Devotion 3

Romans 1:3-4

Who it’s all about

Now that Paul has introduced himself as a servant selected and separated unto the gospel, and has established the Word of God as the authority in his life, it is time now for him to introduce us to the one who this thing is all about. Prior to the parenthesis in verse two, Paul had left off with the phrase “separated unto the gospel of God.” Therefore when he picks the ball back up in verse three and says “Concerning his Son”, the “his” that he is referring to is God’s. This may seem insignificant to some, but it is imperative to understand that we are not just dealing with some cheap imposter here.  Paul has written to proclaim the one that he serves. He is writing to declare the one by whom he is called. This is “Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord."

Make no mistake; Paul knew who he was talking about. Unlike so many today that are so easily confused as to who Jesus is. He is speaking about the only begotten Son of God. The Jesus of whom Paul is speaking is not just another Jim Jones, David Koresh, Sergey Troop, Maurice Clemmons or some fake that has presented himself as Christ over the last century and beyond. There are several things that separate the Jesus that Paul speaks of from all the rest. Paul is going to point out three of them right here in the next two verses.

First of all my Jesus is the Son of God. He had no earthly father. God was his father. He was conceived through the Holy Ghost by the Virgin Mary. (Matthew 1:18-20). In 1987, Hogen Fukunaga claimed to be Jesus after being enlightened following a foot reading event. You had a dad Hogen so put your shoes back on your feet stink.  You are not “The Man Christ Jesus.”

As a side note, I enjoy the fact that Paul adds the “our Lord” in the mix. What a joy to be able to claim the Only Begotten of the Father as my Lord. Praise be to God’s grace for that. By adding the “our Lord” in the title, Paul is also placing Jesus in his proper place. Not only is he God’s Son but he is our Lord as well. Those of us that are saved, born again believers must become such by first recognizing Jesus as Lord. Paul will point this out later in the book. Paul being a prime example can be found recognizing Jesus as Lord upon first encountering him in Acts 9:4.

Being the Son of God was not enough for Paul however as he identifies another difference between the true Jesus and the frauds. He was “made of the seed of David according to the flesh.” This is also significant in that Jesus had to meet the Messianic criteria to be the King of Israel. Therefore in Matthew 1:1 he identifies Christ as the Son of David. The scripture then goes back to Abraham, the father of Gods people and lays out the lineage all the way to Joseph. He had to be part of the kingly line in order to fulfill the prophetic promise of being the King.

 Now let’s get to the real meat of the matter, the gold behind the green, the vanilla in your latte, the proof in the pudding, the rum in the cider. I digress. In Romans 3:4 Paul said that Jesus was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” Not only was Jesus declared to be the Son of God but it was confirmed by the power of the resurrection. There is another one that has not been done since. “Up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph ore his foes….” You can read the accounts in Matthew 28, Mark 20 and John 16. Paul brings it up later in Romans as a primary part of our salvation when he says in Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” There are many that have claimed the name of Jesus, but only one has come back from the dead to prove it.

Arnold Potter claimed that the spirit of Jesus Christ entered into his body and he became “Potter Christ” Son of the living God. At one point while living in California in the mid 1800’s Potter actually wrote “Potter Christ” on his forehead and attempted to gain converts by preaching himself as Christ on the streets. Surprisingly enough some followed. In 1872, Potter told his parishioners that God had revealed that it was time for him to ascend into heaven. Followed by his disciples, Potter rode upon the back of a donkey to the top of a bluff, from which, in an effort to ascend into heaven, he proceeded to jump off. Not off the donkey but off the cliff. Fortunately for the donkey he dismounted first and thereby spared the poor animals life. What remained of Potter’s body was later collected by his followers and buried.

So let’s put old “Potter Christ” to the test.

• ·         Potter had physical parents (Strike One)
• ·         Potter was not part of the line of David (Strike Two)
• ·         Potter is still dead (Strike Three)

Paul understood who Jesus was and Potter was not him. We should not be surprised that there are many that claim his name. I John 4:1 clearly says “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of god: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” We have the privilege of serving the Resurrected Son of God. Jesus is the one and only, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I serve a risen savior who is in the world today

 I know that he is with me whatever men may say

 I see his hand of mercy I hear his voice of cheer

 And just the time I need him he’s always near

He lives, He lives Christ Jesus lives today

He walks with me and he talks with me

Along life’s narrow way

He lives He lives salvation to impart

You ask me how I know he lives

He lives within my heart

And that my friend is who it is all about.