THE PRISTINE CROSS!

Sunday, March 31, 2019

THE PRISTINE CROSS!

Isa 53:5

5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

           Modern Christianity is forgetful of the cross. We are painfully aware of the mental torments of a self-devised broken culture. We wear the woolen coat of impaired relationships and we tremble within a highly competitive workplace. We grapple with a broken education system and we mourn an egregious government. But we have cleansed the Cross and placed it on a pretty chain for our necks to display.

           The Cross makes hell reasonable and heaven an unimaginable gift. The cross was indescribably cruel and especially so for One so pure as Jesus. It was not clean but dirty. It was not artistically beautiful but horribly ugly.

When I Survey The Wondrous Cross

See from His head, His hands, His feet,

Sorrow and love flow mingled down!

Did e'er such love and sorrow meet,

Or thorns compose so rich a crown?

To Christ, Who won for sinners grace

By bitter grief and anguish sore,

Be praise from all the ransomed race

Forever and forevermore.

Dear Lamb of God, let me not shrink from the horror of the Cross. Let me, instead, understand that it was for me you died. AMEN

NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS!

Saturday, March 30, 2019

NUMBERED WITH THE TRANSGRESSORS!

Isa 53:11-12

11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

           Isaiah 53 chronicles the sacrifice of Messiah and Jesus perfectly fulfilled those things listed. In verse 12 Isaiah says that Messiah was numbered with sinners. The Hebrew word is maw-naw’ and means ” to constitute officially; to enroll.” I am reminded that believers have their names written in the “Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:27) and I wonder if there is a similar book or list of transgressors.

           Jesus “poured out his soul unto death” which the Jew would recognize as a reference to the drink offering. “ I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.” (Ps 22:14)

           If there is a list of sinners, then my name was written there. When Jesus died His name was numbered on the list of transgressors and my name was written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. What a wonderful transaction.

2 Cor 8:9

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

Dear Lamb of God, you saw me in my moral poverty and exchanged your account for mine. I am now considered righteous because you were enrolled on the list of sinners. Thank you for saving me. AMEN

GRACE THAT WORKS!

Friday, March 29, 2019

GRACE THAT WORKS!

Titus 2:11-14

11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,

12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

This is another of my favorite portions of scripture. It makes you think. It stretches your mind. It begins with grace and ends with works! Maybe that’s the way it should be! In the English New Testament grace is always a translation of (charis), a word that occurs in the Greek text over 170 times and in both Biblical and secular Greek it is used with far more meanings than can be represented by any one term in English. But the word has abundant use in secular Greek in the sense of unmerited favor, and Paul seized on this meaning of the word to express a fundamental characteristic of Christianity. (International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.)

For the Apostle Paul, GRACE was defined by experience.

Acts 9:1-5

9:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,

2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.

3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:

4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. The Amplified New Testament puts it this way: “It is dangerous, and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad; to offer vain and perilous resistance”.

Paul’s spiritual and emotional condition remained vile and violent. He travelled with evil authority; letters from the high priest. He was obsessed with the wicked intent to bring believers into captivity. SUDDENLY, and without any initiation of goodness on his part, the resurrected and glorified Jesus met Paul and CHANGED him forever. That is grace! But our original portion ends with the words… a peculiar people, zealous of good works. What about that? How do we reconcile the seemingly opposite aspects of grace and works? Well, one is the prod and the other is the product!

Simply put – Jesus purchased us away from a cruel and abusive master, cleaned us up, healed our wounds of abuse and gave us honorable assignments. What servant would not joyfully engage in labor for such a kind Master as Jesus? So, beginning with GRACE we engage in WORKS.

Dear Lord, thank you for purchasing me away from a cruel task master and giving me duties that are a joy to perform! AMEN