Christ is Precious — Part 4

"The Infinite Worth of Christ"

Sermon delivered on February 14th, 2016

By: Pastor Greg Hocson

Scripture Text:: 1 Peter 2:1-10

 

Introduction

For the last three Sundays we have been contemplating on the preciousness of Christ. What makes Jesus Christ precious? First of all, Christ is precious, because He is absolutely unique. Secondly, He is precious because He is altogether lovely. Today I want consider with me the third quality that makes Christ precious. Jesus Christ is precious because of His infinite worth or value.

 

What do I hope to see take place these days of contemplation?

My prayer is that, we would be like the two disciples who found themselves walking with Jesus on the way to Emmaus. While Christ opened the scriptures and they heard Him expound unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself their hearts burned within them (Luke 24:27-32).

 

My prayer is that something would happen inside us and we would not be same person. A change so radical that it will result in a deep longing to draw closer to the Saviour, an increased love for the Saviour, we would love Him not in only words but also in deeds.

 

1. Christ is absolutely unique

Didn't out hearts burn within us when we contemplated on Christ's absolute uniqueness? 

 

Christ is absolutely unique. His life is unparalleled in beauty, scope, character, and effect. No one ever spoke like Jesus Christ, did the things He did, or made the claims He made. There is no one single person that impacted the world like our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

I love the poem written by Dr. James Allan Francis.

 

One Solitary Life

 

He was born in an obscure village

The child of a peasant woman

He grew up in another obscure village

Where He worked in a carpenter shop

Until He was thirty when public opinion turned against Him

 

He never wrote a book

He never held an office

He never went to college

He never visited a big city

He never travelled more than two hundred miles

from the place where He was born

He did none of the things

usually associated with greatness

He had no credentials but Himself

 

He was only thirty three

 

His friends ran away

One of them denied Him

He was turned over to His enemies

And went through the mockery of a trial

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves

While dying, His executioners gambled for His clothing

The only property He had on earth

 

When He was dead

He was laid in a borrowed grave

Through the pity of a friend

 

Nineteen centuries have come and gone

And today Jesus is the central figure of the human race

And the leader of mankind's progress

All the armies that have ever marched

All the navies that have ever sailed

All the parliaments that have ever sat

All the kings that ever reigned put together

Have not affected the life of mankind on earth

As powerfully as that one solitary life.

 

Amen!

 

2. Christ is altogether lovely

Didn't out hearts burn within us when we contemplated on Christ's beauty?

Song of Solomon 5:16 His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.

 

John 1:10: He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11: He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

We know that the stone that the builders despised and rejected is the very King of kings, and Lord of lords, the "Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace." 

 

Yea, He is altogether lovely. There is nothing undesirable in Him, there is nothing unpleasant in Him, there is nothing lovely without Him. He is altogether lovely in His person, His offices, His nature, His works, His ways, His sacrifice, His words, His promises, or any other things belonging to Him; you will find Him altogether lovely. Everything about Him is lovely!

 

Oh may we catch a greater glimpse of the beauty of Jesus Christ. Just one glimpse of how beautiful He truly is, I believe we will never be the same person again. You and I will be forever changed.

 

Just one glimpse of Him in glory

Will the toils of life repay.

 

Onward to the prize before us!

Soon His beauty we'll behold;

 

Oh, to love Him wholly, and to love Him only, so that we have no eyes for other beauty, no heart for other loveliness since He fills our souls, and is to us "altogether lovely."

 

3. Christ is of infinite worth and value

This morning, may our hearts burn within us as we contemplate on the infinite worth and value of Christ.

 

As we I have mentioned in the past Sundays there are some stones that are rare but not beautiful, others that are beautiful but not rare, still others are beautiful and rare but are not useful. This is why diamond is on top of the list. In addition to its rarity and beauty, diamonds are also useful.

 

The word "Diamond" is taken from the ancient Greek word "ada'mas", meaning "unbreakable" or "unalterable". Diamonds are the hardest substance on earth, and because of its hardness, it is immune to scratching, and resistant to wear and tear. The only thing that can scratch or cut it is another diamond. The hardness of diamond make it desirable for jewelry such as rings and bracelets but also useful for industrial tools, such as drills and saw blades to make them tougher and cut more easily. Though diamonds are useful, they still have limited use and value. But O, Jesus, His value is limitless, His worth is infinite.

 

Who can really understand the worth of Christ? Who is able to understand and fathom the preciousness of Christ? Consider how great Jesus Christ is? He is incomparably, immeasurably, inconceivably precious.

 

"As for useful qualities, where else shall we find such a variety of uses in one place? He is eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, feet to the lame, healing to the sick, freedom to the slave, joy to the mourner, and life to the dead. Think of His life, and how it gives life to the believer! Think of His death, and how it redeems from hell all those who trust in Him! Think of His resurrection, and how it justifies believers; and of His second coming, and how it delights our hearts! Think of our Lord in all His offices, as Prophet, Priest, and King! Think of Him in all His relationships, as husband, brother, friend! Think of Him under all the types and figures with which Scripture delights to set Him forth! Think of Him in all positions and conditions, think of Him as you will, and as you can; but in every one of these, He has a blessed use for the supply of some terrible need which afflicts His redeemed. He is set for the removal of your condemnation, the pardon of your sin, the justification of your person, the changing of your nature, the presentation of your offerings, the preservation of your graces, the perfecting of your holiness, and for all other good and necessary purposes. All good things meet in Him, and meet in Him in Profusion (abundance), even to superabundance; wherefore, He is precious indeed!" - C. H. Spurgeon

 

I like what was said by a child in the Sunday school, when the teacher said, "You have been reading that Christ is precious; what does that mean?" The children were silent for a little while, but at last one boy replied, "My dad said the other day that mom was precious, for 'whatever should we do without her!'" .

 

That's it! That's what it means when we say that Jesus Christ is precious to us, for what should we do, what could we do, what would we do without Him?

 

John 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

We are NOTHING, we have NOTHING, we can do NOTHING without Christ. But we who have believed, have all and abound. (Philippians 4:18) and can do all things through Christ that strengthens us, ( Philippians 4:13).

 

Christ is all you and I need

John 8:58: Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

I am the Bread of Life. I am the Light of the World. I am the Water of Life. I am the Good Shepherd. I am the Door. I am the true Vine. I am the the Resurrection and the Life. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 

 

He is our Father, our Husband, our Brother, our Friend, our Physician, our Messiah, our Prophet, Priest, and King. 

 

He is the Author and Finisher of our faith, our Cornerstone, our Head, Our Bridegroom, our Mediator, Our Advocate, our Deliverer, our Redeemer, our Saviour, our Protector, our Provider, our Sustainer,

 

To us believers Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb. He is the High Priest, the Altar, and Lamb of Sacrifice. He is the Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by Night. He is the Captain of Our Salvation. He is our Judge and Lawgiver. He is our kinsman Redeemer. He is our Trusted Prophet. He is our Reigning King. He is the Rebuilder of the broken down walls of human life. He is our Restorer. He is the Giver of New Life. He is our Advocate. He is our Great Shepherd. He is our Wisdom. He is our Hope of Resurrection. He is our Song. He is our Loving Bridegroom. He is our Security. 

 

To every believer He is the Suffering Servant. He is the Righteous Branch. He is the Faithful Husband forever married to the sinner. He is the One who Baptizes with the Holy Spirit of Fire. He is the Restorer of Justice. He is Mighty to Save. He is our stronghold in the day of trouble. 

 

He is our Benefactor. He is our Example. He is our Purity. He is our Pattern. He is our Motivation. He is the Foundation of our Faith. He is our Coming King.

 

He is whatever we need. He is our life, our light, our bread, our water. He is our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. He is our Peace, our Joy, our Hope, our Comfort, our Strength, our all. He is whatever we need.

 

Christ is yours, and all things are yours

1 Corinthians 3:21 Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are your's; 22: Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are your's; 23: And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's.

 

What J. C. Ryle said about our attempts to describe Jesus Christ bears repeating ...

"We can never make too much of Christ. Our thoughts about the Church, the ministry, and the ordinances, may easily become too high and exaggerated or excessive. But we can never have too high thoughts about Christ, we can never love Him too much, trust Him too implicitly, lay too much weight upon Him, and speak too highly in His praise. He is worthy of all the honor that we can give Him. He will be all in heaven. Let us see to it, that He is all in our hearts on earth.

 

Applications

Let me draw some applications

 

Words to those which have believed

What a precious and perfect gift the Lord Jesus Christ is! Just to think how poor, miserable, and undeserving sinners we are all by nature. And yet He showed His favor to us and honored us giving us the unspeakable gift of His Son. The only reasonable response to this so great a gift is to believe Him, to trust Him, to love Him, to adore Him, to worship Him, to serve Him, and to obey Him and proclaim Him.

 

Words to those which have not yet believed

One thing about rare diamonds is that only the wealthy or the elite investors can afford to own them. But not so with Christ though He is extremely valuable and precious, though He is amazingly beautiful, though He is of infinite value, He is offered to all and is given for free without money and without price.

 

Isaiah 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 2: Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

It is free not because it is worthless, it given free because no one could afford it.

 

For those among us who do not see Jesus as precious, may God, by His Holy Spirit, open your eyes and show you, that Jesus Christ is sufficient to meet your needs, especially your need of a great Saviour.

Isaiah 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

 

Amen!