He came from the bosom of the Father to the bosom of a wom- an. He put on humanity that we might become sons of God. He came from heaven, where the rivers never freeze, winds never blow, frosts never chill the air, flowers never fade. They never phone for a doctor, for no one is ever sick. There are no undertakers and no graveyards for no one ever dies – no one is ever buried.
He was conceived contrary to the laws of nature, lived in pov- erty, reared in obscurity; only once crossed the boundary of the land, in childhood. He had no wealth or influence and had neither training nor education. His relatives were inconspicuous and unin- fluential.
In infancy, he startled a king; in boyhood, he puzzled the doc- tors; in manhood, he ruled the course of nature. He walked upon the billows and hushed the sea to sleep. He healed the multitudes without medicine and made no charge for his services. He never wrote a book, yet not all the libraries of the country could hold the books that could be written about him. He never wrote a song, yet he has furnished the theme of more songs than all songwriters com- bined. He never founded a college, yet all the schools together can- not boast of as many students as he has had. He never practiced medicine, and yet he healed more broken hearts than doctors have healed broken bodies.
He never marshaled an army, drafted a soldier, nor fired a gun, yet no leader ever made more volunteers who have, under his orders, made rebels stack arms or surrender without a shot being fired. He is the Star of Astronomy, the Rock of Geology, the Lion and Lamb of Zoology, the harmonizer of all discords, and the healer of all diseases. Great men have come and gone, yet he lives on. Herod could not kill Him, Satan could not seduce him, death could not destroy him; he was rich, yet for our sake, he became poor. How poor? Ask Mary! Ask the wise men! He slept in another’s manger. He cruised the lake in another’s boat. He rode on another
man’s donkey. He was buried in another man’s tomb.
But He never failed. The ever Perfect One – he is the Chief
among ten thousand.
He stands as the most wonderful character of all times. He is
the God side of man and the man side of God. The Bible presents him as an earthly child with a heavenly Father and a heavenly child with an earthly mother. His life has been tested in the crucible of time for two millennials, and the verdict is that his life was wonder- fully sublime and sublimely wonderful.
This glorious person is the soul of the Bible, the center of the spiritual system, the attraction for all nations, the ruler, not only among the saints of the earth but also the armies of heaven.
Who was he? Good man, or God-man? This question plagued the minds of the Jews of whom Jesus asked the question: “What think ye of Christ? Whose son is he?
Author Unknown
MAGNIFYING CHRIST
“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” (Phil. 1:20.)
Paul wrote these lines during his first imprisonment in Rome. He did not know whether he would be released or die in prison, but he said: “Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” The origin of the English word “magnify” de- notes “to speak or act for the glory or honor (of someone or some- thing). It is from an old French word, which came from a Latin word that meant “esteem greatly, extol.” A magnifying glass does not make the object any bigger but makes it appear bigger. Whether in life or death, Paul purposed to glorify Christ.
Saul of Tarsus, later to be known of as Paul, the apostle, glori-
fied Christ in obedience to the gospel. Though for a time, he caused havoc for the early church. Other than the devil, he was Christiani- ty’s number one enemy. However, when he put on Christ in bap- tism, his life was changed. Now he was set for the defense of the gospel (Acts 22:16; Phil. 1:17).
Paul magnified Christ by teaching and preaching God’s word. This he did in synagogues, by the riverside, in prison and market- places, before governors and kings. When he stood before King Agrippa, as he was speaking, he was interrupted by Festus, the gov- ernor who accused him of being insane. Paul said, “But he said, I am not mad, most noble Festus; but speak forth the words of truth and soberness.” (Acts 26:25.) He charged Timothy, his son in the gospel, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; re- prove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itch- ing ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim. 4:2–4.)
Paul honored Christ by showing the importance of the church. He pointed out that Christ shed his blood for the church (Acts 20:28). He emphasized that Christ is the head of the church (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18). He taught that Christ is the savior of the body, the church (Eph. 5:25). He pointed out that we are complete in Christ (Col.2:9). Paul never taught the false view that advocated, give me Christ but not the church. Years ago, there was an expres- sion going around, “Preach the man, but not the plan.” Jesus came with the plan, the church. It was in the mind of God from eternity (Eph. 3:8-12).
Paul magnified Christ in his life. He spent and was willing to spend for the cause of Christ. He was in prison because of his faith. He wrote to the Galatian brethren: “I am crucified with Christ: nev- ertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20.)
The inspired record does not tell us of Paul’s death; but no doubt, he died as he lived, magnifying Jesus Christ.
What about you? Does your life magnify Christ? Does Christ appear any larger to others because of your life? Or is he minimized by your actions? Do you tell others the good news of Jesus Christ? Are you kind to your family? Your friends? Your neighbors? To strangers? Are your words helpful in magnifying Christ or minimiz- ing him? What about your attendance at the assembly of the saints? Does your giving on the first day of the week magnify the cause of Christ, or minimize it?