Larry Devich
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
January 10, 2007 - Wednesday in the First Week after Epiphany
“I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten of the Father from all eternity, and also true Man, born of the virgin Mary, is my Lord.” (Small Catechism – the Apostle’s Creed, Second Article)
Who is Jesus Christ? We must have a clear answer, and the Catechism provides a clear answer for us to give. He is true God, true Man, and my Lord.
One of the earliest Christian creeds came in the form of an acrostic on the Greek word for “fish” – ΙΧΘΥΣ. This is why the fish symbol remains a popular Christian symbol even today.
I - Ihsouß, Jesus
C -Cristoß, Christ
Q - qeou, God’s
U - Uioß, Son
S - Swthr, Savior
This is a “mystery,” as we call it, something we could not know by our own reason or strength were it not revealed to us from above by God Himself. This man named Jesus, born in Bethlehem of a virgin mother named Mary, is the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One of God. He is the Son of God, eternally begotten of His Father, the Word through whom all created things were made. Son of God and Son of Man, true God and true Man in one unique Person, who is our Savior, our Lord.
To have a Lord and Savior is to have a Redeemer, someone who went to bat for you, in your place. Jesus is our Savior by becoming our sin, by being our Substitute under the Law, fulfilling every point of the Law with His own perfect obedience and obediently taking our punishments under the law by dying a cursed death on the Cross.
We “make Him” none of these things. This is who He is. He is true God, true Man, and Lord, even for those who do not believe it. He is not simply the Savior of the salvageable and the Redeemer of the redeemable, but the Savior of the world and the Redeemer of all. You have been granted baptismal faith to trust Him, to live off of His death and partake of His life. You don’t make Jesus your Lord and Savior. That’s what He is, and faith delights in what He is for you. ¶ 1/10/2007 04:42:00 AM 0 Comments
Who is Jesus Christ? We must have a clear answer, and the Catechism provides a clear answer for us to give. He is true God, true Man, and my Lord.
One of the earliest Christian creeds came in the form of an acrostic on the Greek word for “fish” – ΙΧΘΥΣ. This is why the fish symbol remains a popular Christian symbol even today.
I - Ihsouß, Jesus
C -Cristoß, Christ
Q - qeou, God’s
U - Uioß, Son
S - Swthr, Savior
This is a “mystery,” as we call it, something we could not know by our own reason or strength were it not revealed to us from above by God Himself. This man named Jesus, born in Bethlehem of a virgin mother named Mary, is the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed One of God. He is the Son of God, eternally begotten of His Father, the Word through whom all created things were made. Son of God and Son of Man, true God and true Man in one unique Person, who is our Savior, our Lord.
To have a Lord and Savior is to have a Redeemer, someone who went to bat for you, in your place. Jesus is our Savior by becoming our sin, by being our Substitute under the Law, fulfilling every point of the Law with His own perfect obedience and obediently taking our punishments under the law by dying a cursed death on the Cross.
We “make Him” none of these things. This is who He is. He is true God, true Man, and Lord, even for those who do not believe it. He is not simply the Savior of the salvageable and the Redeemer of the redeemable, but the Savior of the world and the Redeemer of all. You have been granted baptismal faith to trust Him, to live off of His death and partake of His life. You don’t make Jesus your Lord and Savior. That’s what He is, and faith delights in what He is for you. ¶ 1/10/2007 04:42:00 AM 0 Comments
