The Loveliness of Jesus Christ

Introduction

Song of Solomon 5:16 “His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

Our Saviour is “Altogether Lovely!” Webster gives the following definition of the word altogether: Wholly; entirely; completely; without exception. The Lord Jesus Christ is lovely through and through. In this sense of the word to be lovely produces attractiveness and attractive people in turn produce concord (agreement), peace & rest. Christ is Altogether Lovely! Jesus is that which beautifies.

On the other hand listen to what the Holy Scriptures say about man:

Psalm 39:5 “Behold, thou hast made my days as an handbreadth; And mine age is as nothing before thee: Verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity. Selah.”

So the Scriptures conclude that Christ is wholly; entirely; completely; without exception Lovely! Man therefore is, wholly; entirely; completely; without exception Vain! Man is empty and there is nothing in man to be desired.

However, in Christ, all our needs, desires and expectations are met in the One who is Altogether Lovely! Allow me to share a few thoughts concerning our subject of the Loveliness of Christ.

His Loveliness is Reflected in His Gentleness - Webster gives us the following definition concerning someone who is considered gentle: Mild; meek; soft; bland; not rough, harsh or severe; as a gentle nature, temper or disposition; a gentle manner; a gentle address; a gentle voice. Tame; peaceable. The gentleness of Christ is a pure and tender expression of His love and grace. There is an infinite tenderness in His compassion

a. Our Gentle Christ is compassionate with those who are broken - Psalm 147:3 “He healeth the broken in heart, And bindeth up their wounds.” Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,”

b. Our Gentle Christ is compassionate with those who are burdened - Matthew 11:28–30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

His Loveliness is Reflected in His Graciousness - Definition of gracious reads: Favorable, kind, friendly, benevolent and merciful; disposed to forgive offenses and impart unmerited blessings.

Nehemiah 9:17 “And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.”

Nehemiah 9:31 “Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.”

Proceeding from divine grace; as a person in a gracious state who is acceptable; favored, virtuous, good, excellent, graceful and becoming.

a. Our Gracious Christ is concerned with those who are ungodly

Romans 5:6–10 KJV

For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

b. Our Gracious Christ is concerned with those who are unconcerned - Matthew 23:37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

How unspeakably grand and melting are these words of our Saviour. “It is the very heart of God pouring itself forth through human flesh and speech. It is this incarnation of the innermost life and love of Deity, pleading with men, bleeding for them, and ascending only to open His arms to them and win them back by the power of this story of matchless love, that has conquered the world, that will yet “draw all men unto Him,” and beautify and glorify Humanity itself!”

His Loveliness is Reflected in His Glory - Definition of glorious: Illustrious; of exalted excellence and splendor; resplendent in majesty and divine attributes; applied to God. His Deity and His unchanging nature are seen in two events.

Exodus 15:11 “Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, Fearful in praises, doing wonders?”

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

John 17:5 “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

a. Our Glorious Christ May Be Seen in His Transfiguring Revelation

Mark 9:1–8 KJV

And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter answered and said to Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. For he wist not what to say; for they were sore afraid. And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him. And suddenly, when they had looked round about, they saw no man any more, save Jesus only with themselves.

b. Our Glorious Christ May Be Seen in His Triumphant Resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:1–8 KJV

Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

Through both of the following events, the followers of Jesus had witnessed through seeing, hearing and experiencing the gloriousness of Christ Jesus.

1 John 1:1–4 KJV

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

His Loveliness is Reflected in His Governement - Directing; controlling; regulating by laws or edicts; managing; influencing; restraining. Holding the superiority; prevalent; as a governing wind; a governing party n a state. Directing; controlling; as a governing motive. In His governing there is strength, stability and steadfastness. We are blessed with our Saviour’s guarding, guiding and providing as He governs our lives.

Song of Solomon 5:15 “His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold: His countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars.”

a. Our Governing Christ May Be Seen in His Priesthood

Hebrews 6:17–20 KJV

Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil; Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedek.

b. Our Governing Christ May Be Seen in His Pre-eminence

Revelation 1:8 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 19:9–16 KJV

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.