>>> Christ

24.
God remembered his promise[1]
to reconcile the world to himself;
he has come among us[2]
in Jesus Christ,
the eternal Word made flesh.[3]
He is the long-awaited Savior,[4]
fully human and fully divine,
conceived by the Spirit of God
and born of the virgin Mary.

[1 2 Cor. 5:18-21]
[2 Gal. 4:4-7]
[3 John 1:1-14]
[4 Luke 1-2]

25.
In the events of his earthly life—[1]
his temptations and suffering,[2]
his teaching and miracles,
his battles with demons and talks with sinners—
Jesus made present in deed and in word
the coming rule of God.

[1 Luke 4]
[2 Phil. 2:1-11]

26.
As the second Adam he chose[1]
the path we had rejected.
As our representative,
serving God perfectly,
and loving even those who scorned him,[2]
Christ showed us how
a righteous child of God lives.

[1 Rom. 5]
[2 1 Pet. 2:21-25]

27.
As our substitute[1]
he suffered all his years on earth,
especially in the horrible torture of the cross.
He carried God's judgment on our sin;[2]
his sacrifice removes our guilt.
He walked out of the grave, the Lord of life!
He conquered sin and death.[3]
We are set right with God,
we are given new life,
and called to walk with him[4]
in freedom from sin's dominion.

[1 Isa. 53]
[2 Heb. 10]
[3 Rom. 4:18-5:11]
[4 Gal. 5]

28.
Being both God and man,[1]
Jesus is the only Mediator
between God and his people.
He alone paid the debt of our sin;[2]
there is no other Savior!
In him the Father chose those[3]
whom he would save.
His electing love sustains our hope:
God's grace is free
to save sinners who offer nothing
but their need for mercy.

[1 1 Tim. 2:5-6]
[2 Acts 4:10-12]
[3 Eph. 1:1-14]

29.
Jesus ascended in triumph[1]
to his heavenly throne.[2]
There he hears our prayers,
pleads our cause before the Father,[3]
and rules the world.[4]
Blessed are all[5]
who take refuge in him.

[1 Acts 1:1-11]
[2 Eph. 1:18-23]
[3 1 John 2:1-2]
[4 Rev. 5]
[5 Rom. 8:31-39]