Do You Remember?

For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5

Do you remember when you gave your life to Christ? Do you remember when it first really hit you that Jesus died for you, for your sins? 

I remember because it was during a communion service and the Holy Spirit just open my understanding to the truth that Jesus' body was broken for me and his blood was shed to wash away my sins.

I remember that I got up and ran outside because I didn't want anyone to see me cry. Every excuse to not follow Christ paled next to the realization that Jesus died for me, to make me a child of God.

Do you remember?

Nailed to the Cross

He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:13c-15

We need to remember that Paul is writing to believers who were being confronted on two sides by false teachers. On one side where the Judaizers who where teaching that to really know God, to be saved, you needed to fulfill the law, specifically, be circumcised. Then on the other side the predecessors of Gnosticism and philosophers  were teaching that you needed their secret knowledge to be truly enlightened or saved. Sound familiar? 

Paul deals with the heart of the matter directly in Christ. The world is really dealing with guilt. The real guilt that all people know. Some try to work it away, while others just try to explain it away. Have you noticed the new self-righteousness of the world? Save the world. Drive a Prius. Drive an electric car (that is mostly supplied with electricity created from fossil fuels). Recycle. And so on and so forth. Blame the rich. Blame something else for the evils in this world. Blame the god you don't believe in. Demand justice from someone else. 

Paul dealt with the prevailing ideologies of his day. How? The supremacy of Christ and his real death on a real cross. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Christ took that charge and nailed it to the cross. All our sins. Dealt with in Christ, nailed to the cross. Your guilt is nailed to the cross. Remember the false teachers were in essence saying that either Christ's death on the cross wasn't enough or it didn't really happen. Paul emphasizes the truth that Christ did die on the cross and that in so doing he triumphed over sin, all our sins. He nailed them to the cross. My sin, your sin, all of it, nailed to the cross. That's the truth and that truly is good news!

The Eternal Tense of Forgiveness

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 

Colossians 1:21-22 NIV

God's goal, his end in mind, is to present you holy in his sight. He will deal with the blemishes and accusations. Sometimes the problem for us is that we still live as if we are alienated from God. We make choices as if we are still an enemy of God. 

In a way there is no tense that can adequately express the depth of the work of Christ on our sins. To say that we are forgiven doesn't just mean from the sins of the past and now we get to try to be perfect again. The reconciliation of death of Christ is eternal. Not just past, not just present, not just future, but eternal. When Christ died on the cross he knew we would sin, our whole life. He views us from eternity. His purpose is to present you holy, unblemished and free from accusation. 

Whatever you are struggling with, whatever you are going through, keep seeking Christ because he died to free you, not watch you try to be good enough. 

What Do You Have In Common With Barabbas?

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

Luke 23:23-25 NIV

What did Barabbas do to deserve to be set free? Nothing. He didn't deserve to be freed. He deserved to be crucified. 

What did you or I do to deserve salvation? That's right, nothing. 

I wonder what happened to Barabbas? What did he do with the freedom he was giving by Christ's death on the cross? How did he respond? Aren't those the same questions we must ask ourselves?

What are we doing with the freedom we are given by Christ's death on the cross? How are we responding to the grace we have been given in Christ? 

Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for taking my place upon the cross and dying for my sins. Help me to live in your grace and may the love live through me. Praise be to you in us today!

It's Not About the Mat

Legalism always gets us looking in the wrong direction. Legalism focuses on the outward manifestation of right or wrong while faith starts from the inner being, the heart.  

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Luke 5:22-26 NIV

It may be easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," but, to say, "Get up and walk," and actually heal the paralyzed man...that demonstrated Christ's authority. 

As my friends in the south would say, "Let me ask you this," which is harder to do heal the paralyzed man or forgive his sins? Frankly, the death of Christ on the cross shows us that to forgive our sins is the costliest and most difficult thing in all of history, if not eternity. 

Think about it. The heavens and earth were created with a word. Our redemption cost the death of Christ, his separation from the Father, his humiliation as a man. He left eternity and was stuck in time. In human form he experienced our need, our pain, our hunger. At the moment of his death he cried out and "the curtain of the temple was torn from top to bottom. The earth shook and rocks split. The tombs broke open..." (Matthew 27:51-52a). 

Back to the mat. Jesus may heal you, but, what you need is forgiveness.  When Christ says he will forgive your sins, it's no mere flippant word by Jesus.  Christ may tell you to pick up your mat and walk, but, don't forget he forgave your sins. 

The Upside Down Kingdom

Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!"

Mark 15:29-30

The world just doesn't get it. Jesus didn't come to save himself, he came to save sinners, to save you and me.

The Kingdom of God is not like the world's kingdoms which are all about who's on top, no, the Kingdom of God is the upside down kingdom. Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, came not to be served but to serve. Jesus was not on the cross to make himself king, he already was king. Jesus was on the cross to get us into the kingdom.

Thank you, Jesus, that you died for me. Thank you that you endured the cross so that I might be in your kingdom. Thank you, my Lord and my King. 

Just the Cross

It's just the cross of Christ I see,

  not my sin, he died for me.

It's just his mercy that I need,

  no work I do can set me free.

It's just His grace that abounds for all to see,

  that can even use a man like me.

The chief of sinners is what I be,

  and yet his love abounds in me.

                             By D. Grant 

GO BACK TO THE CROSS: II Timothy 2:8

"Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel." II Timothy 2:8

Many moons ago I was talking with a graduate student who was a Muslim. I was just out of high school. The conversation had begun to spin out of control. My mom had told me that whenever you get into a discussion with someone, particularly from another "faith" (or cult) to just keep going back to the cross. He kept wanting to say that Jesus was just a prophet, I would remind him that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. Mohammed did not. If he did not understand something he would say something about leaving it to the prophets. The central issue which he wanted to avoid at all costs was that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the dead, the gospel. 

You know, that are a lot of things to learn from the Bible. There is a lot you can benefit from studying apologetics, yet, it is always going to boil down to this: Jesus died for our sins and rose again from the dead.

Father, thank you for Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Praise be to you in us today!