The Power Of The Cross

Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.

Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.

Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.

Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.

Final Chorus:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.

Credit: biblebeltkid

An Important Reminder and An Illustration of Christ's Sacrificial Love

"... when the memory of John Newton was nearly gone, and he was an old man, that great saint of God couldn't preach anymore. He'd forgotten so many things that he couldn't carry on a conversation. But he said this, he said it seems as though there are only two things I can remember, one is that I am a great sinner, and the second is, that Jesus Christ is a greater Savior. That's the issue. That's what Jesus wanted the Pharisees to see, that's what He wants you to see. You were so great a sinner you couldn't atone for your sin, He did it for you. I read this week about a child, who was bitten by a poisonous snake, and the mother was there when the child was bitten and the mother was just struck with love for the child and so she placed her lips over the wound to suck the poison out. She succeeded in doing it and saved the child's life. But she had a little cut on her lip, the poison went into her and she died. So it is with Jesus Christ, who drained out of us as it were the poison of the serpent, and in so doing died in our place. We are great sinners, but He is a great Savior..." (John MacArthur, "Who is an Adulterer? Part 1").

He Will Save His People from Their Sins!

"She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

-Matthew 1:21 (ESV)

Christ Longsuffering Satan's Evil for Greater Honor

Here is how John Piper answers the question, "Why does not God just wipe out Satan?"

"Why, then, does God not simply wipe Satan out? He has the right and power to do this. And Revelation 20:10 says he is going to do it some day. Why didn’t he cast him into the Lake of Fire the day after he rebelled? Why let him rampage through humanity for centuries?

The ultimate answer, as we saw last week, is that “all things were created through Christ and for Christ” (Colossians 1:16). The Son of God, Jesus Christ, will be more highly honored in the end because he defeats Satan through longsuffering, patience, humility, servanthood, suffering, and death, rather than through raw power. And the more highly honored the Son is, the greater the joy of those who love him."

Source: "The Fall of Satan and the Victory of Christ"

He Is the Head of the Body

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

-Colossians 1:15-20

George Gallup, Jr, in his article entitled, “Who is Jesus?,” based on a survey taken years and years ago writes that Americans viewed Jesus as one who loves humankind, is willing to forgive, kind, and compassionate.

They also viewed Him as someone with a strong personality, who was warm, brave, emotionally stable, without sin, and perfect.

Smaller margins of people thought that He was easy to understand, practical, physically attractive, physically strong, divine (rather than human), and accepting (rather than demanding).

Some would probably picture Him as a baby in a manger, a child living in a carpenter’s home, a healer and miracle worker, a fiery preacher, a masterful leader, and/or a holy man.

Today, some think of Him as their homeboy (have you ever seen the “Jesus Is My Homeboy” t-shirt?). Some sing of Him as if He is their boyfriend. Some perceive Him as if He is a Disney character who will fulfill all our wishes (only if we believe hard enough).

Some would affirm Him as the Second person of the Trinity, the Son of God, the New Adam, the Lamb of God, the Lion of Judah, the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Savior God!

I can go on and on and on and on, but as you can tell there are various ways people recognize Jesus Christ.

Yet, there is one particular-additional way in which we must recognize Jesus Christ, which will affect how we preach, how we do missions, how we do praise, how we do ministry, even how we live and die. Namely, we must recognize the sovereign lordship of Jesus Christ.

1. JESUS Christ is the sovereign Lord of Creation (vv.15-17).

[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. Before His incarnation, He was in the image of God. In His incarnation, He was in the image of God. After His resurrection, He was in the image of God. Currently in His throne, He is in the image of God. From everlasting to everlasting, He is in the image of God. He is in the image of the invisible God. He is the manifestation of the invisible God, for He is God. See Christ—See God! Know Christ—Know God! Follow Christ—Follow God!

And He is “the firstborn of all creation.” “Firstborn” not chronologically, but “Firstborn” in dignity, preeminence, rank. In other words, He is sovereign over all creation.

[16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. Christ who is God, Christ who is sovereign over all creation, is the very agent who created all creation.

All things material; all things spiritual; all that you see (i.e., visible); all that you cannot see (i.e., invisible); all the starry hosts; all the galaxies; all the angelic hosts; all the supernatural powers; the totality of existence; Christ not only is the agent who created them, but He is the goal of all creation. That is, for His glory and honor and praise He created them. So, all things exist for Him.

[17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Christ, who is God, having always existed and having created the universe, preserves and sustains his very universe.

As one scholar puts it, Christ is “the principle of cohesion” who makes the universe a cosmos instead of a chaos. That is why there is harmony and order and purpose and unity in the world. There is cosmos not chaos because Christ is the sovereign Lord of creation—over all creation.

2. Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord of the church (vv.18-20).

[18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Now, that sentence in the beginning of v.18, “And He is the head of the body, the church,” is what I wish to emphasize (what the rest of the passage [vv.18b-20] is simply saying is this: just as Christ is the origin of His universe, He is also the origin of His Church; just as Christ is the preserver and sustainer of His creation, He is the preserver and sustainer of His Church; just as Christ is the preeminent one among all His creation, He is the preeminent one among all who have been raised from the dead).

God’s Word refers to the church as a bride, a building, a family, a flock, a kingdom, and a vineyard. But in v.18 the apostle Paul refers to it as the body. The church is the body and the body is the church. And it is with Christ as its head.

In other words, just as Christ is the sovereign Lord over all His creation, Christ is the sovereign Lord over His body, the church. And we who by God’s saving grace have repented of our sins and embraced Christ as our Lord and Savior, for us He is our chief and our leader. For us He is our provider and our preserver and our sustainer. Hence, the church will be triumphant solely because of Christ the head. He is the sovereign Lord of the church and He will be faithful. The head will not disappoint!

Then what of us the body? He is our chief. He is our leader. He is our sovereign. So, what of us the body?

Here is my answer: The body must be a Christ-centered body! The church must be a Christ-centered church! Ultimately, it’s all about Christ. It’s all about the head.

Do you know what this means for everyday Christian life and ministry? It means that our preaching must be Christ-centered. It means that missions must be Christ-centered. It means that our praises must be Christ-centered. It means that even as we seek to love one another, we must love Christ even more. We must elevate Christ not men. We must please Christ not men. We must die for Christ (if need be).

We must rather have Jesus than silver or gold. We must rather be His than have riches untold. We must rather have Jesus than houses or lands. We must rather be led by His nail-pierced hand. We must rather have Jesus than men’s applause. We must rather be faithful to His dear cause. We must rather have Jesus than worldwide fame. We must rather be true to His holy name than to be the king of a vast domain or be held in sin’s dread sway. We must rather have Jesus than anything
this world affords today. It’s all about Christ!

It is about Christ—Christ who is the sovereign Lord of both the creation and the church. May we never lose sight of that!

Are You Appointed to Eternal Life?

"When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed."

-Acts 13:48 NASB

"After the detailed account of Paul's sermon in Pisidian Antioch, we are told that many Gentiles 'honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed' (13:48). An excellent exercise is to discover all the ways Acts, or even the entire New Testament, speaks of conversion and of converts--and then use all those locutions in our own speech. For our ways of talking about such matters both reflect and shape the way we think of such matters. There is no biblical passage that speaks of 'accepting Jesus as your personal Savior' (though the notion itself is not entirely wrong). So why do many adopt this expression, and never speak in the terms of verse 48? (D.A. Carson, For the Love of God, Vol.1, July 27)"

Jesus Christ Encourages Me!

I’ve had the immense privilege of being encouraged by many brothers and sisters in Christ, particularly from those who attend Pillar Bible Church. They have encouraged me in numerous ways through gifts, laughter, ministry, words of wisdom, etc. For all that they’ve done for me and continue to minister to me, I will forever be in debt. But I must admit that I find my greatest encouragement when I am reminded of what Christ has done for sinners like me and how He is both the source and sustainer of my soul, thereby making it not merely a possibility but a reality that I persevere before God in the face of this world. You see, it’s no revelation that I am a BIG sinner, with particular struggles and many weaknesses (too embarrassing to list and too many to mention). I feel like a failure everyday. I am reminded of mistakes and sins in the past that I’ve repented of. I am tempted to think wrong thoughts of God. The devil both accuses and tempts me left and right. On top of it all, my flesh yearns for godlessness. This is not a special case, however, as I’m sure that you the reader can testify to this all so well. At times like this God providentially leads me to read of Christ, His love, His mercy, His sacrifice, His sufficiency, and His faithfulness to me. This is why I am learning to love Jesus Christ more and more as days go by. This is why I lean on Him and find my greatest encouragement. J.C. Ryle writes (geared towards young men and women without Christ but just as relevant even for those already in Christ):

"Do you want to consult friends? He is the best friend: ‘a friend who sticks closer than a brother’ (Proverbs 18:24). Do you feel unworthy because of your sins? Do not fear: His blood cleanses from all sin. He says, ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool’ (Isaiah 1:18). Do you feel weak, and unable to follow Him? Do not fear: He will give you the power to become sons of God. He will give you the Holy Spirit to live in you, and seal you for His own; He will give you a new heart, and He will put a new spirit within you. Are you troubled or beset with a strange bent to evil? Do not fear: there is no evil spirit that Jesus cannot cast out, there is no disease of soul that He cannot heal. Do you feel doubts and fears? Throw them aside: ‘Come to Me,’ He says; ‘whoever comes to me I will never drive away.’ He knows very well the heart of a young man. He knows your trials and your temptations, your difficulties and your foes. In the days of His flesh He was like yours--a young man at Nazareth. He knows by experience a young man's mind. He can understand the feeling of your temptations--because He Himself suffered when He was tempted. Surely you will be without excuse if you turn away from such a Savior and Friend as this."

Nothing encourages like Jesus Christ. This is why it is good to be a believer though it may be challenging and difficult at times.

This Does NOT Suck!

My previous post was properly entitled, “This Sucks!” Well, today’s post is properly entitled, “This Does NOT Suck!” Why? Because Christ’s death makes the following a reality:

"Although the words of personal invitation spoken by Christ do have promises or rest, and power to become children of God, and partaking of the water of life, it is helpful to make explicit just what Christ promises to those who come to him in repentance and faith. The primary thing that is promised in the gospel message is the promise of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God. ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life’ (John 3:16). And in Peter’s preaching of the gospel he says, ‘Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out’ (Acts 3:19; cf. 2:38).
Coupled with the promise of forgiveness and eternal life should be an assurance that Christ will accept all who come to him in sincere repentance and faith seeking salvation: ‘Him who comes to me I will not cast out’ (John 6:37)."

In Light of Resurrection Sunday

The Apostle Paul on the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:12-20, NASB):

"Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep."

The great reformer John Calvin on the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ (Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.16.13):

"Without this what we have said so far would be incomplete. For since only weakness appears in the cross, death, and burial of Christ, faith must leap over all these things to attain its full strength. We have in his death the complete fulfillment of salvation, for through it we are reconciled to God, his righteous judgment is satisfied, the curse is removed, and the penalty paid in full. Nevertheless, we are said to “have been born anew to a living hope” not through his death but “through his resurrection” [I Peter 1:3p.]. For as he, in rising again, came forth victor over death, so the victory of our faith over death lies in his resurrection alone. Paul’s words better express its nature: “He was put to death for our sins, and raised for our justification” [Rom. 4:25]. This is as if he had said: “Sin was taken away by his death; righteousness was revived and restored by his resurrection.” For how could he by dying have freed us from death if he had himself succumbed to death? How could he have acquired victory for us if he had failed in the struggle?"