Where's Jesus?

As I observe Evangelical Christianity, even among Southern Baptists, it seems that I can go weeks or even months without hearing much mention of Jesus Christ, apart from what He might be able to do for us. I read a recent edition of our state Baptist newspaper recently and saw lots of information about what churches were doing in this program or that, but little mention of Jesus. When I talk with many Christians or pastors or read "Christian" books or visit discussions happening on other Christian blogs, I find little mention of Jesus. I see a lot of debate, controversy, ministry information, and thoughts about ourselves, but Jesus seems to be conspicuously absent. It almost makes me wonder if we believe that there is another way to salvation or something. So, to prime our thoughts today, I leave you with the words of an old hymn, The Solid Rock:

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness;

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand;

All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils His lovely face, I rest on His unchanging grace.

Through every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

His oath, His covenant His blood, support me in the whelming flood;

When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found;

Dressed in His righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.

All other ground is sinking sand.

Comments

[Brian]

Alan, This is why I thank God for you!!!! You continually turn our focus back to where it should be. It is so easy to allow that 1 degree of separation to go on to long and if we don't stop and recalibrate we get programs and churches that look like they do today. THANKS!

[Bill Wilkie]

Alan,
I agree with the point of your blog except when you state, “It almost makes me wonder if we believe that there is another way to salvation or something.” Oeople define “salvation” as getting a quick ticket to heaven and that is all.

The “Gospel” is much more than that and it is not reflected in the song. I think it is about Jesus, living the life he commanded and later a relationship with Christ and the Father that leads to eternal life.”

“My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ Name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.”

I really like the first four lines but I wish that it went on and talked a little more about the victories like Paul did when he contrasted the last part of Romans 7 and then Romans 8. Does the “victorious” relationship with Christ not manifest itself in my daily life?” While it must be a daily walk that does sometimes imply a struggle, the song implies a “dark night of the soul” experience on a continuing basis. That is not my experience but maybe I have a problem?

Where is the “that your joy may be full” stanza that Christ talks about in John 15:11 and John 17:13? Where is the stanza about the Holy Spirit “teaching you all things” from John 14:26?” Where is the stanza about being “kept in the world but being protected from the evil one” because of Christ’s protective prayer for me in John 17:15?

I am sorry Alan but I find most of this song discouraging rather than liberating.

[Dan]

If you think God isn't working, listen to http://dreamsandvisions.podomatic.com/

[Cyle Clayton]

This has been one of my favorite hymns since I was a kid. The greatest, and really the only hope anyone can really have is the grace and mercy of God manifested to us in and through Jesus Christ. One of the events in my life when I became most convinced about the gospel of Jesus was a conversation with a Kabalist Jewish tour guide in Jerusalem. I and two other pastors sat with him one evening talking about our religious beliefs. I had known him for about two years. When I met him, he had just become a believer in God (but not in Judaism or in Jesus). He had seen an old Jewish man healed and strengthened one day and so he could not longer deny God's existence. He spent the next two years searching for meaning, found Kabalism, and was really a much softer and kinder man. However, when we talked about eternity, he still based his hope on his own understanding and his own good works. When I shared the gospel with him he said, "You mean to tell me I just have to trust in Jesus alone and I will be saved. That's too easy." I said, "Yep, it is. That's why I believe it. You, and all other world religions keep trying to work your way into understanding and heaven. I have simply accepted that it took nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness to get me there."

[Lee]

Now you've gone to, as they say down Alabama way, "meddlin'"

I think we're trained to be program oriented. It makes us feel like we are accomplishing something. We've become adept at taking faith and making it all about P.R. We're ingrained with the idea that we've got to "get it right," and I think we really do come to believe, in the long run, that the goal is "getting it right," and so we miss getting right with Jesus.

You realize that your thoughts here are undoing a whole lot of seminary training. ;-)

[Jeff Richard Young]

Dear Brother Alan,

Thanks for the appropriate exhortation.

Love in Christ,

Jeff