22 JULY (PREACHED THURSDAY 20 JULY 1775)
Who is Jesus Christ?
‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.’ Acts 16:31
SUGGESTED FURTHER READING: Hebrews 8:1–13
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. But lest any of you are ready to say with the blind man, Who is he? [John 9:36] I shall speak something of him. The little I can speak of the LJC [Lord Jesus Christ] may be summed up in two particulars: his person and his office.
(i) His person: he is God, blessed for ever (Romans 9:5; Isaiah 9:6; John 12:41). He is man (1 Timothy 3:16) here, or named Emmanuel (Matthew 1:23). This is the great mystery of Godliness; we can see but little of the wisdom, condescension and love. The angels cannot fathom. God alone can reveal it. For this the Holy Spirit is given, that we may know the mystery of God, of the Father, and of Christ in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Colossians 2:2–3).
(ii) His office: in general, Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5). There is no other (John 14:6). This includes his whole undertaking. We may consider:
(a) What he did as Mediator upon earth, summed up in his obedience unto death. He fulfilled the law for us—he made atonement for our sins.
(b) Now he is in his kingdom he acts the Mediator’s part, applying the benefits of his righteousness to those who believe: as a Prophet, a Priest, a King.
FOR MEDITATION: The doctrine of Jesus Christ crucified: I believe to insist much upon the great essential points of the glories of his person and offices, his wonderful love and condescension, his power, faithfulness and readiness to save, the grandeur of his works, the perfection of his example, his life, passion, death and resurrection. I say thus to enlarge much on the Names, properties, and so on, of our dear Redeemer, as it is undoubtedly the most pleasant set of topics, so the most useful and effectual, to rouse a hatred against sin, to feed the springs of grace into the heart, to animate and to furnish every believer for his spiritual warfare.
Miscellaneous Thoughts, Friday 4 August 1758
SERMON: ACTS 16:31 [3/4]
Milo 