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Life in His Name (John 20:31 c.f. Ephesians 1)
"He is here! He is there! He is in the mountains!
He is in the desert! He is in the inner room!" (Matthew 24:26 c.f.) I
am often struck by how many voices combine in the world to fulfil this
prophecy of Jesus. Voices calling people to come apart to the desert of
self-denial, to the mystical mountain, to the secret inner room, all inhabited
by the privileged few initiated into the austere life-style, the high-minded
secret knowledge, the hidden ways prescribed by this or that group claiming
to have the truth.
Since Easter we have seen how Jesus commissioned his followers to preach
simple repentance and forgiveness of sins, make disciples and teach obedience
- then the end. To enable them to do this Jesus was going to send the
promised Holy Spirit and promised that, in this way, he would be with
them always (Matthew (28:20). How it is our responsibility to ignore the
distractions of religious trappings, false Messiahs, unfolding world events
and even persecution and proclaim the good news that all that has been
written in the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms is fulfilled in Christ.
Seen that Scripture is there to give any who care to read encouragement
and hope (Romans 15:4). The events recounted there are for examples and
warnings (1 Corinthians 10:11), that we may believe in Jesus and, in believing,
know life through him, not through our knowledge of facts and data, but
through our knowledge of Jesus.
Observed that the object of the Christian's faith is not some esoteric
notion, secret knowledge, or self-improving way but is Christ. What we
believe does not depend on fad or fashion, on what we pick and choose
to believe. The gospels were written that we should believe that he is
the Christ, he is the anointed one who was prophesied from the beginning.
That he is the Son of God, i.e. God the Son, Emmanuel, God with us. Our
text goes on to promise that:
"Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the
presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these
are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John
20:31)
Paul tells us that,
"As in Adam all die, so in Christ shall
all be made alive" (1 Corinthians 15:22)
The message of the gospel is that simple. The whole purpose of Scripture
is to tell us of Christ. Repentance and forgiveness bring us to Christ
so we may become disciples of Christ; it is Christ in whom we must exercise
faith, which is to say it is him we trust; and it is in Christ
and in his name we find life. Lets not look beyond the mark
but instead look to all that we have "in him". In Ephesians 1 we read
a tremendous account of the Saint's inheritance in Christ.
In Christ we have:
Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms v.3
Been chosen to be holy and blameless in God's sight v.4
Adopted as sons because it pleased God to adopt us v.5
Received freely God's grace v.6
Redemption and forgiveness of sins v.7
Access to the mystery of God's will vv 9-10
Been chosen and fitted into God's plan v.11
Given hope and called to praise and glorify God v.12
Included in Christ, in whom is life (John 1:4; 20:31) v.13
Given the Spirit and a guaranteed inheritance v.14
Paul goes on to write:
"For this reason, ever since I heard about
your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have
not stopped giving thanks for you remembering you in my prayers." vv15-16
This is the promise of Scripture. This is the purpose of his coming. This
is the end of Scripture, that we should believe it. This is the whole
end and purpose of the Christian life, that we should know Jesus and that
we should trust in Christ, that we should serve and glorify him. Paul
further writes:
"I keep asking that the God of our
Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom
and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the
eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope
to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in
the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."
vv. 17-19
We hope in Christ or we have no hope. Our life is in him or we are dead.
May we know the sure hope and the eternal life only Christ gives as we
go into this week.