What the hell is your problem?

I have been taking notice of what people say their problems are. Unfortunately what I hear most about are problems that are rooted in ourselves. Emotional instability, loneliness, poor self-esteem, not fulfilling our destiny, lack of fulfillment, or lack of money, etc. I think the reason that Christianity is so unappealing to many, Christians and pagans alike, is that these are problems that unenlightened are always looking to fix t and unelightened men are turning to Jenny Craig, Oprah, and Dr. Phil and are finding some relief.

What makes Christ stand out as a treasured Messiah in the midst of so many proposed ones? He came to solve the problems that are much more severe than the pithy emotional ramblings above. You see, we often do a great job of stating the solution: Jesus. But we don't do a good job of stating the real needs that are at the root of the ones listed above, the ones on the surface.

Read this paragraph from Calvin. I trust your heart will be opened to see the glory of God in the face of Jesus as you ponder our real needs and see that Christ has sufficiency satisfied them.

When we see that the whole sum of our salvation, and every single part of it, are comprehended in Christ, we must beware of deriving even the minutes portion of it from any other quarter. If we seek salvation, we are taught by the very name of Jesus that he possesses it;if we seek any other gifts of the Spirit, we shall find them in his unction; strength in his government; purity in his conception; indulgence in his nativity, in which he was made like us in all respects, in order that he might learn to sympathise with us: if we seek redemption, we shall find it in his passion; acquittal in his condemnation; remission of the curse in his cross; satisfaction in his sacrifice; purification in his blood; reconciliation in his descent to hell; mortification of the flesh in his sepulchre; newness of life in his resurrection; immortality also in his resurrection; the inheritance of a celestial kingdom in his entrance into heaven; protection, security, and the abundant supply of all blessings, in his kingdom; secure anticipation of judgment in the power of judging committed to him. In fine, since in him all kinds of blessings are treasured up, let us draw a full supply from him, and none from any other quarter. Those who, not satisfied with him alone, entertain various hopes from others, though they may continue to look to him chiefly, deviate from the right path by the simple fact, that some portion of their thought takes a different direction. No distrust of this description can arise when once the abundance of his blessings is properly known.