Jesus Christ is your savior, my savior, and the savior of all mankind!
So what does it mean to revere Jesus?
17) When I saw him, I fell at his feet like a dead man. He laid his right hand on me, saying, "Don't be afraid. I am the first and the last, 18) and the Living one. I was dead, and behold, I am alive forever more. Amen. I have the keys of Death and of Hades. 19) Write therefore the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will happen hereafter;
Revelation 1:17-18 (WEB)
Jesus holds the keys to death and Hades. He appoints the time our death and he raises the dead. He also locks the unbelieving in the punishments of Hades and will empty Hades on the last day. Friends, our destiny is not in the hands of our supposed free will, but in the hands of Jesus' will. Jesus is the God of our past, our present, and our future. So we are advised to revere Christ.
Twenty-first century sentiment emphasizes authenticity and sincerity. Pastors preach in jeans. Parishioners sport sweats. Yet, even the actors and actresses in my oldies movie collection are wearing collared shirts with ties and Sunday best dresses. The motto for today is "get comfortable." This is not bad in itself. However, if we remember our sin problem, letting it all hang out before Holy God is not honesty, but harlotry, not beautiful, but brazen. We should answer Joan Osborne's question, "What if God was one of us? Just a slob like one of us?" Friends, Jesus left Heaven to be one of us, but he was never a slob like all of us. Instead he is a perfect gentleman, the servant of all, the King of the Universe, and the coming judge. He searches our hearts with a fiery eyed love that burns through every idol to melt the hardest hearted.
Jesus' passion for mankind propelled him to warn the unrepentant that judgment is coming. He called us at our worst "hypocrites," "blind guides," "whitewashed tombs," "murderers," and "snakes!" He warned unbelievers of sentence to "outer darkness," "weeping and gnashing of teeth," suffering where the "worm does not die," and "agony!" Spineless forms of Universalism have lost touch with the reality of human corruption and the consequences that follow without repentance. We are all summoned to stand before the almighty judge of the Universe to give account. Even the most irreverent fool will then revere Christ.
Jesus' eternal love for mankind also promises his people that "no one can snatch [his sheep] out of his hand." The love of Christ given to chosen mankind from even before creation is utterly inescapable! The love of God is so wide, long, high, and deep that it "surpasses knowledge!" In other words, God's love even partially understood "blows our minds!" Just consider the goodness that God has prepared for his people in eternity. "...Scripture says: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him' " (1 Corinthians 2:9 NOG). Just to wet our appetites, the Apostle Paul was caught up into Heaven and was not even allowed to repeat what he heard there. Even the most reverent Christian will then revere Christ even more!
Jesus spoke both words of warning and words of promise. He warned mankind about the consequences of sin in this life as well as the afterlife punishments in Hades. He also promised paradise for the believing as well as eternal glory for chosen mankind. Jesus calls the shots! Revere Jesus!
