The Person & Work of Christ 

If you were unable to attend our recent Theology Matters Conference at Memorial Heights Baptist Church, you sure missed a blessing! The fellowship was sweet, the singing was delightful, the food was phenomenal, and the preaching was powerful. This year, the “Person and Work of Christ” was the theme of our meeting, and Christ was certainly honored by our efforts. Obviously, not to the point for which He is worthy, but everyone in attendance learned more about what Jesus has done, is doing and will do for His people. 

On Friday evening, I addressed the subject of the Incarnation of Christ. In that message, I challenged the attendees to consider that if Jesus was not who He was, He could not have done what He did. The truth of that thesis statement hinges on the incarnation. In other words, it took God to satisfy God. But it also took a man to rightly represent men to God. Hence, Jesus is the only One who can reconcile Holy God and sinful men. Simply stated, God the Son had to become a man to bring men to God.
Later that evening Bro. Virgil Walker taught about the Obedience of Christ. From Philippians 2:5-11 we learned more about the humble heart and obedient life of the Lord Jesus Christ. One aspect of the Gospel is that Jesus perfectly satisfied both God and God’s law in the behalf of His people. Jesus the Messiah lived the sinless life we do not live, in order to earn a righteousness that is imputed to us when we trust in Christ. However, not only did Bro. Walker speak to the active and passive obedience of Christ, but he also challenged us to follow the faithful footsteps of Christ. This message exhorted believers to have the mind of Christ, to step like Christ and to humbly bow and serve like Christ. 

Saturday morning Pastor Keith Foskey addressed the “Vicarious Death of Christ.” In this wonderful sermon the preacher taught about how Christ after living for some 33 years died in the sinners stead. Or as 2 Corinthians 5:21 states, “He who knew no sin, was made sin for us.” This sermon established that although Jesus was completely without sin, He died in the behalf of sinners. The Christ of God paid the debt that lost sinners owe to God. This is what theologians call, the doctrine of Penal Substitutionary Atonement. Or that Jesus took the penalty that we deserved, served as our Sinless Substitute, and atoned for our sins by His sacrificial death. But not only did Jesus die for sinners, He also tasted death for them. 

So, Pastor Tom Horn used the 15^th chapter of 1^st Corinthians to teach about the Resurrection of Christ. In that sermon the preacher stated that the resurrection of Jesus is not only a historical reality, but the very centerpiece of the Gospel. If the body of Jesus is in fact, still lying in a tomb in Jerusalem, then the entire foundation of Christianity crumbles. And all who ever put their faith in Christ is a fool. But since Christ did rise from the dead, then all of Scripture is reliable and every promise and prophecy will certainly come to pass. Just as surely as Jesus rose from the dead in victorious power, so too will all who trust in Him. 

But not only did Jesus rise from the dead, but after showing Himself alive after man infallible proofs, He ascended back to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on High. Hence, the second sermon Saturday morning focused on the Ascencion of Christ. This is arguably one of the most overlooked subjects that relates to the Person and Work of Christ. In his sermon, Pastor Jason Shults ably argued that the ascension was a necessary action of Jesus that marked His triumphant return to His place of authority and rule over the earth and all its inhabitants. There in heaven, Christ reigns as the Sovereign Supreme over all the affairs of men. And the Christian can find encouragement in the assurance that there in Heaven, Jesus has gone to “prepare a place for us” that will be wonderful beyond mortal comprehension.  

Then on Sunday morning, Pastor Foskey spoke again, but this time he addressed the subject of the Intercession of Christ. The preacher began by asking a thought-provoking question; “What has Jesus been doing for the last 2,000 years since His ascension?” The answer, He has been interceding for His people. That is, He has been serving as an advocate in the behalf of all who trust in Him. When Satan accuses Christians of some sin, even if they are in fact guilty … Jesus can simply point to the blood-stained cross and the Father is satisfied. Contrary to the opinion of many, we do not need any earthly priest, Christians instead have the Great High Priest in heaven who is interceding on their behalf; and God is always pleased with His mediation. 

Finally, the conference closed with a message on the Return of Christ. Pastor Shults did a wonderful job of both encouraging the born-again believer in the promise of the second coming, but also of warning the unbeliever that Jesus will one day soon return as the Conquering King. In 2^nd Thessalonians 1:6-10 there is clear revelation about what the return of Christ will look like for both the Christian and the non-Christian. Though the second coming of Christ Jesus may sound like a fairytale to many, the Lord will return in flaming fire taking vengeance on those that know not the Gospel. The redeemed follower of Christ will enjoy righteous rest at Christ’s return, while the unredeemed sinner will face righteous retribution for their rejection of God and His Son. 

Each of these men did their level best to teach, preach, warn, and encourage every person to trust in the Gospel of Christ as the only hope for lost sinners. Let me close my article by asking you, what do you believe about the Person and Work of Christ? Who is Jesus to you? To be in right relationship with God, you must do more than just know the facts of the Gospel; you must trust that what Christ did, He did for you; because you are a sinner in need of saving. The “good news” is that Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. Trust in the Person and Work of Christ Jesus in your behalf.