THROUGH CHRIST ALONE                              

                                            by Pastor Max Solbrekken, D.D.

 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was Life; and the life was the light of men. And the Light shineth in the darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not." (John 1:1-3)

The Apostle John laid out in majestic terminology the awesome grandeur, power, and position of Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the Light of the world, the Creator of all things, and the Redeemer of sinful Mankind. He was with God the Father and the Holy Ghost in Heaven where, "the blood of the Everlasting Covenant" was planned. 

The Father knew that the world He would create would be defiled by a rebel archangel, who would deceive the first man that He would create to begin the human family!

BLOOD OF THE EVERLASTING COVENANT!

St. Paul stated: "Now the God of Peace, that brought again from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will..." (Heb. 12: 20,21)

To save the human family, God the Father would give His Son as a sacrifice to pay for all the sins of mankind committed by Adam, until the end of time. The Eternal Son of God would be incarnated, conceived by the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin woman. 

He would suffer under cruel hands and die as the substitute for all humankind and rise again from the dead, as the Saviour of the World. The Holy Spirit was totally involved throughout the Father’s Salvation plan of His Son's death and resurrection! 

"But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Rom. 8:11)

The Bible states: "He was in the world and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His Name. 

"He was born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the WORD was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:10-14)

 St. Paul stated emphatically: "But Christ being come an High Priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building: neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His Own Blood He entered in once into the Holy of Holies, having obtained Eternal Redemption for us.

PURGE YOUR CONSCIENCE!

"For if the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the BLOOD of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the Living God.

"For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into HEAVEN itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; Nor yet that He should offer Himself often as the high priest entered into the Holy Place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world:

"But now ONCE in the end of the world hath He APPEARED to put away SIN by the SACRIFICE of Himself. And as it is appointed men to once to DIE, but after this the Judgment: So CHRIST was once OFFERED to bear the Sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He APPEAR the second time without sin unto Salvation." (Heb.9:11-14, 24-28)

JOHN FELL AT HIS FEET!

Only one who had been in the presence of such Majesty, walking with JESUS in His earthly Ministry, seeing Him crucified, rising from the dead on the third day, received an Apostolic calling, and physically beholding Him being lifted and carried away into Heaven, would undoubtedly prepare him to write this outstanding Scripture!

 "And from Jesus Christ, who is the Faithful Witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us and washed us from our sins in His own BLOOD, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

"Behold, He cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of Him. Even, Amen. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day and heard behind me a Great Voice as of a trumpet, I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last: and, What thou seest, write in a Book and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia...

"And I turned to see the Voice that spake unto me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.

"His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.

"And He had in His right hand seven stars: and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and His countenance was as the sun shineth in His strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and behold, I am alive forever more, Amen; and have keys of hell and of death." (Rev. 1:6-18)

I TREMBLE AS I READ THIS!

I praise God for the Grace of Jesus Christ, His Mercy and Love toward us all. How St. John must have felt as he wrote this book, his Gospel, as well as his three epistles! How will we feel when we see Jesus at the Rapture of the Church or at the hour of our death? How could we ever repay our Lord for all the blessings He has showered upon us? 

And the answer is that we can never repay the debts that we owe our Lord Jesus for taking our place as our Substitute on the Cross on Golgotha, outside of Jerusalem's city wall!  All we can do is to receive His forgiveness for our sins, and constantly proclaim His Lordship over us. as we believe His Holy Word. 

THE SEED OF THE WOMAN!

Almighty God said: "And I will put enmity between thee (Satan)and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. It shall bruise (knuse, crush) your head, and thou shalt bruise His heel" (Gen. 3:15). Jesus Christ is the seed of the woman. When He died upon that Roman Cross on Golgotha, Satan's head was crushed. When Jesus arose, His death was only "bruising of His heel".

The Bible states: "And He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: 

"In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents (St. Paul in Malta); and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Mark 16: 15-18)

TETELESTAI: IT IS FINISHED!

Satan, the enemy of God and man is a conniving, deceiving Liar, and the father of it!  He is a Murderer and Deceiver! He brings sin, fear, torment, sickness, disease, and death. He is a defeated despot because he has been crushed by the all-powerful shed BLOOD of Jesus Christ, God's Lamb!

Satan is the "accuser of the brethren." He accuses the redeemed before God, day, and night. His name is the Devil, which means Liar.  He is the Opposer and Enemy of God and all believers in Christ! He is constantly accusing, condemning, and oppressing God's people. He is the great Slanderer but is himself under condemnation. He is consigned to spend eternity in the 'Lake of Fire'. (Rev. 20:10)

The Bible states: "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost." (John 19:30) The word Jesus used was tetelestai from the Gr. verb teleo which has three essential meanings: 'To finish something or bring something to an end; to fulfill something; to pay for what is owed!

Jesus had finished His work of Redemption and brought to an end Satan's power. He had fulfilled all the O.T. Scriptures about Himself the Messiah. He had paid for all our sins, sicknesses, diseases! Praise be to God!

CHRIST OUR REDEEMER!

A powerful poem is called, 'I Plead the Blood':

I have a source of strength when I am weak, that takes me through when life is pressing me. I know a source of power from Above. I'm covered over by a shield of love.

I claim the blood Jesus shed on Calvary. Those precious blood stains, were made there just for me. For all my sin, my sickness, and my pain. When I need healing, I claim those precious bloodstains! 

I do not know how others make it through, who never go to Calvary like I do. For there is a healing, cleansing stream that still flows with peace that only His Redeemed can know.

JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD!

"And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a LAMB as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him that sitteth upon the Throne.

"And when He had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the LAMB, having every one of them harps, and golden viols full of incense, which are the prayers of saints. And they sung a new song, saying: 

Thou art Worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof; for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God, by Thy BLOOD out of every kindred, and tongue and people and nation; And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth: " (Rev.5:6-10)

WHAT WILL JESUS DO FOR US TODAY?  

He stands ready to hear our prayers and meet our needs today. Call upon Him in faith believing and He will hear your call. The Word of God makes it abundantly clear that there is a connection our Creator and Saviour has with the human family!

“There is therefore no Condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

“But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken (make life in) your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Quicken your mortal bodies cannot refer to raising someone from the dead. It means to bring life to your weak, tired, sick body. The Spirit of God does not live in a corpse.

JESUS GAVE HIMSELF TO RESCUE AND REDEEM US!

“The Spirit Himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that also we may also be glorified together.

“Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit of God Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the Mind of the Spirit because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be confirmed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He did predestinate, He also called: and whom He called, them He also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.

"What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who then can be against us? He that spared not His own SON, but delivered Him up for us all, HOW shall He not more freely GIVE us all things? (Rom. 8:1,2,9,10,11,16, 26, 28-31)

There is no way that we can fully know or understand the amazing love and tender mercies that God the Father has toward us all! St. Paul used the great work of Redemption to compare that which is incomparable! Martin Luther stated: “It will take all eternity to understand such things as Grace and Gospel!

This Gospel Songs concur with the Holy Scriptures: ‘O love of God so rich and pure, so measureless and strong. It shall forever more endure the saints and angel’s song. If you could with ink the ocean fill and were the sky of parchment made. To write the love of God above would drain the ocean dry and could the scroll contain the whole, it would stretch from sky to sky!’ Amen.

Max Solbrekken World Mission Box 44220 RPO Garside Edmonton, AB T5V 1N6. Email: [email protected]; comehometojesus.ca; Facebook; Youtube; Donations can be sent by e-Transfer. Send your donation to [email protected]. Thank you.