Only Jesus (by Bob Russell)

Peter, James, and John were astonished to see Jesus transfigured before them. His clothes gleamed like lightning, and they had to shield their eyes from the brilliant light. Equally breathtaking was the fact that Moses and Elijah were standing with Jesus. Patriarchs who had been dead for centuries! Then a voice from heaven thundered, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him, I am well pleased. Listen to him!”  The disciples fell facedown to the ground, terrified. “When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus” (Matthew 17:1-8).

On this abnormal Easter Sunday 2020, when we are somewhat terrified that churches have been ordered not to assemble, and we aren’t permitted to fellowship with more than a handful of our friends, we would do well to see Jesus only. Only Jesus died an atoning death for the sins of the world.

Thousands of criminals have been executed. Hundreds died by the gruesome torture of crucifixion. Undoubtedly a few victims were crucified unjustly.  However, only the innocent Jesus died voluntarily for the sins of the world. He said, “No one takes my life from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18). He went to the cross willingly, “to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Jesus’ death was not a martyr’s death but a vicarious death. It could only be written about Jesus, “…the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

Only Jesus was raised from the dead to prove that through his power, we can do it too. No one else ever came back from the grave to live forever, not Moses, not Muhammad, not Buddha, not Carl Marx, nor Elvis Presley. Only Jesus did, and the evidence for that pivotal event in history is overwhelming. Only Jesus can truly say, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die….” (John 11:25). The resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth is the pivotal moment of history. Mediums and psychics speculate about life after death, but only Jesus demonstrated it. Only Jesus has the credentials to say, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Only Jesus is worth your total trust every day from here to eternity. In this election year, a plethora of politicians will try to persuade us to entrust our future to them. They will embellish their credentials and plead for our unconditional support. To be honest, none of them merits our complete trust because every one of them has serious character flaws. Voting is often a matter of “choosing between the lesser of two evils.” Only Jesus has no character flaw. Only Jesus merits unconditional allegiance. Only Jesus can legitimately ask, “Which of you accuses me of sin?” and expect no reply. Only Jesus was the perfect Lamb of God without blemish or defect. Only Jesus is qualified to say, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Most of us can’t remember a word from the speech given at our high school or college graduations, but I can remember the entire three-point outline given at my Bible College commencement 55 years ago. The captivating address was delivered by Orin Root, Editor of Standard Publishing Company in Cincinnati, whose daughter was in our graduating class. Orin was a quiet, gentle, much-beloved statesman in the Christian Church. I can still recall the slight twinkle in his eye as he said, “Trust other people…but not too much!” Then, “Trust yourself…but not too much!” And finally, “Trust Jesus…and him you can trust completely…forever.” Only Jesus never fails. Only Jesus can assure us, “…if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” and “I will “be with you always, even to the end of the age.”

“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).

Bob Russell God has blessed Bob Russell with a life much different than one he could have ever imagined. As a young man growing up in northern Pennsylvania, Bob had intended on becoming a high school basketball coach in his hometown. During his senior year of high school, however, Bob realized a desire in his heart to enter the ministry. Soon thereafter, he enrolled in Cincinnati Bible Seminary where he graduated in 1965.