Whether you believe in Jesus or not, why
admire or consider admiring him as your only hope in this life and the
next? He stilled a storm with a word, but refused to take that power and
come down from the cross. He was most worthy to be treated with all
good, but he had patience to be treated with the most evil and hatred.
He stumped the proud Pharisees with his wisdom, but spoke so a child
could understand him. He is most worthy
to be served, at the same time he came not to be served, but to serve
and give his life as a ransom for many. He is called a lion who is to be
feared, but also a lamb to embrace - who was slain to redeem lost,
sinful and broken people. We deserve his wrath for our sin, but he
lovingly offers himself as a bearer of our condemnation that those who
trust him would not perish in his just anger. He died, that we might
live. He conquered death, that we might have the hope of eternal life.
He looks at his enemies and invites them to repent in his free grace and
become his friend. He is compassionate because he knows what it is like
to be tempted, yet without sin. He can relate with you, because he left
the glory of heaven, and became a man acquainted with grief, and yet
offers you his inexpressible joy. He invites you to come to him, not
because you are good enough, but because he said he came not to call the
righteous but sinners; he said it’s not he healthy who need a doctor
but the sick. In addition, we admire and savor him for his glory but
even more because his glory is mingled with humility. We savor him for
his uncompromising justice, but even more because his justice is
tampered with mercy. We savor him for his majesty, but even more because
his majesty is woven with meekness. He is Lord and King, and a
suffering triumphant Savior. Or to put it simply, why admire him as your
only hope? – Because, he is Jesus. (Taken from the Bible, and
paraphrases from a sermon by John Piper)
