“But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” Matthew 28:16-20
One cannot diminish the torture or agony of the cross. Christ suffered and died for our sin, willingly laying down His life for the transgressions of men. Yet there can likewise be no diluting the supernatural power of the resurrection.
None of the benefits of the cross - forgiveness of sin, justification of sinners - could be ours today without a living Savior. It was the resurrection of Christ that attested more than any other event to His full and absolute deity. Jesus met and conquered death, Satan, and sin, proclaiming His divine nature and displaying His divine power.
Today, the believer can enjoy the exquisite delight of union with the resurrected Christ. At work, in the store, in the house, or on the road, you have Jesus Christ in you; and you have been placed in Him by God. The resurrected Christ lives in you so that you may partake of His life and sup with Him. He helps you, comforts you, guides you, loves you, and pours His life out through you.
Jesus does more than just live. He lives in you, makes His abode in your heart, and infuses your ordinary life with supernatural meaning, strength, and hope. He arose just as He said, and He lives to give you the abundant life He promised.
“He is not here, but He has risen...” Luke 24:6
Friday, February 17, 2012
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Because of the Resurrection
“Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.’ And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.” Matthew 28:1-8
The self-substitution of Christ for man’s sin is the heart of the cross. Because of His death at Calvary, Christ allows believers to enjoy the eternal benefits of these central truths:
Propitiation. The wrath of God against sin was fully vented on His own Son at the cross. The Christian never need to fear angering God. Our sin is forgiven, and even God’s chastisement for sinful behavior is motivated by compassion.
Redemption. Christ’s death purchased us out of the slavery of sin. His shed blood paid the penalty of death and ransomed us from sin and evil. We have been delivered from the kingdom of Satan and placed into the kingdom of God’s Son.
Justification. By God’s grace we no longer are guilty before God. Christ’s death secured our verdict, releasing us from the sentence of death. He declares us righteous and credits His righteousness to our account.
Reconciliation. Once enemies, God and man are now friends. The cross made a permanent change possible between formerly alienated man and God. The right Man is now on our side, and we are on His.
“The cross is the sign of the Christian faith, of the Christian church, of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ.” -Emil Brunner
The self-substitution of Christ for man’s sin is the heart of the cross. Because of His death at Calvary, Christ allows believers to enjoy the eternal benefits of these central truths:
Propitiation. The wrath of God against sin was fully vented on His own Son at the cross. The Christian never need to fear angering God. Our sin is forgiven, and even God’s chastisement for sinful behavior is motivated by compassion.
Redemption. Christ’s death purchased us out of the slavery of sin. His shed blood paid the penalty of death and ransomed us from sin and evil. We have been delivered from the kingdom of Satan and placed into the kingdom of God’s Son.
Justification. By God’s grace we no longer are guilty before God. Christ’s death secured our verdict, releasing us from the sentence of death. He declares us righteous and credits His righteousness to our account.
Reconciliation. Once enemies, God and man are now friends. The cross made a permanent change possible between formerly alienated man and God. The right Man is now on our side, and we are on His.
“The cross is the sign of the Christian faith, of the Christian church, of the revelation of God in Jesus Christ.” -Emil Brunner
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
The Wonder of the Cross, Part 2
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” Ephesians 1:3-6
The wonder of the cross is that it displayed both the love and holiness of God. In one moment in time, God’s hatred of sin and His unfailing compassion for sinners blended together in the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The cross was necessary because man could not save himself from sin, and holy God could not condone sin. God’s holiness, however, was matched by His love which sent Christ to die in our stead, bearing our guilt, dying our death. In his book, The Cross of Christ, the Rev. John R. W. Stott writes of the significance of sin’s gravity and God’s amazing love:
“All inadequate doctrines of the atonement are due to the inadequate doctrines of God and man. If we bring ourselves to His, then, of course, we see no need for a radical salvation, let alone for a radical atonement to secure it. When on the one hand, we have glimpsed the blinding glory of the holiness of God and have been so convicted of our sin by the Holy Spirit that we tremble before God and acknowledge what we are, namely ‘hell-deserving sinners,’ then and only then does the necessity of the cross appear so obvious.”
“You do not understand Christ till you understand His cross.” -P.T. Forsyth
The wonder of the cross is that it displayed both the love and holiness of God. In one moment in time, God’s hatred of sin and His unfailing compassion for sinners blended together in the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ.
The cross was necessary because man could not save himself from sin, and holy God could not condone sin. God’s holiness, however, was matched by His love which sent Christ to die in our stead, bearing our guilt, dying our death. In his book, The Cross of Christ, the Rev. John R. W. Stott writes of the significance of sin’s gravity and God’s amazing love:
“All inadequate doctrines of the atonement are due to the inadequate doctrines of God and man. If we bring ourselves to His, then, of course, we see no need for a radical salvation, let alone for a radical atonement to secure it. When on the one hand, we have glimpsed the blinding glory of the holiness of God and have been so convicted of our sin by the Holy Spirit that we tremble before God and acknowledge what we are, namely ‘hell-deserving sinners,’ then and only then does the necessity of the cross appear so obvious.”
“You do not understand Christ till you understand His cross.” -P.T. Forsyth
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Wonder of the Cross
“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
The cross of Calvary - where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died - is the extraordinary instrument of freedom where man’s eternal liberty was secured. For you see, man’s freedom cannot be purchased with a social revolution or a majority vote. The source of his oppression is spiritual - not political, economic, or cultural.
Man is born a sinner, separated from the life and liberty of his creator, God. He is imprisoned by the darkness of sin, chained by its selfish grip and under the influence of the god of this world - Satan. His only hope is to be rescued by the One who alone has the power and right to liberate him from sin’s reign and rule. That is exactly what Christ did at the cross. He bore the penalty of sin - death - making it possible for man to be reconciled to the author of spiritual liberty, Jehovah God.
At the cross, Jesus released us from the curse of eternal death. When we receive Christ, we gain the incredible inheritance of eternal life. We still die physically, but our spirit is made alive by God. And we will be with Him forever. The cross shattered the bonds of sin, making spiritual freedom possible for all who believe in Jesus Christ.
“The cross is the pivot as well as the center of the New Testament thought.” -Samuel Zwemer
The cross of Calvary - where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died - is the extraordinary instrument of freedom where man’s eternal liberty was secured. For you see, man’s freedom cannot be purchased with a social revolution or a majority vote. The source of his oppression is spiritual - not political, economic, or cultural.
Man is born a sinner, separated from the life and liberty of his creator, God. He is imprisoned by the darkness of sin, chained by its selfish grip and under the influence of the god of this world - Satan. His only hope is to be rescued by the One who alone has the power and right to liberate him from sin’s reign and rule. That is exactly what Christ did at the cross. He bore the penalty of sin - death - making it possible for man to be reconciled to the author of spiritual liberty, Jehovah God.
At the cross, Jesus released us from the curse of eternal death. When we receive Christ, we gain the incredible inheritance of eternal life. We still die physically, but our spirit is made alive by God. And we will be with Him forever. The cross shattered the bonds of sin, making spiritual freedom possible for all who believe in Jesus Christ.
“The cross is the pivot as well as the center of the New Testament thought.” -Samuel Zwemer
Monday, February 13, 2012
Freedom of the Soul
“But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” Galatians 6:14
The winds of freedom blow hard in our world today. Politically oppressed, communist bloc countries demolish imprisoning walls and topple the icons of brutal dictators. Countries are dropping the shackles of ideologies that have padlocked individual freedom for the sake of state control.
Yet even when freedom is achieved, the once gold promises of liberty are tainted by painful new realities. Democracy is not a panacea. New leaders are not messiahs. The gains of social crusades are often short-lived. In each case, freedom is defined as that which allows a nation, a group, or a person, the right to pursue and obtain their own goals. It involves the removal of external barriers to self-fulfillment.
But true freedom is spiritual, within man’s heart. It is the removal of the universal oppressor - sin - whose great infection lies in the bosom of every man and woman. It cannot be earned or legislated but received only as a gift from God.
God’s freedom, liberation of the soul from sin’s tyranny, can be enjoyed behind barbed-wire walls, within prison camps, or in the midst of injustice. It cannot be stifled, regulated, or imprisoned. That is freedom worth pursuing.
“...everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.’” John 8:34
The winds of freedom blow hard in our world today. Politically oppressed, communist bloc countries demolish imprisoning walls and topple the icons of brutal dictators. Countries are dropping the shackles of ideologies that have padlocked individual freedom for the sake of state control.
Yet even when freedom is achieved, the once gold promises of liberty are tainted by painful new realities. Democracy is not a panacea. New leaders are not messiahs. The gains of social crusades are often short-lived. In each case, freedom is defined as that which allows a nation, a group, or a person, the right to pursue and obtain their own goals. It involves the removal of external barriers to self-fulfillment.
But true freedom is spiritual, within man’s heart. It is the removal of the universal oppressor - sin - whose great infection lies in the bosom of every man and woman. It cannot be earned or legislated but received only as a gift from God.
God’s freedom, liberation of the soul from sin’s tyranny, can be enjoyed behind barbed-wire walls, within prison camps, or in the midst of injustice. It cannot be stifled, regulated, or imprisoned. That is freedom worth pursuing.
“...everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin.’” John 8:34
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Build on the Right Foundation
“According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.” 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
All of us like to be rewarded for a job well done. No one turns down a paycheck. There is nothing wrong with that in God’s eyes, as long as our motivation for seeking rewards is based on the right thing.
The problem usually comes as a result of unfilled needs. Many people have learned one of the surest ways to receive positive regard and strokes of praise is by performing amazing tasks. Their entire lives become treadmills of performance-based acceptance. Then they meet the Master of unconditional love and acceptance, Jesus Christ, and their performance-based world falls apart.
They learn their acceptance is not based on what they accomplish but on what one man accomplished on a lonely Roman cross. There is nothing they can do to increase their worth. The only worth they have is found in God’s Son, and He paid the price for all their sins - past, present, and future - at Calvary.
God’s rewards are eternal. They are not based on what or how much we do. Instead, they are based on who we faithfully worship. We’re not graded for mental brilliance but for the times we follow Christ in humble obedience.
“If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.” 1 Corinthians 3:14
All of us like to be rewarded for a job well done. No one turns down a paycheck. There is nothing wrong with that in God’s eyes, as long as our motivation for seeking rewards is based on the right thing.
The problem usually comes as a result of unfilled needs. Many people have learned one of the surest ways to receive positive regard and strokes of praise is by performing amazing tasks. Their entire lives become treadmills of performance-based acceptance. Then they meet the Master of unconditional love and acceptance, Jesus Christ, and their performance-based world falls apart.
They learn their acceptance is not based on what they accomplish but on what one man accomplished on a lonely Roman cross. There is nothing they can do to increase their worth. The only worth they have is found in God’s Son, and He paid the price for all their sins - past, present, and future - at Calvary.
God’s rewards are eternal. They are not based on what or how much we do. Instead, they are based on who we faithfully worship. We’re not graded for mental brilliance but for the times we follow Christ in humble obedience.
“If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward.” 1 Corinthians 3:14
Friday, February 10, 2012
Your Labor of Love
“Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5
Good works are as much a part of a believer’s life as faith. Everything we do, all our deeds and all our works for God, should be a labor of love motivated by our faith and hope in Him. Good works are meant to be a blessing - not an obligation or a means to salvation. We do good works because of God’s love within us, not because we feel pressured to do so.
Many people try to work their way to heaven by accomplishing good works. But there is only one way to God, and that is through personal faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). God is not impressed by material gifts or the number of times you help another person. He is, however, impressed by the motivation of your heart - that is love expressing itself through faith.
Good works that hold eternal value are the result of an overflow of our devotion to Christ. If the devotion is there, good works will follow naturally. They never come as a result of self-determination. When God is evident in our lives, the evidence of His good works will be there. Praise, worship, obedience, and prayer are all signs of a heart totally committed to Jesus Christ and overflowing in good works.
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth...and how He went about doing good...” Acts 10:38
Good works are as much a part of a believer’s life as faith. Everything we do, all our deeds and all our works for God, should be a labor of love motivated by our faith and hope in Him. Good works are meant to be a blessing - not an obligation or a means to salvation. We do good works because of God’s love within us, not because we feel pressured to do so.
Many people try to work their way to heaven by accomplishing good works. But there is only one way to God, and that is through personal faith in Jesus Christ (John 14:6). God is not impressed by material gifts or the number of times you help another person. He is, however, impressed by the motivation of your heart - that is love expressing itself through faith.
Good works that hold eternal value are the result of an overflow of our devotion to Christ. If the devotion is there, good works will follow naturally. They never come as a result of self-determination. When God is evident in our lives, the evidence of His good works will be there. Praise, worship, obedience, and prayer are all signs of a heart totally committed to Jesus Christ and overflowing in good works.
“You know of Jesus of Nazareth...and how He went about doing good...” Acts 10:38
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