For the better part of his life, he has collected coins. Through financial ups and downs he has held onto his collection. Over the years his collecting habits have ranged from old coins to special edition mints. My Dad wanted to make sure that, when he dies, I understand the value of his collection. He wanted to make sure that I don’t let it go for less than its worth. He wanted to insure that I get the full value out of his collection. The passages we have read this evening point to something similar when it comes to Jesus.
We must acknowledge the value of the gift of Jesus Christ. I want to reflect on two elements of acknowledging His value. The first depends on acknowledging Jesus’ stature. He’s the King over all, the second person of the Triune God. He is also the greater Son of David, who took to himself a true human body in order to save us from our sins. But He has now been exalted to right hand of the Father, and He reigns with the Father. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords, and His reign is everlasting.
We must acknowledge that, as God, Jesus sets the agenda. It follows that we don’t set the agenda. That is fundamental to the difference between God and us. We sometimes tell our children, or maybe our siblings, that the world doesn’t revolve around them; and we believe that. But neither does it revolve around us! It revolves around God, and that’s true whether we acknowledge or not. However, if you would benefit from the gift of Jesus, you must acknowledge that, as God, He sets the agenda.
If you acknowledge that He sets the agenda, it will have implications for how you order your life. God’s agenda, as He reveals in Scripture, will meet your most pressing need. It will not meet all of your wants, especially as they change from one moment to the next. Jesus will not meet your disordered desire for God-substitutes, for example. He will not meet your broken desire to be a little god yourself. God’s agenda does not promise endless entertainment, or possessions, or wealth. Instead, He promises Himself in Jesus Christ. He promises to be reconciled with you, so that you can live in peace with Him as your God.