Wednesday, June 3, 2015

"A Father, a Lamb, a Dove"


"A Father, a Lamb, a Dove"


  The Lord Jesus Christ showed us that humility serves as the foundation of authority.

   "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God, He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded  So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:3-5; 13-14).

    The Christ who declared Himself to be "meek and lowly in heart" affirmed the same character in His Father: "He that hath seen Me hath seen the Father" (Matthew 11:29; John 14:9).  Moreover, consider that the Holy Spirit seeks not His own glory or revelation, but that of the Lord Jesus (John 15:26; 16:14).  Glimmering before us lies the beauty of humility as revealed in three glorious but humble Persons.  That is, the Lord of all things and the great Authority unto which all answer bears within His heart the character and nature of a servant.  "Before honor is humility" (Proverbs 15:33).  No less than the cross of Calvary proclaims the wonder of Majesty, as revealed in meekness.  What other notion or religious thought about God suggests that the Almighty would subject Himself to be "crucified through weakness?" (II Corinthians 13:4).  Only the Bible and the Gospel dare to make such a claim, and only an infinitely glorious Lord possessed of a meek and lowly heart would deign to devise so wondrous a purpose of redeeming those who proudly rebelled against Him.

    Such truth does not detract from God's authority, or from the absolute necessity of our bowing before Him in complete reverence and submission.  Indeed, if we will not respond to the loving humility of Christ, we must know Him as our rightful and fearful Judge.  "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:40-42).  Our Lord will not and cannot be mocked.  If we will not have Him as the Lamb He so desires to be for us, we will know Him as the Lion that His holy purity demands.  All will one day bow before Christ, confessing Him as Lord (Philippians 2:10).  The only issue involves whether we do so happily or unhappily, based upon whether we have received the Lord who redeems those who will first know Him as a Servant.  "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister and give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).

    We will never bow lower (or low enough) than in those times when the humility of our Lord overwhelms our hearts with consideration of His character and nature of sublime goodness.  We worship the God who would have us know Him as a Father, a Lamb, and a Dove.  High and holy beyond all pondering, but meek and lowly beyond all wondering.  Herein our hearts find rest as the grace of His heart beckons us into the peace of His humility.


A Father, a Lamb, a Dove,
so high and holy above,
so meek and lowly in love.
a Father, a Lamb, a Dove.

A grace, a mercy, a peace,
given freely to all who believe
with the heart that kneels to perceive
a Father, a Lamb, a Dove.

Forever will not suffice
to offer our sacrifice
of praise to the Goodness on high,
to the Father, the Lamb, the Dove.

A Father, a Lamb, a Dove,
so high and holy above,
so meek and lowly in love,
A Father, a Lamb, a Dove…
a Father, a Lamb, a Dove.


"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
(Philippians 2:5-11)
"The LORD is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!"
(Psalm 113:4-6)

Weekly Memory Verse
    Godliness with contentment is great gain.
(I Timothy 6:6)
    













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