Good morning, friends.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 4:10, “Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.”
The life of a follower of Christ can be described in many ways, and one of them would be to say it is a life lived on two parallel tracks. One track represents the part of us that offers up thanksgiving for what God rescued and delivered us from, and praise for all that God does and is doing in our lives. The other track represents the work yet to be done in our journey of sanctification in becoming more like Jesus, the supplications we make of Him as we depend on Him for all that we are, have, and desire. In some ways, these two tracks are present in the declaration that Peter makes regarding the source of the healing of the lame man. For in declaring that none other but the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is responsible for the miracle, Peter proclaims the full scope of the mission of redemption fulfilled by our Lord as expressed in His name. First, Jesus means God is salvation. Of all the things that mankind needed, and that list goes on and on, rescue from the eternal damnation brought on by sin was preeminent. In bringing salvation to every person, restoration to God was made possible and all other needs were then relegated to God as they were back in the garden. Then, of Nazareth. This simple designation of where Jesus grew up reminds us that not only was Jesus of humble and despised origins, but that He came to save us who have nothing of ourselves to bring to Him. We are the no good thing that comes from Nazareth.
And finally, Christ means the Anointed One, the Greek version of the Old Testament Messiah. To bring together this salvation offered by God to the wicked and desperately lost, the perfect One was necessary. God Himself, prophesied as far back as the first couple on earth, came to make the way possible to rejoin Creator with creation. The only one who could came and saved us from ourselves so that we could spend our lives becoming more like Him, praising Him for what we left behind and all that still awaits. The two tracks are always present, our Nazareth and our Salvation. And focusing on the Anointed One helps keep them both in their proper perspective.
As we seek Him today, let your past be part of your future, as you continually draw closer to God and put to death more of your sinful past.
Have a lovely Wednesday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
