Monday, January 28, 2008

The Power of Jesus Christ Crucified

"For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified." 1 Corinthians 2:2

If we don’t believe it we are not going to see it. We’re not going to hear it. Greater understanding of God can not even enter our hearts if we don’t believe that Jesus was crucified because of GOD’s LOVE.
That’s the whole point of John 3:16 "for GOD SO LOVED…." It is because He first loved us that we love Him. It is because of the cross that we can love others. Those who have been forgiven can forgive. The cross was not something that happened to Jesus alone. It was something that happened to ME.

How can I possibly love my enemy? How can I possibly keep from despising those who have hurt me? How can I possibly forgive a spouse or a friend who has wronged me? It is very possible that you can’t, you won’t, it’s not in you, in and of yourself. But the great mystery is this, that through the power of the crucified Lord things begin to happen in my life that were never possible before.

Because of God’s love for me HE REVEALS MYSTERIES. I begin to see things with my spiritual eyes that I have never seen with my physical eyes before. I am able to hear things spoken to my heart that I have never heard with my ears. It is possible to love my enemy. It is possible to forgive those who have hurt me. I begin to understand that all things are possible with GOD. That’s the power of the overwhelming all consuming love of God.

Does Jesus want to speak to our daily lives? YES! Can the church address how to be successful in life? ABSOLUTELY! BUT we must get the foundation right or everything else is faulty. YES We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ. YES I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. But before victory and strength becomes a reality in my daily living I must come to the reality of Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This is the mystery the world can not accept and so it continues to spiral into oblivion.

I must also understand that his crucifixion is because of me, because of my sin, because of what I have done. Dallas Holmes sings a song. “ I’m the one who spat upon the Savior, I’m the one who cursed his Holy name, I’m the one who said with all the rest “CRUCIFY HIM” Yes I’m the one. I’m the one to blame.” The next time you sing the words of IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL may you be able to do so with all your heart because you have come to the reality of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

"My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!"

This is the crux of the matter. GOD LOVES ME. HE LOVE YOU. The crucified Lord is the the proof of His love. He who knew know sin, became sin for me and for you. My sin, your sin was nailed to the cross in Jesus Christ. He died for me. He died for you. Who else could love me like that?

It is God’s love revealed in a crucified Lord that gives the church it’s power. That is the message that transforms lives. This is why I want to walk with integrity in my business and personal life. This is why I can praise the Lord. This is why my family is more important to me than money. Not because Jesus helps me climb the corporate ladder, not because Jesus makes me a better pro athlete, not because my name can be plastered on the new wing of the Christian hospital, but because he died for me a sinner.

Understanding this reality – this truth does not put me to shame. ON the contrary it releases me from shame, from guilt from hopelessness and despair. IT is not a negative on which I should not dwell, but it is the power of God in my life. I am redeemed!! I am set free. The chains have been broken and I am FREE. Even death cannot conquer me now, because of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
In a world that titters on the brink of spiritual and emotional bankruptcy do you have a living faith like that? Have you experienced the Love of God in such a way. Until you come to Jesus Christ and Him crucified you will continue to flounder through life on the outskirts of the peace of God. You will never know true joy and happiness until you settle this matter. Until you make this trade ~ His blood for my sin. His death for my life. Until we come to the point we can never fully know just how much God loves us.

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