Our risen Lord is greater than anything we can say about Him. That’s why our songwriters continually give us new words to sing in praise of Jesus. St. Bernard of Clairvaux writes: name of Jesus is more than “The light, it is also food. Do you not feel increase of strength as often as you remember it? What can equal its power to refresh the harassed senses, to buttress the virtues, to add vigour to good and upright habits, to foster chaste affections? Every food of the mind is dry if it is not dipped in that oil; it is tasteless if not seasoned by that salt. Write what you will, I shall not relish it unless it tells of Jesus. Talk or argue about what you will, I shall not relish it if you exclude the name of Jesus. Jesus to me is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, a song in the heart.” There are many Christians who would agree with him about what Jesus means to them. Jesus is God with a human face. that we rightly expect from God and pray for is to be found in Jesus Christ (D. “All Bonhoeffer).” Jesus is our contemporary who cannot be confined to the past. He is both fully with you now and ahead of you as the goal of your faith and the greatest prize you can ever receive. Let nothing or no one deprive you of that prize! Amen. And may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
Our risen Lord is greater than anything we can say about Him. That’s why our songwriters continually give us new words to sing in praise of Jesus. St. Bernard of Clairvaux writes: “The name of Jesus is more than light, it is also food. Do you not feel increase of strength as often as you remember it? What can equal its power to refresh the harassed senses, to buttress the virtues, to add vigour to good and upright habits, to foster chaste affections? Every food of the mind is dry if it is not dipped in that oil; it is tasteless if not seasoned by that salt. Write what you will, I shall not relish it unless it tells of Jesus. Talk or argue about what you will, I shall not relish it if you exclude the name of Jesus. Jesus to me is honey in the mouth, music in the ear, a song in the heart.” There are many Christians who would agree with him about what Jesus means to them. Jesus is God with a human face. “All that we rightly expect from God and pray for is to be found in Jesus Christ (D. Bonhoeffer).” Jesus is our contemporary who cannot be confined to the past. He is both fully with you now and ahead of you as the goal of your faith and the greatest prize you can ever receive. Let nothing or no one deprive you of that prize! Amen. And may the peace of God, which passes all understanding, keep our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
sermon-philippians-3-4b-14-year-a-proper-22.docx