Only Jesus

[Reading from the end of the sermon, "All Things New."]

Who is able to speak all things into existence?  Who is able to make saints out of misfits?  Who can restore peace from our strife?  Whose power can bring the dead back to life?  His name is Jesus.  Only Jesus.

He is the Christ – the Son of the Living God.  The Long-Awaited Messiah of whom all history was longing for.  Jesus is the one and the only.

In the beginning, he was there. He created this universe and absolutely everything in it.  God steps back at his creation and calls it good, but creation steps back and looks at my God and calls him great.

My God was able to breathe the breath of life into dust and make mankind.  He created you.  He created me.  He didn’t create us because he was lonely or needy, he created us for his glory.  We were made by him and we were made for him.

This God is unwavering.  No matter the depth of our sin, he continued to love.  No matter our treatment of each other, he continued to pursue.  No matter the severity of our crimes, he provided a second chance.

We could not make it to him, and so he came to us.  Immanuel, God with us.  Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, dwelt among us, and we could never be the same.  Who is able to make a way to heaven?  Only Jesus.

He came to love the unlovable, reach the unreachable, and forgive the unforgivable.

He healed the sick, cleansed the lepers, and befriended the sinners.  The mute could speak, the deaf could hear, the lame could walk, and now the blind can truly see.

And yes, my Jesus died.  But nobody took advantage of him.  He wasn’t forced upon that cross.  He made that cross.  He volunteered for that cross.  He came eagerly looking for that cross.  And while he may have died upon that cross, he was never defeated upon that cross.

Joy brought him there, and grace would keep him there.  Our sins were great, but his grace was greater.  And that grace is free but it is not cheap.  He would not be remedially punished for our harmless mistakes, but he would willfully be viciously slaughtered for our sins.  The wrath of God meant for us was placed on him upon that cross.  Not because any man or governing authority or devil of hell put him there, but because he himself desired to go there.

He took our unrighteousness.  He offered his own righteousness.  For our sake, He who knew no sin became sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.  The wrath of God was heading our way, and Jesus stepped into our place.  He took the death that I should have died so that now I can live the life that he has lived.  Who has made a way for salvation?  Only Jesus.

But church, lest you forget, let me remind you that the cross was not the end.  While his enemies were rejoicing, the authorities celebrating, his followers regrouping, his disciples doubting, and those women were crying, my Jesus was busy rising.  No cross could defeat him.  No government pacify him.  No demonic force control him.  No sin keep him.  No grave contain him.  No death restrain him.  He got up.

There was nothing before Him, there will be nothing after Him.  There is nothing like him.  He had no predecessor.  He will have no successor.  He is the Alpha.  The Omega.  Beginning and last, future and past, there has never been a moment when he was not, and there will never be a moment that he will not be.  Who is this constant in our existence?  Only Jesus.

Only Jesus still reigns supreme.  No matter who is president or candidate, he is still the King of kings and the Lord of lords.  No Supreme court governs him. No senate or house revokes him.  No cabinet advises him.  No secret service guards him.  No lobbyist sways him.  He says what he wants and he does what he wants.

Only Jesus is unstoppable.  Nations try to restrict him.  Rulers try to avoid him.  Dictators try to sway him.  Governments try to ignore him.  But he cannot be contained, maintained, or restrained.  He can not be shut up, backed up, or held up.  No power can keep his influence out.  No opposition can keep his message quiet, and no authority can hinder his plans from going forth.

The more they try to restrict this King, the more they see his Kingdom coming.  The more they try to threaten his children, the more they see his love spreading.  The more they try to keep him out, the further in he comes.

Only Jesus is sufficient.  He doesn’t need a handout or a bailout.  He is not short on resources or manpower.

Only Jesus is all-wise.  Diseases in which doctors have closed the book, my God writes a new chapter.  Marriages in which counselors have to refer, my God rises them from the ashes.  Homes which are broken, he restores.  Those deep in need, he provides all the more.  Broken, weary, depressed, and confused, my God is able to bring life anew.  Who is able to bring hope to the hopeless?  Only Jesus.

He is mighty, magnificent, and majestic.  Omniscient and omnipresent.  Immanent and transcendent.  Immutable, irrefutable, unstoppable, unforgettable.  Good, just, right, and holy, powerful, supreme, my one and only.

He is the sinless Savior, the righteous Redeemer, the Mighty God and the truest friend, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, He is the Son of God and the Son of Man.

Angels fall on their faces.  Demons fall to their knees.  And there is still coming a day on which every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.  He’s not through with me, and I cannot get over him.  Who is able to finish what he started?  Only Jesus.

And when he comes back, he ain’t coming to take sides, he’s coming to take over.  With a mighty shout, in a split second, all that once was wrong will be made right again.  It will not be all said and done until Jesus says it is all said and done.  And when that trumpet sounds and he splits the skies, he will crush the enemy once and for all, and will call out to his children and finally beckon us to “come on home.”

Rise up, church, for I have good news for you today.  No matter what chapter you are reading right now, I have read the end of the book, and guess what?  We win.  We win.  We win.  No more tears, no more pain, no more death, no more sin, no more enemy, only Jesus, Jesus, and more of Jesus.  We win.  We win.  We win.

Who is this warrior who secured victory?  Who is this truth setting us free? Who is this sacrifice able to save us?  There is no other – only Jesus.

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