“I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.”
Exodus 6:6
Every year around the time of Easter Christian culture explodes with remembrance that Christ died on the cross. Drive by any church and you will see reader boards saying as much. Even our treasured Facebook is crowded with passages and images of Christ and His great sacrifice. However, at times I get the feeling that some of us (maybe even most of us) are just not getting it.
First let me point out that before the great sacrifice of Christ, there was the great decision of Christ. In no way did Jesus have to go through with the plan. In fact in the garden He asked for the cup to be passed (oh I am so tempted to teach on which cup this is, but another time shall we). In order to understand how this was a decision we must first understand the state of Christ.
Jesus was a man! I know it may seem hard to believe but He was wholly man. Now, He was also wholly God, which led to His great faith and accomplishments, but He was still a man. As such He was subject to human inadequacies and had to conquer them the same way we do today.
Stop and think on that for a moment.
If Christ was wholly man and faced our same struggles that means it was difficult for Him to lead that perfect life. That means He accomplished more than we ever thought. That means not only did He conquer death, but He also conquered the inadequacy of man.
But why?
The reason why is because he desires to free you from your burdens, so He bore them and conquered them just for you. He desires to set you free from the captors of this world, so He became captive and bore your punishment to set you free. He desires to redeem you with outstretched arm, so He got on a cross stretched BOTH arms out and redeemed you once and for all.
How great is our God? Not only did He cleanse you so that you may enter into the Kingdom (any god could have done that) but He also bore all of your troubles so that you would not have to. Praise Him, for He is worthy to be praised!
Let us leave with this. In Exodus 6:8 it states, “I will bring you into the land…” Let us not forget this point. That He has fulfilled the first three promises in Exodus, and one day He will fulfill the fourth; He will bring us into His land.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Friday, April 6, 2012
World Sins
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you”
John 15:18
The discussion of sin is one that has been approached time and time again, however, I wonder if we have ever looked at the sins of the world. What I mean is have we looked at what is considered to be a sin by the standards set forth in the world?
Worldly ways don’t matter.
Christ does matter.
Not caring if people do not like #1 and #2.
If you follow those three standards you can be certain the world will eventually take issue with you. However, if you adhere to the reversal of those standards the word we gladly receive you. The reversal is as such:
Worldly ways are essential.
Christ is a nice moral story.
Other people’s opinions are necessary.
Let me set one thing straight right away. The only opinion that matters is Christ’s opinion. The minute we stray from looking toward God for the standard is the minute we begin to fall from salvation. So look up; look up and find the guidance you need.
Second, Christ is more than just a story, He is the way and it is time we get to know the Way. To many times as Christians we have taken the time to know about God, but we fail to know God. Remember it is not about what you know, but who you know, and you better know Jesus.
Third, the ways of the world will fade away. In 1 John 2:15,16 we learn as much. Instead of worrying about the ways of the world that will perish, we must focus on the ways of heaven which are eternal.
Stop. Lets have a quite moment and digest.
Okay, you ready to continue.
Let us end with this. Remember, the world first hated Christ and as such the world will hate us. I know hate is a strong word, but I really think it is time we stop being so soft about everything, sometimes hard is just true. And sometimes the The Truth is just hard.
What is so hard about the truth? Well that one is simple. The truth sets us free because not only does it forgive, but it makes you address your past. You must address that the world is not essential. You must address that Christ has risen. You must address that only His opinion matters. Sometimes that is hard, but without it where would you be.
John 15:18
The discussion of sin is one that has been approached time and time again, however, I wonder if we have ever looked at the sins of the world. What I mean is have we looked at what is considered to be a sin by the standards set forth in the world?
Worldly ways don’t matter.
Christ does matter.
Not caring if people do not like #1 and #2.
If you follow those three standards you can be certain the world will eventually take issue with you. However, if you adhere to the reversal of those standards the word we gladly receive you. The reversal is as such:
Worldly ways are essential.
Christ is a nice moral story.
Other people’s opinions are necessary.
Let me set one thing straight right away. The only opinion that matters is Christ’s opinion. The minute we stray from looking toward God for the standard is the minute we begin to fall from salvation. So look up; look up and find the guidance you need.
Second, Christ is more than just a story, He is the way and it is time we get to know the Way. To many times as Christians we have taken the time to know about God, but we fail to know God. Remember it is not about what you know, but who you know, and you better know Jesus.
Third, the ways of the world will fade away. In 1 John 2:15,16 we learn as much. Instead of worrying about the ways of the world that will perish, we must focus on the ways of heaven which are eternal.
Stop. Lets have a quite moment and digest.
Okay, you ready to continue.
Let us end with this. Remember, the world first hated Christ and as such the world will hate us. I know hate is a strong word, but I really think it is time we stop being so soft about everything, sometimes hard is just true. And sometimes the The Truth is just hard.
What is so hard about the truth? Well that one is simple. The truth sets us free because not only does it forgive, but it makes you address your past. You must address that the world is not essential. You must address that Christ has risen. You must address that only His opinion matters. Sometimes that is hard, but without it where would you be.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Who is He?
He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Matthew 16:15
I have often wondered about who Jesus really is. I mean what was it really like to sit and walk with Him while He was on Earth. Reading through scripture we get a pretty broad perspective.
It begins with Him being the life of the party when He turned water into wine. Later we see that He was a bit of a rebel as He sifted wheat on the Sabbath. There is that time He took a whip to the moneychangers at the temple. (Does that mean He had anger issues?) Let us not forget the miracle worker when He walked on water, calmed a storm, healed many, cast out demons, and multiplied the fish and loaves. My goodness just who is this man?
This really is an intriguing question, but even more intriguing is who do you say He is?
When we review the Gospels for the characteristics of Jesus we see a man of many qualities. In retrospect it may just be easier to say who He is not. He is not:
Compromising
Fearful
Lost
Deceived
Heartless
Maybe it is that last one we should really focus in on. Jesus is not heartless. In fact He is heart-full. It is this overflowing love that allowed Him to ask for “this cup to pass” but still have the courage to say “it is finished.”
When I am really getting to the grit of who Jesus is to me I can’t help but think that He is my everything. But what does that mean? How do you really share that with someone? Can a nonbeliever even comprehend that?
Truth is, is that by saying Jesus is our everything we are not really explaining His awesomeness, but instead we are revealing our inability to describe Him. Does that make Him indescribable? Not really.
Simply, lets call it what it is: Love. Who do I say He is? I say He is the one that loved me so much that He gave Himself for me. He is the one that was willing to take the punishment that I deserve just so He and I can be one together. Is that who you say He is?
Its not that I have all the answers, but at least I have an answer. This should be a challenge to every believer. Who do you say He is? If you don’t know, well, maybe it is time.
Matthew 16:15
I have often wondered about who Jesus really is. I mean what was it really like to sit and walk with Him while He was on Earth. Reading through scripture we get a pretty broad perspective.
It begins with Him being the life of the party when He turned water into wine. Later we see that He was a bit of a rebel as He sifted wheat on the Sabbath. There is that time He took a whip to the moneychangers at the temple. (Does that mean He had anger issues?) Let us not forget the miracle worker when He walked on water, calmed a storm, healed many, cast out demons, and multiplied the fish and loaves. My goodness just who is this man?
This really is an intriguing question, but even more intriguing is who do you say He is?
When we review the Gospels for the characteristics of Jesus we see a man of many qualities. In retrospect it may just be easier to say who He is not. He is not:
Compromising
Fearful
Lost
Deceived
Heartless
Maybe it is that last one we should really focus in on. Jesus is not heartless. In fact He is heart-full. It is this overflowing love that allowed Him to ask for “this cup to pass” but still have the courage to say “it is finished.”
When I am really getting to the grit of who Jesus is to me I can’t help but think that He is my everything. But what does that mean? How do you really share that with someone? Can a nonbeliever even comprehend that?
Truth is, is that by saying Jesus is our everything we are not really explaining His awesomeness, but instead we are revealing our inability to describe Him. Does that make Him indescribable? Not really.
Simply, lets call it what it is: Love. Who do I say He is? I say He is the one that loved me so much that He gave Himself for me. He is the one that was willing to take the punishment that I deserve just so He and I can be one together. Is that who you say He is?
Its not that I have all the answers, but at least I have an answer. This should be a challenge to every believer. Who do you say He is? If you don’t know, well, maybe it is time.
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