Jesus Only!

(Matthew 17:8)  “And when they lifted up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.”

Back in Johannesburg and as nice as it is to be home, I am reminded of life and her challengers. But before I even begin to go down that road, we must feed our minds with thoughts of our great Saviours redeeming power and the great love of our heavenly Father. Last night as I sat on my reading chair with the fire flickering and a touch strapped to my head surrounded by darkness as I waited out the load shedding from Eskom (electricity suppliers). I flipped through the pages of a book dedicated to Charles Spurgeon, “The Forgotten Spurgeon” by Ian Murray. Spurgeon had many pressing priorities when battling with the truth of God’s Word, he was often in battle with other ministers of the time, I suppose that is the way it will always be for those who look to stand-up for the truth of God’s Word. But the greatest of all lessons he has taught me and continues to teach is this; he purposed to keep the message of the gospel simple and concise as it is a message for sinners and not the self righteous, the gospel has come to set the captive free. It is a message for the unschooled and the poor and the greatest of all priorities when unpacking or debating scripture must always hinge with immovability around Calvary and the majestic work of Jesus Christ our Lord. The less we think of ourselves the more we will magnify our Saviour. The danger of becoming to smart in our debates could leave us proud and puffed up. I am  not now condoning apathy to education through God’s Word, but we must remember to acknowledge that the only reason we are looked upon with favour and find the covering of God’s love is because of His Son, our Saviour, there is absolutely no other reason why we find favour, praise the name of Jesus! Although Charles was often at war around doctrinal truths he embraced his message of the gospel as priority and always purposed to point all and sundry to the finished work of Calvary. He possibly understood the importance of this more than most, and he was very forthright in teaching repentant sinners who had received the Spirit of God, those who were born again of the Spirit, saints! The importance of faith toward God coupled with repentance from dead works! If we could learn to be as zealous as he was in this endeavour, to always strive to decrease, to get people eyes to shift from self and onto Jesus Christ our Lord, so that Christ would have prominence. I believe this is one of the greatest legacies he has left us, Charles Haddon Spurgeon a man who died more than a decade ago and yet he still speak volumes and with absolute clarity. For this I am thankful.

Here is a great example we can draw from...  

“Mephibosheth was no great ornament to a royal table, yet he had a continual place at David’s board, because the king could see in his face the features of the beloved Jonathan. Like Mephibosheth, we may cry unto the King of Glory, “What is thy servant, that thou shouldst look upon such a dead dog as I am?” but still the Lord indulges us with most familiar intercourse with himself, because he sees in our countenances the remembrance of his dearly-beloved Jesus. The Lord’s people are dear for another’s sake. Such is the love which the Father bears to his only begotten, that for his sake he raises his lowly brethren from poverty and banishment, to courtly companionship, noble rank, and royal provision. Their deformity shall not rob them of their privileges. Lameness is no bar to sonship; the cripple is as much the heir as if he could run like Asahel. Our right does not limp, though our might may. A king’s table is a noble hiding-place for lame legs, and at the gospel feast we learn to glory in infirmities, because the power of Christ resteth upon us. Yet grievous disability may mar the persons of the best-loved saints. Here is one feasted by David, and yet so lame in both his feet that he could not go up with the king when he fled from the city, and was therefore maligned and injured by his servant Ziba. Saints whose faith is weak, and whose knowledge is slender, are great losers; they are exposed to many enemies, and cannot follow the king whithersoever he goeth. This disease frequently arises from falls. Bad nursing in their spiritual infancy often causes converts to fall into a despondency from which they never recover, and sin in other cases brings broken bones. Lord, help the lame to leap like an hart, and satisfy all thy people with the bread of thy table!” (C.H.Spurgeon)

It all started in the beginning with our great Saviour and it will end with Him. He is the Alpha and the Omega. We will only ever stand before a Holy Sovereign God because of his great accomplishments, thank you Father for loving us (all who now believe), your love remember the blind and the lame, thank you for remembering me, for remembering us, we are forever grateful!  

So I will also end this post with the words of our beloved brother, the Apostle Paul; “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1Corinthians 2:2) – We too confess that we wish to post a banner echoing these words, it must ring true as the flag for our lives. Continue to teach us this great value, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone