Monday, January 27, 2014
John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
MESSAGE OF BEAUTY, MESSAGE OF POWER
Have you noticed that articles of jewelry on sale at the store are usually tucked away into a setting of black velvet or another plain color. The manufacturer chooses to do that for a reason: so that the potential buyer's attention will be drawn to the beauty of the ring or watch, and be induced to purchase it. If the packaging was made to look pretty, it would distract from the loveliness of the jewelry and deter the customer from buying it.
This reminds me of a comment of Paul from his letter to the Corinthians: "We have this treasure in jars of clay" (2 Corinthians 4:7). He was saying that the Lord chose deliberately to commit His Gospel message of forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus into the hands of weak mortals so the brilliance of this treasure might stand out and so we might realize that the power to save sinners lies in the message not in us.
No more is this evident than in the case of Jesus' forerunner, John the Baptist. He wore unattractive camel's hair for clothes. He possessed no personal credentials that showed he was a person with a message that could accomplish anything special. This all served to accentuate the beauty of John's message and the awesomeness of its power. The Lord used it as a mighty tool to lead countless souls to anchor their hopes for forgiveness of sins and deliverance from death in Jesus, God's holy Lamb, who would bear their sins to the cross.
The Gospel message of the Lamb once slain has lost none of its luster or power. God uses it still today to draw sinners to repentance and faith in Jesus. It's a treasure we marvel over for its beauty and that we want to share at every opportunity.
Naught have I, O Christ, to offer
Naught but Thee, my highest Good.
Naught have I, O Lord, to proffer
But Thy crimson-colored blood.
Thy death on the cross hath Death wholly defeated
And thereby my righteousness fully completed;
Salvation's white raiments I there did obtain,
And in them in glory with Thee I shall reign.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 366:6)
