Wednesday 23 August 2017

"JESUS CHRIST AND THE ECLIPSE" BY DR ALAN C. CLIFFORD

JESUS CHRIST
&
THE ECLIPSE
  
AN ELOQUENT ECLIPSE
We witness an amazing and glorious total eclipse on 21 August 2017 (on the TV one hastens to add).
In the midst of the scientific and popular excitement, let us not miss the profundity of the event.
Authentic Christians believe that the Triune God of the universe ‘speaks’ through His creation (see Psalm 19).
We thus believe that ‘God-in-Christ-by-the-Holy-Spirit’—maker of all things (see John 1)—‘sings’ to us today!
God provided yet another sensational ‘visual aid’ of His power and grace, as revealed in Jesus Christ— ‘the Sun of Righteousness, risen with healing in His wings’ (Mal.4:2).
Yes, the spectacle in the sky ‘speaks’ of the greatest event in the history of mankind—the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Son of God and only Saviour of the world.
 How appropriate is the poetry of Charles Wesley (from his resurrection hymn ‘Christ the Lord is risen today, Hallelujah’):
Love’s redeeming work is done;
Fought the fight, the battle won.
Lo! our Sun’s eclipse is o’er;
Lo! He sets in blood no more.
Eclipses come and go. The sun keeps shining. In today’s dark, decadent and despair-inducing culture, Christ and true Christianity are in the middle of an eclipse.
Secularism, Islam and other falsehoods aim to blot out Christ. But one day He will eclipse them totally forever!
Yes, as the moving moon shows during the eclipse, such darkness passes and Jesus will again shine in His glory and grace.
So, become a ‘Son worshipper’! Believe the Gospel of One who is ‘the Light of the world’ (Jn. 8:12).
Lives again our glorious King!
‘Where, O death, is now thy sting?’
Once He died our souls to save;
‘Where’s thy victory, boasting grave?’
Such are the wondrous realities at the heart of the Christian Faith:
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life (Jn. 3:16).
So, dear reader, do not perish in the eternal darkness of hell. God loves you, and is unwilling that you should perish (see 2 Pet. 3:9).
Acknowledge, trust and yield to the living, loving and eternally-shining Saviour of sinners! Leave the dark shadows of sin! Come into His Light and enjoy the warmth of His pardoning Love!
Then, let disappointment, death, disease and disaster do their worst. Safe in the Saviour’s arms, heaven and happiness begin!
Soar we now where Christ hath led,
Following our exalted Head;
Made like Him, like Him we rise;
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies.
Jesus is shining upon you now! He loves you! Open your eyes and heart. All your darkness will be banished forever in the unquenchable blaze of His eternal love!
God bless you all.
Dr Alan C. Clifford

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