Through the Word in 2020 #144 - Oct. 30 / Christians in Wonder-land

There are certain passages of Scripture which have been referred to so often, they find themselves embedded even into the culture. One thinks of John 3:16. And rightly so. The wonder of God loving fallen humanity so that He would give His only Son as a sacrifice for human sin - so that all who would believe in Him would not be lost forever, but be given eternal life instead.

The only thing which dampens the searing glory of such words is the contempt for them bread of familiarity.

A few months ago my wife and I visited Niagara Falls again. We live little more than an hour away. And while the spectacle of it hit me afresh, I looked around to see the massive crowds that had come from all over the world to marvel at what is so familiar to me. So familiar, that I seldom go out of my way to see it - even though it is one of the most amazing sights on the planet.

And out of readings today in 1 John 2:1-6; Jeremiah 49:23-51:64 and John 1:29-42 stands this stunning record: John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”

I’m Reid Ferguson. Let me invite you join me in beholding Him afresh for a few moments today on Through the Word in 2020.

God’s Lamb - God’s sacrifice for our sin - Jesus. The One whose blood can wash away every stain of our guilt and shame. The One who came of His own accord. Who left the glories of Heaven to live and die that we might know forgiveness, cleansing and eternal life.

What a spectacle.

The old Puritan John Flavel put it like this:

The Whole Works of the Reverend John Flavel, Volumes 1-6 Sermon IV: Opens the Admirable Love of God in Giving His Own Son for Us (John 3:16)

It is a special consideration to enhance the love of God in giving Christ, that in giving him he gave the richest jewel in his cabinet; a mercy of the greatest worth, and most inestimable value, Heaven itself is not so valuable and precious as Christ is: He is the better half of heaven; and so the saints account him, Psal. 73:25. “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” Ten thousand thousand worlds, saith one,* as many worlds as angels can number, and then as a new world of angels can multiply, would not all be the bulk of a balance, to weigh Christ’s excellency, love, and sweetness. O what a fair One! what an only One! what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One, is Christ! Put the beauty of ten thousand paradises, like the garden of Eden, into one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one; O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it should be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths. Christ is heaven’s wonder, and earth’s wonder.

Now, for God to bestow the mercy of mercies, the most precious thing in heaven or earth, upon poor sinners; and, as great, as lovely, as excellent as his Son was, yet not to account him too good to bestow upon us, what manner of love is this!

Let that thrill your soul again today Christian.

What a wonder He is.

God willing, we’ll be back Monday.