December 28
Zech 12:1-13:9 | PS 147:1-20 | Prov 31:1-7 | Rev 19:1-21
We can't understand our need for our Savior, Jesus Christ, unless we understand our own depravity, our own worthlessness without Him. We bring nothing to the table, He brings everything. When we reach out to a world that does not know Him, this must be the thrust of our conversation. There can be no salvation without repentance. We read in Psalm 147:10-11, "He does not delight in the strength of the horse; He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man. The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy." So revolutionary, such a contrast to human philosophy and wisdom is this stance, that Jesus started His longest recorded Sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, with these words in Matthew 5:3-4, "“Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted." Are you willing to submit? Are you willing to release that which you hold onto so tightly?
What a contrast we have in our Savior, Jesus Christ between His first and second comings. The same Lord, two different comings, two different purposes. He comes the first time as a Suffering Servant, to save mankind. He comes the second time as a Conquering King, where His Kingship on earth is established. Interestingly, our stance doesn't really change. We are supportive, submissive, etc. He was largely missed by many at His first coming. But it says in Zechariah 12:10, "“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn." This is followed in 12:12-14, by showing the mourning of all upon realization of who it is they missed at first. At His second coming, we read of Him in Revelation 19:11, "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war." Here is our Conquering King. Who are we? We read in 19:7, "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” We are His bride. Where are we in this final battle? Alongside Him, fighting side by side? No, we are behind Him, as we read in 11:14, "And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses."
We do well to accept the truth in Isaiah 64:6, "But we are all like an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;...". In our own strength, at our best, our own righteousness is as filthy rags. But the wonderful news of 2 Corinthians 5:21, must be realized, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Emptied of our own self-righteousness, accepting His sacrifice and His Lordship, we can be His light, reflect His righteousness, give Him glory. This is the opposite of the world. It is never about us. It is never about being number one. It has been, it is, and it will always be about Him. But we get to experience this with Him. Never forget, once we position ourselves in Him, we don't lose, as we read in Romans 8:37, "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: