JESUS – SACRIFICE
After first looking at the “bird’s eye view” of the crucifixion from God’s perspective, it is necessary to go to Jesus’ perspective. This is due to the fact that Jesus and God are entities of the same Godhead. We cannot talk about the love of God without also talking about the sacrifice of Jesus. Jesus understood that God was sending him to this world to do a specific task - restore all of creation and place all of humanity back into a right relationship with God. Jesus states, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified…Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour. No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:23-26 NIV).
I can only imagine the pain that Jesus endured for the sake of each of us as he hung on that cross and what was going through his mind as blood flowed from the five wounds (head, hands, feet, back, and side).
As the soldiers, Gentiles, and Jews all stood on the hill of Golgotha where he was crucified and ridiculed him, he must have thought, “I did this for them? I cannot believe I left my seat by the throne of God to come and save an obstinate people!” Could this have really been going through the mind of Christ? Scripture tells us something differently. From the cross Jesus states, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing” (Luke 23:34 NIV). Even though the people broke his body, they were also breaking his heart because he understood what they were missing out on. He understood the glory of the Father in a way that was incomprehensible to anyone on earth.
Jesus states, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and your children” (Luke 23:28 NIV). This sacrifice Christ made was out of love for God’s children and his desire to see their relationship restored to the Almighty. Christ sacrificed his spot in eternity for a short time in order to redeem the people of God (John 1:1-18).
Jesus sacrificed the riches and comfort of this life for the sake of redeeming you and me to our Creator. He came as a baby boy to a poor carpenter and not as the son of a political or religious ruler. He sacrificed riches for poverty and power for humility.
What is Christ calling you to sacrifice for the sake of a transformed and renewed relationship with God? Is it wealth, stature, fame, pride, materials, relationships, comfort, or special privileges? 2 Peter 2:20-21 states, “But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps” (NIV). Suffer and sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel and Christ will defend you before the Father on the Day of Judgment.
“God may thunder His commands from Mount Sinai and men may fear, yet remain at heart exactly as they were before. But let a man once see his God down in the arena as a Man, - suffering, tempted, sweating, and agonized, finally dying a criminal's death - and he is a hard man indeed who is untouched” (Phillips, CN Online).
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Importance of the Cross-Part II
GOD – LOVE
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17 NIV).
As I ponder the different perspectives of people at Calvary, the first to come to mind is that of the Father. Almighty God, who put this world in place and created human beings to be in relationship with him, had to have the heaviest heart on that day. This God, who used to walk in the Garden with his original creations, was now sacrificing his only son in order to renew his relationship with humanity. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you’” (Genesis 3:8-9 NIV)?
Even though man failed to love his Creator, God still desired a relationship. And even though man tried to hide from God, the Lord still sought him out.
Human beings have done a wonderful job rejecting God. It is at the crucifixion that God had to reject his son in order to save humanity from their sins. Of course, God’s rejection of His only son was out of love for his creation.
What an interesting way to reverse the curse placed on creation by humanity! The Almighty needed a sacrifice to cover the sins because of his justice. This just God used to allow the blood of unblemished animals to be used to cover sin, but he sent Jesus to be that final sacrifice to continually and forever cover sin. Why his son and not the continued blood of animals? Was it to make our lives easier? The author of Hebrews tells us that it is because the annual sacrificing of animals was a constant reminder of guilt and that it was impossible for the blood of animals to fully cover the sin of humankind (Hebrews 10:1-18).
I cannot imagine the agony that God felt as his son was being killed and the rest of humanity stood at the foot of the cross and ridiculed him. In his mercy and love he did not pour out his wrath on humanity and rescue his son. He saw a far greater victory in restoring his creation to relationship with him. He knew his son, who was part of him, gave up his life for the good of all.
How has God called you to love him and others? What has he called you to give up for the sake of a relationship with him? He gave up his son for a relationship with us because he loved us that much. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete…We love because he first loved us” (1st John 4:16b-19).
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16-17 NIV).
As I ponder the different perspectives of people at Calvary, the first to come to mind is that of the Father. Almighty God, who put this world in place and created human beings to be in relationship with him, had to have the heaviest heart on that day. This God, who used to walk in the Garden with his original creations, was now sacrificing his only son in order to renew his relationship with humanity. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you’” (Genesis 3:8-9 NIV)?
Even though man failed to love his Creator, God still desired a relationship. And even though man tried to hide from God, the Lord still sought him out.
Human beings have done a wonderful job rejecting God. It is at the crucifixion that God had to reject his son in order to save humanity from their sins. Of course, God’s rejection of His only son was out of love for his creation.
What an interesting way to reverse the curse placed on creation by humanity! The Almighty needed a sacrifice to cover the sins because of his justice. This just God used to allow the blood of unblemished animals to be used to cover sin, but he sent Jesus to be that final sacrifice to continually and forever cover sin. Why his son and not the continued blood of animals? Was it to make our lives easier? The author of Hebrews tells us that it is because the annual sacrificing of animals was a constant reminder of guilt and that it was impossible for the blood of animals to fully cover the sin of humankind (Hebrews 10:1-18).
I cannot imagine the agony that God felt as his son was being killed and the rest of humanity stood at the foot of the cross and ridiculed him. In his mercy and love he did not pour out his wrath on humanity and rescue his son. He saw a far greater victory in restoring his creation to relationship with him. He knew his son, who was part of him, gave up his life for the good of all.
How has God called you to love him and others? What has he called you to give up for the sake of a relationship with him? He gave up his son for a relationship with us because he loved us that much. “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete…We love because he first loved us” (1st John 4:16b-19).
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Importance of the Cross-Part I
The pivotal piece of the Christian faith is Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. If Easter Sunday never happened, then our faith would never have had the impact that it has had on the world for nearly 2,000 years. Even though the resurrection is so important, it would not have needed to happen without the death of Jesus Christ happening first.
The mission of Jesus Christ’s life on earth was to go to the cross and die for the sins of the world. We celebrate his death on Good Friday, which is essentially three days before Easter Sunday. It is called “Good” because it was this sacrifice of love that allowed human beings to again stand before God as righteous. We as people need the blood covering of Jesus in order to have the ability to stand before our Creator. We need Jesus to stand next to us as our advocate in order for the Judge to allow us into the eternal heavens. Because of Jesus, we live with hope.
However, in order for one to experience the saving grace of Jesus, one must first invite him in to his or her heart. Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 NIV). It is a relationship with Jesus Christ that transforms a person to a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is Jesus Christ who imparts his spirit into his children to lead them through this life and prepare them for the resurrection of the dead and eternal life with Almighty God (Romans 8:1-17). The initial step of the Christian faith is accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord of lords and King of kings. The following steps consist of a lifetime of continually being transformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.
As I think of my faith in Christ, the journey that I have been on, and the way Christ is continually transforming and shaping me into his image and likeness, I am humbled by the cross. I still cannot comprehend and fully understand the sacrifice he made for the children of God. I try to put myself in the shoes of those in attendance the day he died and try to understand where they were coming from; what they saw, felt, and experienced. How did the cross of Christ transform the people watching him suffer and die? Even though Christ was killed nearly 2,000 years ago, can I still really put myself there to understand the totality of the circumstances or the beginning stages of the faith I hold so dear? What can the participants and the onlookers of the crucifixion teach me about the faith and the possible emotions and experiences that I may feel and face as a Christian in the 21st century?
The next 8 weeks we will walk through a prayer devotional that will take each of us through the night Jesus was crucified, but through the perspective of a different person on scene. We will see the cost that was paid by Jesus and the others who chose to follow him and those who chose not to.
Of course, my interpretation is based off of speculation simply because the characters I will discuss are no longer living on this side of heaven, but I will use the Holy Scriptures to help guide our journey this week. Get ready to be transformed and made more aware of the cost of following Jesus and the benefits one receives when calling that man Lord and Savior.
The mission of Jesus Christ’s life on earth was to go to the cross and die for the sins of the world. We celebrate his death on Good Friday, which is essentially three days before Easter Sunday. It is called “Good” because it was this sacrifice of love that allowed human beings to again stand before God as righteous. We as people need the blood covering of Jesus in order to have the ability to stand before our Creator. We need Jesus to stand next to us as our advocate in order for the Judge to allow us into the eternal heavens. Because of Jesus, we live with hope.
However, in order for one to experience the saving grace of Jesus, one must first invite him in to his or her heart. Jesus said, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20 NIV). It is a relationship with Jesus Christ that transforms a person to a new life (2 Corinthians 5:17). It is Jesus Christ who imparts his spirit into his children to lead them through this life and prepare them for the resurrection of the dead and eternal life with Almighty God (Romans 8:1-17). The initial step of the Christian faith is accepting Jesus Christ as the Lord of lords and King of kings. The following steps consist of a lifetime of continually being transformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ.
As I think of my faith in Christ, the journey that I have been on, and the way Christ is continually transforming and shaping me into his image and likeness, I am humbled by the cross. I still cannot comprehend and fully understand the sacrifice he made for the children of God. I try to put myself in the shoes of those in attendance the day he died and try to understand where they were coming from; what they saw, felt, and experienced. How did the cross of Christ transform the people watching him suffer and die? Even though Christ was killed nearly 2,000 years ago, can I still really put myself there to understand the totality of the circumstances or the beginning stages of the faith I hold so dear? What can the participants and the onlookers of the crucifixion teach me about the faith and the possible emotions and experiences that I may feel and face as a Christian in the 21st century?
The next 8 weeks we will walk through a prayer devotional that will take each of us through the night Jesus was crucified, but through the perspective of a different person on scene. We will see the cost that was paid by Jesus and the others who chose to follow him and those who chose not to.
Of course, my interpretation is based off of speculation simply because the characters I will discuss are no longer living on this side of heaven, but I will use the Holy Scriptures to help guide our journey this week. Get ready to be transformed and made more aware of the cost of following Jesus and the benefits one receives when calling that man Lord and Savior.
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