(upbeat music) - Well, how do we rid ourselves of low thoughts about Christ? Well, we banish them by filling our minds and hearts with the wealth of revelation of who Christ is. And that's what we're doing in the month of December leading up to Christmas. To this end, I have convinced Pastor John to read a few chapters from his excellent book, "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ." This is sort of a first nudge to see if Pastor John will read the entire book and make it his first audio book at some point in the future.

To that end, he recently recorded a second chapter for us, for you, the APJ audience, and you're hearing this for the very first time. So here now is Pastor John reading chapter two from his wonderful book, "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ," on the remedy for low thoughts about Christ.

- Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. John 8, verse 58. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1, verse 1. For in Christ, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. Colossians 2, verse 9.

Chapter two. Jesus is the glory of God, the deity of Jesus Christ. Christ does not exist in order to make much of us. We exist in order to enjoy making much of him. The assumption of this book is that to know the glories of Christ is an end, not a means.

Christ is not glorious so that we get wealthy or healthy. Christ is glorious so that rich or poor, sick or sound, we might be satisfied in him. The first particular glory that upholds all the rest is the mere eternal existence of Christ. If we will simply ponder this as we ought, a great ballast will come into the tipping ship of our souls.

Sheer existence is perhaps the greatest mystery of all. Ponder the absoluteness of reality. There had to be something that never came into being. Back, back, back we peer into endless ages, yet there never was nothing. Someone has the honor of being there first, and always he never became or developed.

He simply was. To whom belongs this singular, absolute glory? The answer is Christ, the person whom the world knows as Jesus of Nazareth. The apostle John, who wrote the last book of the Bible, received the decisive revelation. He quotes God, "I am the alpha and the omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1, verse 8.

This is not Christ talking. This is the Almighty God. He calls himself alpha and omega, the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In the alphabet, one cannot speak of anything or nothing before alpha. There is no before alpha in the alphabet. Nor can one speak of anything or nothing after omega.

There is no after omega in the alphabet. So it is with God and reality. There is no before God and no after God. He is absolutely there. No matter how far back or how far forward you go, he is the absolute reality. He has the honor of being there first and always.

To him belongs this singular glory. This is the essential meaning of the Old Testament name, Yahweh or Jehovah. It is built on the verb to be. When Moses asked God his name, God said to Moses, "I am who I am." Say this to the people of Israel. I am has sent me to you, Exodus 3, verse 14.

This I am is unfolded by God in Isaiah as implying absolute, eternal reality, past and future. You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me, no God was formed, nor shall there be any after me, Isaiah 43, verse 10.

To be I am is to be absolutely the first and the last. No before and no after, simply I am. God makes this explicit in Isaiah 44, verse six. Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts, I am the first and I am the last.

Besides me, there is no God. And again, in Isaiah 48, verse 12, listen to me, O Jacob and Israel, whom I called. I am he, I am the first and I am the last. This is his name, Yahweh, the one who absolutely, eternally and invincibly is. He has the unique honor and singular glory of always having been when nothing else was, nor will he be outlasted by anything.

This is what it means to be God. What then does this have to do with Christ, whom we know as Jesus of Nazareth? Everything. The apostle John quoted Christ near the end of his revelation. Behold, I am coming soon. I am the alpha and the omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. Revelation 22, verses 12 and 13 and verse 16. This is Christ talking, not God the Father. Now, two cannot be alpha and omega unless they are one. Two cannot be absolutely first and last unless they are one.

Yet, Christ, who calls himself Jesus, claims for himself the same honor and glory belonging to God the Almighty. See also Revelation 1, verses 17 and 18, 2, verse 8. Christ even took to himself the uniquely glorious name of God. I am. Jesus said to them, "Truly I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." John 8, verse 58.

I am telling you this now, Jesus says to his disciples near the end of his life, "Before it takes place, that when it does take place, you may believe that I am." John 13, verse 19, author's translation. See also John 8, verse 24. Nothing greater can any man say of himself.

It is true or it is blasphemy. Christ was God or godless. John knew which. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh, the only son, some translations begotten, from the Father. John 1, verse 1, verse 14.

Jesus Christ, the Word, was begotten, not made, and not at any point in time, but eternally. Two persons standing forth as one God, not two gods. The Son begotten from the Father, one essential deity. This is a great mystery, as we would expect it to be. But it is what God has revealed about himself.

The apostle Paul also knew the unique glory that belonged to Christ. He is, according to the flesh, the Christ, who is God, over all, blessed forever, amen. Romans 9, verse 5. Nevertheless, though he was in the form of God, he did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant.

Philippians 2, verses 6 and 7. Therefore, in him, the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. Colossians 2, verse 9. See 1, verse 19. And we Christians are now waiting, not for a mere man, but for the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2, verse 13.

See also 2 Peter 1, verse 1. This is why the writer to the Hebrews is so bold as to say, "All the angels worship Christ." He is not chief among angels who worship God. He is worshiped by the angels as God. And again, when God brings the firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him." Hebrews 1, verse 6.

For he is the creator of all that is, and he is himself God. Of the son, God says, "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning." Hebrews 1, verses 8 and 10. Thus the Father bears witness to the deity of the Son.

He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. And he upholds the universe by the word of his power. Hebrews 1, verse 3. Jesus Christ is the creator of the universe. Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last.

Jesus Christ, the person, never had a beginning. He is absolute reality. He has the unparalleled honor and unique glory of being there first and always. He never came into being. He was eternally begotten. The Father has eternally enjoyed the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature.

Hebrews 1, verse 3. In the person of his Son. Seeing and savoring this glory is the goal of our salvation. Father, I desire that they also whom you have given me be with me where I am to see my glory that you have given me. John 17, verse 24.

To feast on this forever is the aim of our being created and our being redeemed. A prayer, eternal Father, you never had a beginning. You will never have an ending. You are the Alpha and the Omega. This we believe because you have revealed it to us. Our hearts leap up with gratitude that you have opened our eyes to see and know that Jesus Christ is your eternal, divine Son, begotten, not made, and that you, oh Father, and he, your Son, are one God.

We tremble even to take such glorious truths on our lips for fear of dishonoring you with withering and inadequate words. But we must speak because we must praise you. Silence would shame us and the rocks themselves would cry out. You must be praised for who you are in the world you have made.

And we must thank you because you have made us taste and see the glory of Jesus Christ, your Son. Oh, to know him. Father, we long to know him. Banish from our minds low thoughts of Christ. Saturate our souls with the Spirit of Christ and all his greatness. Enlarge our capacities to be satisfied in all that you are for us in him.

Where flesh and blood are impotent, reveal to us the Christ and rivet our attention and our affections on the truth and beauty of your all-glorious Son. And grant that whether rich or poor, sick or sound, we might be transformed by him and become an echo of his excellence in the world.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen. - Amen, that was chapter two from Pastor John's book, Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ. And wherever you're listening in the midst of your day, thanks for joining us. Be sure to subscribe to Ask Pastor John in your favorite podcast app or in YouTube or in Spotify.

For our episode archive or to submit a question, go to desiringgod.org/askpastorjohn. Well, porcelain nativity sets are a popular choice for mantle decor in the Christian home this time of year. But are sets like these forbidden from our places of worship by the second commandment? This is a great and timely question sent in to us by a listener named Lisa, and it's up next time.

I'm your host Tony Reinke, we'll see you on Friday. (upbeat music) (upbeat music)