him, we could do nothing.
““I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.”
John 15:5-7 NKJV
Jesus told Nicodemus—in no uncertain terms—what He was sent to do.
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 3:14-18 NKJV
Paul tells us what Jesus’ death means for us.
“For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.” But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “ ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ ” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.””
Romans 10:4-11 NKJV
Jesus came the first time to do for us what we could not do for ourselves (in making a way for our salvation by fulfilling the Law). And, make no mistake, He will also return to set everything right. And, setting everything right, is DEFINITELY beyond our ability.
“For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.”
Hebrews 9:24-28 NKJV
In our opening scripture John sees that although there was no one found in all creation to start the process of making all things right, there was One found Who would be able to start, and yes, to finish, the process of saving us, the process of setting things right!
As we shared yesterday, things in the world look like they’re getting worse every day. In fact, you may not be able to worry about what’s going on in the world, as things in your own life seem to be falling apart. But allow me to say to you what the elder said to John, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed . . . .”
We’ll go further with this tomorrow.
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
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