There is no neutrality with Jesus. We mustn’t wait until it’s too late to make the choice we all face—whatever our religion or background. Pastor Lutzer highlights what distinguishes Jesus, the baby born in a lowly manger, from all other world religions. Who will be among those who ultimately bow down before Him?
Learn more with Pastor Lutzer about death and the Christian here.
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Transcript: Welcome to “5 Minutes with Pastor Lutzer.” Last time I told you about a clergyman who was interviewed on national television and was asked the question, “What’s so special about Christmas?” And he said, “Well, it’s all about a baby, and everyone loves a baby.” Well, in a sense, he certainly was right; Christmas is all about a baby but I wish that the clergyman had gone on to explain who the baby was and why He was born.
As we open our Bibles to Philippians 2, we find out why this baby came, namely to redeem us from our sins. He humbled Himself. He emptied Himself, in the sense that He gave up the use of His attributes, though He still maintained those attributes. They were still His but He didn’t depend upon them. He lived as we live, experiencing hunger and pain and weariness, He was indeed one of us. But now let’s look at the text and this, of course, is in chapter two. It says, “Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth and every tongue should confess that Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” A baby, yes, but what a baby, who grew to be a man and Lord and King of all.
Let’s look at the text more specifically. God has highly exalted Him. He’s bestowed on Him that wonderful name so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow “in heaven.” Well, who’s in heaven? Saints are in heaven; angels are in heaven; and they are already, of course, bowing before the Lord Jesus Christ and then Paul says “…and on earth.” I don’t know exactly who the apostle Paul might be referring to but it could be the redeemed on earth and certainly the unredeemed on earth; they will bow before the Lord Jesus Christ. And “…under the earth” could be a reference to demonic spirits. All will bow before Christ and give Him glory. I want you to visualize this. Here is Jesus Christ, and there’s Muhammad, there’s Buddha, there’s Bahala, there’s Krishna, all of the leaders of the world, all of the religious leaders bowing before Jesus Christ and giving Him glory.
Unfortunately, it will be too late if people have not previously believed. It will be too late at that time to receive the salvation that Jesus Christ brought, but all people who have ever lived of any religion, any ethnicity, all are going to give praise to God through Jesus Christ. They will worship Him to the glory of God the Father. The text says, “…and every tongue [will] confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.” When I think about every tongue, I think in my mind every language. You can imagine, as it says in Revelation 5, that in the end they are going to be people from every tongue, every nation, every ethnicity, all giving praise and honor to Jesus.
Now I want to end with a question for you. Are you praising Jesus now? This is your opportunity to do just that. During the Christmas season (and all year long) we should be praising the One whom God has highly exalted. And if you reject Him, someday your knee will bow, your tongue will confess that He is Lord but it will be too late for you to be saved. Worship Him now. Give Him your life. Live for Him. Because in the end we know He wins, and those who are on His side win along with Him. I’m so glad that during this season we can worship God together and we can give praise to the Lord, the baby born in a manger, becoming a man, becoming our Redeemer.
Thank you for joining us today. God bless you and as for today, you just go with God.