#3: THE GREATNESS OF JESUS

Note: Several years ago I was talking with a Buddhist about Jesus and what He had done for me. After a while, he said, “I said that I am a Buddhist, but really I don’t have a god. I am God.”  How much better it is to be following Someone who is far wiser than we are, who loves us more than we love ourselves, and laid down his life for us to pay for our sins and was raised from the dead to put us right with God!
 
John Lake told about a fellow who was working on starting his own religion. The man went to a gentleman he really admired and asked him what he should do to make his religion popular. The counselor said he would think on it a day and give him an answer the next day. The next day when the would-be religious leader returned, the counselor told him that he had just the answer for him. He said, “Get yourself crucified and let your body lay in the grave for three days, then rise from the dead and let a big group of people see you, then ascend to heaven while a group of your followers are watching.”  The following describes the One who did exactly that.
 
Christ, the Word and Wisdom of God, existed before all things
     and through him all things are held together.
(Col. 1:17, I Corinthians 1:24)
 
All good things came into existence through Christ,
     the Word and the Wisdom of God.
(John 1:1-3, I Corinthians 1:24, Proverbs 8:30)
 
Through the Word the reaches of space were created
    and all things in heaven and on earth,
    and all things visible and invisible,
    thrones, dominions, principalities and powers.
(Col. 1:16, Hebrews 1:2)
 
Through Christ, the Word, God created and brought forth
     all that is good and beautiful.
(John 1:1-3, Hebrews 1:1-2, Genesis 1:9-31)
 
Through Him, God produced all of these
     and arranged them in order.
And by Him, God upholds, maintains and guides the universe,
     through His mighty word of power.
(Hebrews 1:1-4)
 
In the Word of God is the life of God,
     and His life gives us light.
(John 1:4)
 
And the Heavenly Light has shined in our hearts,
     giving us the revelation knowledge of the glory of God
     and showing us the weight and splendor of His goodness.
(II Corinthians 4:6)
 
The Word of Life, coming from the Father,
     continues to shine His light, bringing newness of life.
(I John 1:1-2, 5:20, John 1:4)
 
Christ is the perfect expression of the glory of God;
     He is a perfect picture of God’s nature.
(Hebrews 1:3)
 
The light of the Word shines on into the spiritual darkness;
     the darkness neither comprehends it, nor can overpower it.
For the light of God’s Word can never be overcome by darkness.
(John 1:5, Psalm 119:105, 130)
 
However, the world hated Christ, the Light,
     because he was not of the world;
     and worldly-minded people had no use for his words.
But for those who receive him, he qualifies
     to share with him a rich inheritance
     from His Father’s great storehouse of blessings.
(John 1:10-11, 15:18-25, Col. 1:12)
 
Note: this devotional is from Proverbs of Faith, Hope, and Love, Volume 1, Day 4, pages 19-20.