Thursday, October 6, 2016
How many faithful "heroes" from the Bible can you list? Which is your favorite? I asked a few pastor friends of mine who their favorite person of the Bible is (besides Jesus) and then asked them to explain why.
"BY FAITH ALONE" -- LIKE JOHN (THE APOSTLE)
One of my mentors described John as his favorite. "The Apostle John because of his humility, his love for all, and because of his presentation of the Spirit-inspired Gospel of our Savior."
We all think of work as important. Work brings us income. Work brings us joy as we labor with our hands. But why was John's work so important? Simply put, John's work pointed to the work of our Savior Jesus. The Apostle John points to Jesus' herald, John the Baptizer's words at the Jordan, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). It is this Lamb, Jesus Christ, whom John reveals throughout his Gospel-- who He is and what He does for us. John points to Jesus' sacrificial work of atonement for the sins of the world. John reveals the very special gift of Jesus to you, me, and all the world-- life everlasting. He emphasizes Jesus' to share this Gospel, a mission He shares with us today too.
Though Jesus our Savior did die on the cross, we do not need to weep. John writes under the divine inspiration of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ. John saw our risen Lord Jesus! (John 18:16). And in the vision of Revelation that Jesus would later on give to John, he writes what he was told, "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 5:5). Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, has prevailed against Satan and death itself and has opened the grave for us to life everlasting! What a blessing it is that we believe these truths by faith alone-- in the Word of God our Savior!
Salvation unto us has come, By God's free grace and favor;
Good works cannot avert our doom, They help and save us never.
Faith looks to Jesus Christ alone, Who did for all the world atone;
He is our one Redeemer.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 377:1)
