- 1 Peter 1:18-19

The sight of blood can make even the strong queasy. It is not much the color, odor or viscosity of blood that kindles such a reaction but the nervous awareness that life itself is at stake. The unstopped flow of blood results in death.

But the shedding of Christ’s blood is the one truth on which hangs all of Christianity- Jesus died for our sins. Christ’s spilled blood led to His death; and through death, the Son of God and the Son of man completed His work on earth- to die in our behalf, pay our sin debt by the sacrifice of His own life, and provide the pathway to reconciliation between God and us. Jesus’ death enabled God to forgive us of our iniquities by carrying out the punishment of sin on His own Son.

Christ’s holy blood allows the Father to declare you innocent of your sins the moment you believe and receive Jesus as Savior. Christ’s bloody death is the good news that delivers you from eternal death and makes eternal life a treasured gift from God.

Throughout time, God has repeatedly appealed to us to step away from our sins and follow His ways. Sin alters life by taking what God calls pure and distorting it. An iodine stain on white linen ruins the fabric’s design and fiber, and nothing can remove its staining power. Sin has the same effect on your life- it stains deeply. Yet, God in his mercy has provided a way for its removal through the atoning death of Jesus Christ. Christ is your personal invitation from God to be washed clean from sin’s staining power. That is what his blood can do for you.

God dealt with sin in Calvary. That was his responsibility that could not be executed by anyone other than our omnipotent God. We, however, must deal with sins. That is a responsibility that God assigns to us as believers.

At the Cross, God stripped away our sin nature by crucifying it with Christ. That is why we can be new creatures in Christ. The old, corrupt, fallen nature was done away with it. We are no longer under the reign of sin since we have Jesus Christ. We are freed from its tyranny, for we have died to its rule. We can freely choose to obey God.

Although God dealt with our sinful nature through the Cross, we must deal with sins- habits or activities that violate God’s revealed truth. We do so by confessing our particular sins to God. We agree with him that we have sinned.

You are completely forgiven. You can confess sinful acts to a Father who restores joyous fellowship. You have a victory over the sinful nature because of the blood of Jesus.

– Ephesians 2:14

The Cross of Calvary – where Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died- is the extraordinary instrument of freedom where our eternal liberty was secured.

You see, our freedom cannot be purchased with a social revolution or a majority vote. The source of our oppression is spiritual, not political, not economic or cultural. We are born sinners, separated from the life and liberty of our Creator, God. We are imprisoned by the darkness of sin, chained by its selfish grip and under the influence of the god of this world, Satan.

Our only hope is to be rescued by the One who alone has the power and right to liberate us from sin’s reign and rule. That is exactly what Christ did at the cross. He bore the penalty of sin- death- making it possible for us to be reconciled to the Author of spiritual liberty, Jehovah God.

At the Cross, Jesus released you from the curse of eternal death. When you receive Jesus Christ, you gain the incredible inheritance of eternal life. You still die physically, but your spirit is made alive by God. And you will be with Him forever! The cross shattered the bonds of sin, making spiritual freedom possible for all who believe in Jesus Christ.

Your freedom from sin’s penalty and power do not come cheaply. Your symbol of true freedom- liberty from the chains of sins and self- is a costly one. It is steeped in the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

On Calvary, Christ fought and secured your deliverance from sin. He paid the supreme price, the sacrifice of His divine life. The grace of God is wonderful, marvelous. But it is yours only through the ransom paid by God to God through Christ’s torturous death.

The Lord Jesus Christ died in the Cross for you to enjoy a great life. He wants you to be free from the bondage of sin and death. His love expressed in the Cross can go beyond any of your sins. The Cross can go beyond any of your hurts and pains. The unfailing love of God exceeds from heaven and here on earth.

Bearing the guilt of your sin, He died in your place, turning aside the wrath of Holy God. His sacrifices satisfied God’s justice and opened heaven’s doors to those who place their faith in Him. When you have faith in God’s love, it shall free you. Your faith in Christ grants you peace and hope. Your faith in Christ’s love for you gives you salvation. There is nothing cheap about salvation. It is a gift- a costly one. Nothing can ever compare to the precious gift of love of Christ.

Have you received Christ as your personal Savior? The gift of eternal life is free if you believe, but it was secured at a most extravagant price.

-Romans 5:1

The blood, agony, and torture of the cross of Christ are well known, even to unbelievers and adherents to other religions. The Cross, however, was far more than mere historic melodrama. Its significance lies not in the emotional experience of the participants but in the reality of what God accomplished through His Son’s death.

At the cross of Calvary, sins were forgiven. The penalty of sin was death. Christ suffered that divinely decreed punishment on our behalf, thus enabling God to forgive us of our transgressions based on Christ’s sacrifice.

At the Cross death was defeated. Since Christ tasted the bitter dregs of death at Calvary and rose again three days later, death no longer reigns over those who trust in Him. Christ triumphed over the grave, and we who come to Him for salvation share in that awesome conquest.

At the cross of Christ, the three mortal enemies of humankind- sin, death, and the devil- were confronted and defeated by the Son of God. Jesus took your sins on Himself at the cross. He bore God’s judgment of death on your behalf, as your substitute. God’s uncompromising wrath against sin was satisfied. You have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, from the dominion of sin to the dominion of God.

The cross of Christ appears unimportant to many cultures today mainly because of the time of its occurrence. “How could the death of a Jewish carpenter on the Roman cross two thousand years ago affect my life today?”  This reasoning confuses the significance of the Cross.

When Christ died is not the central issue. How Christ died is not the essential meaning either. He died on a cross, but had God desired, His son could have died another way.

The question, who was executed on the cross made the significance. Only God Himself was qualified to be our substitute on Calvary. The cross is relevant for every man, woman, and child in every age because there at the cross, the eternal God died on our behalf so that we might receive His gift of everlasting life.

The Cross is removed from a purely historical perspective when we realize that we, too, are involved in its ageless liberation. The apostle Paul informed us that by God’s unfathomable working, we were included in the Lord Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

We have been crucified, buried, and raised with Christ. Through faith in Christ Jesus, each of us has died to sin and been joined within him to become “a new creature” (2 Corinthian 5:17).

Perhaps you have viewed the Cross with supreme sympathy for our suffering Messiah but never understood what His death entailed. If so, realize today that on the cross Christ died for your sins and overcame death. Come to Him for forgiveness of your sins, and gain the gift of eternal life.

The next time you look at a cross, wear it around your neck, or see its imprint, remember that sin was judged, death slain, and the devil conquered at Calvary.

]]> http://greatisthelord.net/blog/584/what-really-happened-at-the-cross/feed/ 0 http://greatisthelord.net/blog/525/you-must-be-born-again/ http://greatisthelord.net/blog/525/you-must-be-born-again/#comments Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:51:09 +0000 Bobbie http://greatisthelord.net/blog/?p=525 Do you know that the Gospel of John was written so “that you may believe Jesus is the Christ, Jesus is the Son of God, and that by believing you may have eternal life in Him” (John 20:31).

If you are curious to know what the heart of the Gospel of John is, then I encourage you to continue reading this article.

What is eternal life in Jesus? In the Gospel of John chapter 3 verses 1-2, Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” Unlike other Pharisees and members of the Sanhedrin Council, Nicodemus remain humble in spite of his being powerful, successful, and a scholar. He was willing to learn from Jesus and spoke highly of him, calling Him Rabbi. Nicodemus wanted to go to heaven, and so he asked Jesus how. Jesus answered, “Truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

Jesus is an all-knowing God. He knows the hearts of men, so He knew there was hunger in the heart of Nicodemus, who asked, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he” (John 3:4)? Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:5).

What is born of water and Spirit? John 3:7 says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” Jesus is saying after we are born physically, we must be born again, spiritually. John 3:7-8 says, “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

What is born again? Ephesians 5:26 says, “So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word.” “Her” refers to the church. “Water” refers to the Word of God. So, the Word of God will sanctify you. Titus 3:5 says, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.”

Now, Nicodemus seems lost by the way he threw in questions about salvation. Nicodemus thought he was saved. He knew he was a good person, godly person and respected by many. He trusted in his own efforts and good deeds. He failed to understand the meaning of faith in Jesus and did not experience the Spirit of God in his life He asked Jesus, “How can these things be” (John 3:9)?

Curious to know if Nicodemus understood it all after his conversation with the Lord?  Did he change? Yes; he understood. In John 7:50-51, the Scripture tells us that Nicodemus defended Jesus against those who wanted to kill him. When Jesus died, Nicodemus helped give a decent burial (John 19:39-40).

What must I do to become born again? Coming to Jesus is a personal decision to make. It is actually the best decision we could ever make in this life. It’s a decision with willingness to change. When you receive the Spirit of God, your life is transformed. You can be born of the Spirit if you will accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior. Jesus took your place and paid for your sin by dying on the cross. Admit that you are a sinner and accept God’s gift of eternal life. It was God who took the initiative to send Jesus to die for us. John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world…” God knows your need. He knows that you cannot save yourself. He cares for you. He wants you to be born again. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him (John14:6). If you want to experience being born again, accept God’s solution.

Friends, there is salvation because of God’s unconditional and great love. No matter who we are or what we did in the past, God deeply cares for us. This scripture revolves around the declaration that God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. By sacrificing His only Son, Jesus, to save us is the biggest sacrifice a Father could do. Who do you think are we for God to sacrifice his only Son? Significantly, mercy is an essential part of his love. Thus, God has so much mercy for us because of his great love towards us. He has always been there; he is with us through our difficult times, troubles, disappointments, pains, problems, etc. He is with us until the end.

Oftentimes, we commit mistakes leaving his words and teachings behind.  We are actually hurting God in these ways. God has been with us, teaching us to mature and prepare for eternal life, and yet we sometimes lack enthusiasm to fight for him. We even doubt His presence and His power. But God is so good. He helps us realize our mistakes and failures. He leads us to repentance, to go back to him. And there, He’s always been waiting with open arms.

God is rich in mercy. And his mercy is just. What is wrong is wrong. What is sin is sin. He never compromises anything and still, God remains loving without tolerating our sins. His mercy is forgiving. Despite our numerous sins and failures, we remain precious to Him. He is always willing to forgive. His mercy is compassionate. He reaches out and assures His people that He is with them and knows what His people have been going through. He feels our misery. He indeed, suffers with us. He knows our struggles. He knows how painful our sufferings are. He has been and will always be a friend, a father, brother, companion and our God.

Friend, do you feel afraid and insecure? No need to feel that way because Christ made His love available for anyone, and I mean anyone who wants to receive His love and forgiveness. People are only as secure as the source of their security; if we are secure in Christ, then we have every reason to be confident.

Christian psychologists say that good mental health springs from two things: security and significance. Security in who we are and significance in what we do. Since Christ is the source of peace, joy, strength, and rest, and in Him we live and move and have our very being, we can be secure and feel significant when we place our trust in Jesus.

So what’s keeping you from believing that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God? The Gospel of John was written so that we may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him, we will have life (John 20:31).

Because right thinking equals right behaviour, what a person believes about Jesus becomes the most important thing about that person. The reverse is also true: wrong thinking equals wrong behaviour.  If you do not believe that Jesus is God, then you will think you do not have to practice His teaching nor obey His commands. But if you believe that Jesus is God, then you will worship Him and will desire to know Him.

If you don’t believe that Jesus is both fully man and fully God as John clearly states, then I encourage you to continue reading this article.

Jesus has no equal. His life, teachings, death and resurrection prove beyond doubt that Jesus is the Son of Man and the Son of God. As proof that He is God, Jesus performed many miracles. In John 2:1-11, Jesus was invited to a wedding. When the wine ran out, His mother told Him about it. Jesus told the servants to fill some water jars with water, and then to take some and to present it to the master of the ceremonies. When the master of ceremonies tasted it, he exclaimed, “A host always serves the best wine first. When everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” Friends, Jesus turned the water into wine! This was His first miracle documented in the Gospels.

Do you want to experience God’s miracles in your life? You will notice in the story that Jesus was willing to attend a party. Through this account, the Bible reveals a different Jesus. Most of us think Jesus is always solemn and serious and that to be spiritual is to have nothing to do with laughter and fun. Jesus was in the world but not of the world. Sinners spent time with Jesus because He welcomed them. Yes, He spoke and ate with them, but He did not sin. Jesus made Himself available, even for sinners.

So, invite Jesus. He is always available for you. If Jesus made Himself available to attend a wedding party, He will show up in whatever situation you’re in if you ask Him to. Invite Jesus to be at the center of your life. Keep in mind, though, that just because Jesus is present does not mean you will not experience problems. In the story, the bridegroom ran out of wine. That was a cause of social embarrassment, and Jesus’ presence in the wedding did not prevent such things from occurring. But just like Mary did, we can also come to Him and present our concerns.

In the Old Testament, wine represented abundance and joy. Do you want joy and abundance in your life? Do you have situations in your life that you want to be changed into better? How about relationships with difficult people? Is there some sin in your life you have not been quite able to conquer? Has your family become dysfunctional? Do you need a miracle? Invite Jesus. Tell Him your concerns. Trust Him. And finally, obey Him.

So, what do you believe about Jesus? Take another look at that list again. This is the most important thing in your life, my friend. If you have come to believe that Jesus is God, and He is the Savior, invite Him into your life right now. Confess your sinfulness to Him. Trust that He died to take away your sins. By His grace and power, you can begin to live a life of obedience to Him. And ultimately, give all glory to Him: Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God!

“What about you? Who do you say I am?” Jesus asked Peter in Matthew 16:15. “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,” replied Peter. Why do you think Peter declared that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? Was it based on Peter’s personal encounter with Jesus when he walks on the water or just plain revelation from God? Knowing Jesus personally and intimately is the central purpose of life. Jesus said in John 17:3, “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus whom You have sent.” Who is Jesus? What does the Bible say about him? How do we get to know him?

Jesus, the God of the universe. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John is actually saying that the Word is the creative power of God and is, in fact, God Himself. He created the universe. Colossians 1:16 says, “For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.”

Jesus, the Lord of life. He is the Giver of life, and He is life eternal. “In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men” (John 1:4). This life is the opposite of death, destruction, and condemnation. Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.” He gives life freely to those who ask to receive it. Jesus Christ is Life Eternal and He offers that life to us through the new birth – by being born again. Apart from Christ, we are spiritually dead. And when we put our faith in Jesus, believing and receiving Him into our hearts, we are made alive in Him!

Jesus, the Savior of sinners. Jesus is God revealed in the flesh. John 1:14 says, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Remember John the Baptist when he saw Jesus approaching him, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” John’s declaration that Jesus is the Lamb, who once and for all takes away sins of the world, forever is a revelation from God himself. A truth that echoes all the way from Genesis 3, the fall of man. Corinthians 5:7 says, “Christ is our Passover Lamb who was sacrificed for us.” John testifies that this same Lam is “the Son of God” (John 1:34).

There are two kinds of people, those who believe in Jesus, and those who are already judged because of unbelief. Friend, do you believe in Jesus? If you’re a believer, what will you do with Jesus, who is the Son of God? May I suggest that you worship Him, study His Word, and be a witness to your family and friends? If you are not yet a believer but want to receive Him into your life, you can do so at this very moment. Believe that Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb and that He died on the cross in your place. His promise is that “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John1:12).

“Life is not just a few years to spend on self-indulgence and career advancement. It is a privilege, a responsibility, a stewardship to be lived according to a much higher calling, God’s calling. This alone gives true meaning to life.”

–Elizabeth Dole

Do you know your calling? Is your personal mission aligned with the mission and vision of God? If your life is not aligned with God’s vision, you will be just like the man who built his house on the wrong place.

Jesus’ last words on earth before He was lifted up to heaven are clear instructions of what we are expected to do until He returns. “…but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Clearly, we are to be witnesses for Christ, which simply means telling others what we have heard from Him and what we have seen Him do in our lives. But how do we develop a sense of obligation, eagerness and not being ashamed of the Gospel? How do we develop a positive attitude towards sharing the Good News? There are two important principles we need to know:

1. The reality of who Jesus is and what He has done. Who is Jesus to you? Do you truly believe in your heart that Jesus is the Son of God? Do you have faith in Jesus whose death on the Cross has fully paid for our sins? Have you tasted His love and goodness in your life? Until you experience the reality of Jesus, who He is and what He has done for you, it is hard to develop enthusiasm. There is a difference between conviction and just believing in the head. Until we have a personal encounter with the risen Savior, we will not have a deep convictions about Jesus; convictions that we would die for.
2. The reality of eternal consequences. We have been led to believe that we can live life on our terms, and reserve holy living in the afterlife. Truth is, after death comes judgment. The Bible gives us a glimpse of the afterlife in Luke 16:19-31. Those who do not accept the gospel ultimately reject Christ. Their destiny is eternal torment in hell. Those who believe the gospel and let Jesus enter their lives will live forever with Christ in His Kingdom.

Based on the evidence of the Scriptures, what you do with the Gospel will impact not just your life; it will impact the lives of other people. We must not be ashamed or embarrassed. We should share the Gospel with eagerness. We will never come close to fulfilling the Great Commission of making committed followers of Jesus Christ if we have no conviction about who Jesus is and what He has done, or about the reality of heaven and hell. There will be no heart for evangelism unless we have given our heart to Christ.

“But God who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ, and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6). The dominion of sin and the power of Satan over mankind were broken by Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, being born into this world as a man, living a perfect sinless life, and then giving his life in suffering and sacrifice to pay the debt of divine justice. Because there was no sin in Him, death had no legal hold on Him and He was resurrected by the power of God and then ascended to the throne of God (Hebrews 10:12-14).

God’s great love for us is shown, not only in Christ’s act of redemption, but in His eternal identification with us in our humanity as the second Adam, the beginning of a new creation (1Corinthians 15:45,49).

God’s purpose in offering salvation is not just to provide us a place in heaven. His purpose is to restore us to an intimate fellowship and love relationship with Him.

One author quoted:

“Longfellow could take a sheet of paper, write a poem on it and make it worth $60,000. That is talent.

Rockefeller could sign a piece of paper and make it worth millions. That is capital.

Uncle Sam can take an ounce of gold and stamp an eagle on it and make it worth $40. That is money.

A mechanic can take material worth $5 and make it into an article worth$50. That is skill.

A merchant can buy an article worth 80 cents, put it on his counter and sell it for a dollar. That is business.

God can take a worthless, sinful life, wash it, cleanse it, put His Holy Spirit into it and make it a blessing to all humanity. That is salvation.”

Got it my friend? In order for this to happen, our hearts and minds must be awakened to the passions and affections that are in the heart of God for us. The more our hearts are awakened to His love for us, the more our desire grows to return that love to Him.

I love the way that Jesus was such close friends with man and woman in the bible especially with John. Their friendship was intimate and powerful, close and sweet. It seems from the record contained on the Gospels, John became the closest to Jesus of all the disciples. While on earth, they were inseparable. John occupied the place of honour at the Last Supper, where he could engage in close intimate conversation with his Master (John 13:23-26). John was the only man who stayed by the cross. This close relationship between Jesus and John comes over most clearly in the moments prior to Jesus’ death, when He selects John to be the one who will have the responsibility for the care of His mother, Mary. This closeness is seen also as we study the Gospel which he wrote, for there were signs of an intimate understanding of the ideas of the Lord that is not quite evident in the writings of Matthew.

I also love the way that Jesus was such close friends with Mary, sister of Martha. He deferred to her. He even memorialized her when she wiped His feet with her tears.

When I look at these warm and intimate friendships, my heart fills with praise that Jesus was also a man. A man of flesh and blood.  His heart felt the sting of sympathy. His arms embraced, and his lips smiled. His hands touched. Every man he touched was radically changed. John’s relationship with Jesus changed him from a proud zealot into a kind, deeply loving and considerate person.  In fact, so amazing is the change in John that he seems altogether a different disciple to the one who teamed up with Jesus in the beginning. What produced such a dramatic change? We have already seen that it was the result of spending time in the presence of Jesus, listening to His words and imbibing His spirit. John was obviously a good learner, for what Jesus taught and demonstrated he not only saw and heard, but assimilated into his own person and put into daily practice.

Jesus would like to invite us also to relate to Him as the Son of Man. And because He is fully man, we can relate to Jesus with affection and love. The essence of Christianity is knowing Jesus Christ the Lord as priest and king, head and husband, shepherd and life-giver. He is cornerstone of the church; that is, His body and bride and building. Knowing the Son of Man in all these respects would help us grow in loving God and loving the Man.

Did you catch that? Now that you’ve got a head knowledge about Jesus, Son of Man, would you like to be his friend? Would you love to start a lasting friendship with Jesus today? If you do, then say “yes” to Jesus. He never stops knocking at the door of your heart, waiting for you to open the door and let Him in. He’s bringing good news to you. In fact, He has a gift for you, a gift of a lifetime. He also would like to embrace you and wipe the tears from your eyes.