The News From The Utah Mine Collapse Has Not Been ...

The news from the Utah mine collapse has not been good. Over the last several days, in an effort to find the trapped men, holes have been drilled through 2000 feet of rock and rubble. We hope the men will be saved. But for a moment, imagine if the drill comes all the way down and discovers survivors, but the men say, “Do not bother drilling a larger hole; we will dig our own way up. We will not use a shaft of life which comes down; we insist on making our own path back to life.”

Such is similar to those who grumble at Jesus’ exclusive claims. “Are you saying that I am spiritually starving apart from faith in Jesus? Are you saying that I am too weak to make my way to heaven? Are you saying that my only hope of survival is receive what has come down, rather than forge my own path up?”

Yes, that is exactly what Jesus claims. Many efforts are made to ascend the mount of spirituality; none reach the summit. But, one has come down from heaven with the gift of true spiritual life.

• He who was high has been made low.

• He who was holy has been made sin.

• He who was glorified has been despised.

• He did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.