In Acts, Luke’s letter about the history of the beginnings of the church, Jesus is the ascended
Lord sovereignly overseeing the spread of the gospel and the establishment of
his church among the nations.
In Romans, he is the resurrected giver of righteousness to
those who believe, the intercessor and advocate before the throne who, with the
Father, freely gives us all things in a divine love from which we can never be
separated.
In I Corinthians, he is the power and wisdom of God, the
foundation stone for the church, the resurrected one who is the model of our
promised resurrection, and the sole pathway to our victory over death.
In II Corinthians, he is the Lord over the sufferings of his
people, the giver of all-sufficient grace, the focal point of the glory of God,
in whose image we are being molded step by step.
In Galatians, he is the redeemer who alone sets us free from
sin, condemnation, and a futile life of rote obedience to the Law; he dwells
within each of us by the Spirit he has given to us so that we might
legitimately live for him, the one who loved and gave himself up for us.
In Ephesians, he is sitting in the place of ultimate
authority at the right hand of the Father, who is bringing about the submission
and fulfillment of all things at his feet.
In Philippians, he is the exalted name above all names, who
had emptied himself to purchase our salvation, but is now resurrected and glorified, and in that place of ultimate authority, every knee will eventually bow and
every tongue will eventually confess that he is Lord to the glory of
God the Father.
In Colossians, he is the fullness of Deity in bodily form, in whom are all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge; he is the preeminent one who created all
things and reconciled all things to himself by bringing peace though the blood
of the cross.
In I Thessalonians, he is the Lord who delivers us from
wrath, who will himself – personally – descend from heaven with the shout and
voice of the archangel and with the trump of God and raise from the dead all
who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
In II Thessalonians, he is the Lord Jesus who is revealed
from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance upon
his enemies, yet even now he comforts our hearts and leads us in every good work
and word.
In I Timothy, he is the one and only mediator between God and
man who came to save even the greatest of sinners.
In II Timothy, he is the one who abolished death and brought
life and immortality to light through the gospel. He remains faithful even when
we are faithless, and knows perfectly who does, and does not belong to him.
With this knowledge he will judge the living and the dead, while rescuing his
own from every evil attack.
In Titus, he is out great God and Savior, our blessed hope,
who gave himself to redeem us in his abundant mercy and poured out his Spirit
on us to regenerate us and secure our position as joint heirs with him.
In Philemon, he is the ultimate master deserving of every
good thing, who turns human traditions upside down, making brothers of all who
trust in him and flooding grace and mercy into the world through his redeemed
and repentant people.
In Hebrews, he is the radiance of the glory of God, the
creator and sustainer of all things; he is both the merciful and sufficient eternal
high priest AND the perfect sacrifice on the alter, the author and perfecter of
salvation, and the immutable, impeccable, eternal God worthy of all glory
forever and ever.
In James, he is the Lord of Glory, whose every teaching is
worth repeating, and every word is worth hearing and obeying.
In I Peter, he is the resurrected Lord through whom we have a
living hope in times of multicolored sufferings and trials. He is not only the
one who redeemed us by suffering, but set the pattern for us to follow as we
endure suffering, and do so for his glory and our ultimate joy in him.
In II Peter, he is the patient Lord who wishes none to
perish, but will in time come in fiery judgment on the world.
In I John, he is both the advocate who pleads our case before
the throne, and the propitiating sacrifice that paid the penalty on our behalf.
He is the sole object of our faith, and the guarantor of our final victory.
In II John, he is fully man, the historical Jesus, without
whom no one can be saved.
In III John, he is the truth in which we walk, and the name
under which we serve.
In Jude, he is the one who delivered Israel from Egypt
centuries before, and will deliver us as we wait for his coming and the mercy
we will yet again experience at his holy hand.
In Revelation 1-3, he is the glorified Lord, burning in
holiness and perfect knowledge and righteous judgment who is walking
sovereignly among his churches, ministering through his pastors, purifying his
people, and sustaining their faith with endurance. He is no longer emptied and
suffering. He is not still hanging on a cross. He is the fullness of God in
visible form, and when we see him, we will fall at his feet.
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