1245. No Man Ever Undertook What Christ Undertook
No Man Ever Undertook What Christ Undertook
"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in Heaven and in earth.
"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Mat_28:18-19).
Alexander started out to conquer a world, in a sense he succeeded, but in a truer sense he utterly-failed. He died in his prime, leaving his vast conquests to his four great generals. Let us follow some statements concerning the undertakings of our Lord, which place Him above every other man.
1. Christ faced a task which lay beyond the attempt of any other man. To a little group of disciples gathered around Him, at the Mount of Olives, He said: "Go ye therefore and disciple all nations." He said: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature." The Lord Jesus did not anticipate that all the world would be saved, but He plainly commanded that all the world should hear the message of salvation.
Christ Jesus prophesied the darkening days that are now upon the earth, but He proclaimed and prophesied another day–a day of millennial blessing, When He, Himself should take David's throne and reign.
In all of this we begin to grasp the sweep of Christ's undertakings. He not only undertook the preaching of the Gospel to every creature in this age, but He understook the establishing of the millennial glory, in the next age. At this very moment Christ sits at the right hand of God, anticipating, until His enemies be made His footstool.
We do not see, as yet, the great undertakings of Christ accomplished. We do see Him crowned with glory and honor; and we have full assurance of His final supremacy and victory. We anticipate the day when angel, archangel and raptured saints, shall acclaim Him Lord, to the glory of the Father.
2. Christ faced adversaries which none other ever faced. We readily grant that satan has hindered saints; but satan's chief assault has ever been against the Son of God. When Christ was on earth, satan met Him face to face in the wilderness; as Christ hung on the Cross, satan marshaled all His forces–demons, fallen angels, and sinful men, and centered their attack against the Son of God, satan still comes in like a flood. He withstands every onward march of the purposes of the Son of God. But over all adversaries and every foe, Christ will triumph. He will not fail nor be discouraged until His task is done.
3. He undertook His task with an assurance of ultimate success that no man has ever known. Jesus Christ looked through centuries of seeming defeat, and proclaimed the day, when He should come in the power of His Father and His holy angels. Jesus Christ looked through the infidelities of a church grown rich, and waxing lukewarm–a passionless, prayerless, prostrate church–and yet He proclaimed ultimate victory. The Lord Jesus saw victory, growing out of seeming defeat. He undertook His task without hesitancy, without a shadow of a turning.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR