1Paul,
a servant of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, set apart into the Gospel of God, 2which
He promised beforehand through His prophets in [the] holy Scriptures, 3concerning
His Son, the One becoming out of [the] seed of David according to [the] flesh …
Ah, yes. Verse 3 begins “concerning His Son …” Paul is
continuing to expound on the Gospel of God and in this verse we are reminded
that this Gospel which was promised beforehand and given to us through the
prophets in the holy Scriptures is “concerning His Son!” What the Gospel
teaches us is that it is all “concerning
His Son!” Yes? Before I knew Christ, I couldn’t see He had anything to do with
anything. But when the Lord opened my eyes and I suddenly saw Him, I knew He
was everything about everything!
I can’t resist quoting Col. 1:15-20:
“The Son is the image of the
invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in Him
all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible,
whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been
created through Him and for Him. He is before all things,
and in Him all things hold together. And He is the Head
of the body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the
dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For
God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in Him, and
through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or
things in heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the Cross.”
Wow. Life itself is so about Him, is it not? Mary certainly did choose “the better part.”
Martha thought life was about getting things done. Mary just sat at Jesus’
feet, adored Him, worshipped Him, listened to His teaching, and I am quite sure
was totally transformed. Seeing His image, she was “changed into that image,
from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Paul said, “I want to know
Him and the power of His resurrection (Col. 3:10). “I am crucified with Christ,
nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me” (Gal. 2:20). “I can do
all things through Christ, who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:13). “For to me to live
is Christ” (Phil. 1:21).
The Gospel brings us to salvation itself and teaches us that
in Jesus we find salvation. We find Him Lord and Savior, forgiver of our sins,
our Way to heaven – but then our opened eyes see He is so much more. He is everything!
Yes, the Gospel is “concerning His Son.” And so is everything
else!
But notice particularly what Paul points out about Him
here in verse 3: He is “the One becoming
out of [the] seed of David according to [the] flesh …” Jesus is and was a
descendant of David. That means a lot of things to us, but I particularly want
to note it reminds us that Jesus became a man, human. He came down out of
heaven and was born of a virgin and though totally God, yet He became totally a
man. He became one of us. This truth that
Jesus was totally God and yet totally man has perplexed theologians for
centuries, but for us who just enjoy Him, we don’t really care if it makes
sense. It’s just more of Him being everything
to us. He had to be totally God or He could never have born the infinite price
of our sins then rose again to prove the price was paid. He had to be totally a
man in order to take our place at all!
Heb. 2:9-18 tells us:
“But we see Jesus, who was made
lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor
because He suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for
everyone…Both the One who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of
the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters…Since
the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His
death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is,
the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by
their fear of death. For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s
descendants. For this reason He had to be made like them, fully human in every
way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in
service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people.”
What matters so much here is that Jesus didn’t die for raccoons.
He didn’t die for angels. He died for you and me. He became one of us so He
could die for us! May we never doubt the love of this One who left the glory of
heaven, laid aside the free exercise of His divine attributes, and became one
of us – specifically so He could go to the Cross for us and save us for all
eternity! May we never doubt His love!
Yes, the Gospel is “concerning His Son.” Everything is “concerning His Son!”
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