Yesterday started early with a working breakfast with my dear friend from Tampa. All day I monitored the gifts coming in for Chains of Grace Debt Retirement. I am grateful for each gift. T/he day continued with a wonderful family time; all of ours were present. Then we ended the day preaching from John 21:25 in a wonderful worship time at Haven of Rest Ministries.
Now, to our subject.
Friedrich Nietzche, the much maligned, has a short saying I treasure:
“If a man has a Why, he can endure almost any How.”
What is the Why of Jesus? What purpose could take a saintly persons through life, enduring privation and torture, to benefit a race of person intent on His suffering?
Dale Moody in his book Word of Truth (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman’s, 1981, p. 367) refers to the “three-fold office” of Jesus, which gained great traction in the Reformation. In the “three-fold office” of Jesus, Reformers see Him as Prophet, Priest and King.” Moody s the alliterative Potentate in place of King.
No matter, the meaning is largely the same. Jesus acts from three-fold office. Each of the offices (Prophet, Priest, Potentate) is vital to the saving work of Jesus.
As Prophet, Jesus disrupts the status quo. His prophetic work is so visible His co-religionists recognize it, as in Mark 6:4, Matt. 13:57, John 4:44 and Luke 13:32f., The gospel writers understand the forth-telling work of Jesus from His own lips and call Him a prophet. We should know the work of a prophet is not so much to foretell (predict) as it is to forth-tell (announce the Word of God). Jesus disrupts the status quo by telling forth the intent of God to save, meaning there is a common need among humans to be saved from sin damage.
As Priest, Jesus is far beyond other Priests. He was/is a Priestly Messiah (Moody, p. 371). If we agree that. Priest is to offer sacrifice to atone for the sins of persons and to cover wrong-doers with the Blood of the Sacrifice to cleanse our sin, conservative Christians must recognize and glorify the works of Jesus to redeem us. We then accept His divine Person as Jesus, the Christ, the One who saves from sin, the Messiah. There is no other Priest like Him.
As Potentate (again, Moody, p. 378) Jesus has a title above earthly kings and lords. He is Potentate above all others who claim power for a while, because His power, place and position are eternal and over all, so I Timothy 6:15.
Preachers need to proclaim Jesus holds all three of these offices. His works are so far above and beyond! Self-help sermons wherein we hear Jesus is our good friend just are not enough. We live in the Best Of All Possible Worlds because God makes it and God does not make junk. We live in a dangerous world because of sin. We need God to save us from this dismal prospect and make the world a giant, happy meadow in instead of the mine-field men make it.
Jesus saves.
See you tomorrow.