Devotion: January 15

Christ Above All

Scripture: Acts 4:12
Topics:

Christ, like no other religious founder, based His entire teaching upon Himself. Every preacher is told, “Do not preach yourself.” We have this treasure in earthen vessels; we’re the earthen vessels. We are not to preach ourselves, but we are to preach Christ. But interestingly, Christ preached Himself. “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). “I am the door” (10:7). “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (14:6). “I”—Jesus Christ preached Himself. You would think that He was egotistical, and yet He was the humblest of all men. Jesus built His religion upon Himself.

The Mohammedans do not do that. They don’t even like to be called Mohammedans, nor do they like the religion to be called Mohammedanism. They want to be called Muslims; their faith is Islam. But we delight to call ourselves Christians, and this is Christianity because it is based upon Christ.

Christ is the only perfect person who ever was—absolutely unique in every way, the utterly, totally sinless One, the greatest person who ever lived and those who have looked at Christ have seen One in whom there is not the least stain of sin, and they have in reflection seen themselves. Every honest person will find that the closer he draws to God, the more clearly he sees his own sinfulness and his own defilement. Jesus is the only Savior.

 

Question to ponder: In the presence of our holy, sinless Savior, what do you see in yourself?