22/03/08

The Blood and the Cross - Part 3

In the start as the Lord was teaching me all about His sacrifice which He did according to the Book of Moses, I thought I knew about the Cross and I was asking the Lord to let me teach about it. But never did I get a chance to do so. Today I realized it why, for I really did not know the Cross well.

Like most, my understanding of the Cross was all about the suffering of Jesus for us. We have always looked at the Cross as a shameful sign for it was the worst punishment anybody could get during those days. Now as the Lord is revealing more of his Word to us, given us better understanding of his Will, we need to change our attitude towards the Cross. The Cross must not be looked at as a sign of shame but of VICTORY. The Cross is the only way by which we can overcome our sinful nature. We should not be scared of it, because to help us achieve this Jesus gave us his Holy Spirit.

How does the Cross become a sign of victory?

Jesus always spoke of the Cross as the only way to be like Him, his disciple.

Matthew 16: 24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Matthew 10: 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.

Mark 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

The Cross is not the object on which Jesus was crucified but the reason of which He was crucified. It was his purpose in God the Father, the work He had come to do on earth; to save mankind by bring them unto Him.

Colossians 1: 19,20 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

We too all have our own crosses. We too have been given a task like Jesus, to do on earth. Jesus has shown us the way of doing it, by crucifying our flesh on our crosses and by his Spirit be renewed becoming a new creature, overcoming our sinful nature.

Galatians 6: 14,15 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.

By doing this we destroy the sting of death that looms over us.

1 Corinthians 15: 55-58 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

God has great purpose for us in Heaven but to qualify for it, we need to be over comers, over coming sin and death. Without applying the Blood and taking up the Cross we can not become over comers.

Let us destroy the sinful nature that is within us which brings us to sin again and again, by denying ourselves, taking our crosses and becoming like Jesus, not like Adam in nature.

Let's ask the Holy Spirit who has been given to us as a Helper, to help us take up our cross in Jesus. He makes our crosses very light and our tasks very easy when we listen to Him.

Matthew 11: 29-30 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

It was Jesus' Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead and it is by his Spirit that we too will defeat death and become like Jesus, sons of God and heirs of God.

Romans 8: 11-14 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Romans 8: 16-17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I pray, if you have not taken up your crosses in Christ, that you do so from today and therefore also rejoice in his Resurrection. Jesus died on one Cross but by his death and resurrection we have millions and millions of crosses that have come alive; to defeat satan's plan for us and receive God's plan.


[ Prayer Starter ]

Father God, I thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus. I apply his Blood on myself and take up the Cross which You have made for me in Christ Jesus. Help me Holy Spirit to carry my cross for I am not perfect like Jesus. I want to be united in Him in his glory and receive all that God the Father has made available for me. I ask this in Jesus' Holy Name, Amen.

Happy Resurrection Sunday.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)