Fellowship focus 2 - March 1997
The lasting Word: Christ throughout scripture
For some years after I became a Christian, I thought there were just a few psalms that pointed to the Lord Jesus - those which are quoted in the New Testament (e.g. Psalms 2, 16, 110). But then I began to see that Christ is the theme of the entire bible from Genesis to Revelation.
Take Psalm 1 for example. Although it is not quoted anywhere in the New Testament, it is full of Christ. The Lord Jesus is the only man who has ever fulfilled the description of the righteous man in verses 1-3.
Jesus never sinned (verse 1) Not for one moment did he ever think, speak, or act in an ungodly way, without regard for God's law. He was always the Father's beloved Son; holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners (Matthew 3:17, Hebrews 7:26)
Jesus loved God's laws (verse 2) From an early age the Lord had clearly meditated on the Scriptures (Luke 2:46-47) and it was the Word of God the he repeatedly appealed to in his teaching and when tempted by Satan. He did not come to destroy the law but to fulfil it (Matthew 5:17) and he remained fully obedient to all his father's commandments. (John 15:10)
Jesus will never fail (verse 3) He is fruitful in the sense that he will bring many sons to the glory (Hebrews 2:10). He has always accomplished everything he set out to do. Just before he died, the Lord Jesus could pray, "I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do" (John 17:4) and as he died he cried out in triumph, "It is finished!" (John 19:30). All authority and power in heaven and on earth are his and he shall reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet (Matthew 28:18, 1 Corinthians 15:25).
Norman.