Only the Faithfulness of Jesus Christ

“Consequently, just as condemnation for all people came through one transgression, so too through the one righteous act came righteousness leading to life for all people.” (Romans 5:18)

“For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are his creative work, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so we can do them.” (Ephesians 1:8-10)

“As a result God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow – in heaven and on earth and under the earth – and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:8-10)

Every Encounter With Christ

 

Christ the Wisdom of God

The Wisdom of Self-Giving,
Other-Centered, Cross-Shaped Love.

“The Wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)

“But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us Wisdom from God — and righteousness and sanctification and redemption — that, as it is written, ‘He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:27-31)

In Light of the Gospel

“For with You is the fountain of life;
In Your light we see light.”
(Psalm 36:9)

“The True Light,
Who gives Light to everyone,
was coming into the world.”
(John 1:9)

A Prayer for Facial Recognition

 

Letting Go and Trusting God

 

Baptism is Not a Work But a Gift

“Do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.” (Romans 6:3-5) 

Baptism and the Kingdom of God

“Giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:12-14)

“In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins.” (Colossians 1:11-13)

One thing I especially like about this version of the Icon of the Baptism is that, at the bottom, Lord Jesus stands on the same broken gates we find in the Icon of the Resurrection. They are the gates of Hades, of Death, trampled under the feet of Lord Jesus.

Bathed in the Truth of Christ

“Do you not know that as many as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life. For if we have become united with him in the likeness of his death, we will certainly also be united in the likeness of his resurrection.” (Romans 6:3-5)

Christ Blessed the Water of Baptism

 

“Buried with him in baptism, by which you were also raised along with him by the faithfulness of the operation of the God who raised him from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12 DBH)

The Hour of Which Christ Speaks

“On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, ‘They have no wine.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.’” (John 2:1-4)

“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. ” (John 12:23-24, 27)

“After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.’” (John 17:1)

And So Is He Our Salvation

Humankind, Once
Headed Up in Adam,
Is Now Headed Up in Christ.

“Consequently, just as one trespass [Adam’s] resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act [Christ’s] resulted in justification and life for all people.” (Romans 5:18)

“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians 15:22)

What John Saw

“‘Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!’ And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: ‘Blessing and honor and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!’” (Revelation 5:12-13)

The Presence We Encounter

On the Road to Emmaus

So he said to them, “You foolish people – how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Wasn’t it necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and enter into his glory?”

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures. So they approached the village where they were going. He acted as though he wanted to go farther, but they urged him, “Stay with us, because it is getting toward evening and the day is almost done.” So he went in to stay with them.

When he had taken his place at the table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. At this point their eyes were opened and they recognized him. Then he vanished out of their sight.

They said to each other, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us while he was speaking with us on the road, while he was explaining the scriptures to us?” (Luke 24:25-32)

The Cross and the Holy Trinity

“God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them” (2 Corinthians 5:19)

“And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.” (1 John 4:14)

“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11)

But Love Forgave and Overcame All

“Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 2:22-24)

“Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in their humanity, so that through death he could destroy the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15)

For God, who is love, was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting our sins against us (1 John 4:8; 2 Corinthians 5:19).