I have heard it said that there is nothing more "liberating, redeeming, costly, significant, or glorious in all of human history" than the sacrifice of our Messiah. Everything that our God has, and everything that was accomplished and everything He made available to us are in that magnificent act of grace. And that ongoing power will transform lives and is still working every second of every day. And all we have to do is come. Come and surrender our lives.
This, the power of the cross: Christ became sin for us, Took the blame, bore the wrath: We stand forgiven at the cross (The Power of the Cross, Stuart Townend & Keith Getty)
The saddest part of all this is that many Christians still live frustrated and defeated lives. As far as they know, the cross only symbolizes the forgiveness of their sins, and nothing more. But my friends, while Jesus was having our sins forgiven, He was also providing a means of destroying the power of our sinful nature. He accomplished this by providing His Spirit to live within us which gives us the power to live a victorious life every day of our life! This became available by His Cross!
We need to apply this finished work of the cross to our lives. Look at what Paul wrote:
"He died for all people so that [now get this] those who live should no longer live for themselves but for the man who died and was brought back to life for them . . . Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence" (II Corinthians 5:15-17)
Wow! So, if we want to live in the daily blessings and power of everything Jesus already won for us, what are we supposed to do? Seriously, how are we suppose to live so we can reap the joy, the happiness, and the peace that we are promised? Do we have to continually "beat ourselves up"? You know, continually see our failures and weakness and cry? Do we have to stand on the street corner and preach to everyone? Do we have to beat our bodies with leather straps? I sure hope not.
But no, it is much simpler than that. And we don't even have to wait for the answer. It is not in some mystical and mysterious secret that is waiting to be discovered. No, no. We can find it in something Paul wrote:
"It is unthinkable that I could ever brag about anything except [ooh, ooh. Yes?] the cross of our Lord Yeshua Christ. [Huh?] By his cross my relationship to the world and its relationship to me have been crucified!" (Galatians 6:14)
That's it! It is in the Cross of our Lord Yeshua Christ! It is through His cross that our relationship to the world and our sin have been put to death! They no longer have any control or power over us! But, why do so many believers and disciples of Christ fail to live righteously? Simply because they have never embraced the message of the cross. And that, my friends, is because it is no longer taught in our churches. Because know teaches the power of the Cross, they do not have the opportunity to hear about the freedom that is available.
However, there could also be an easier answer and it is seen in the Emancipation Proclamation. You see, with the stroke of a pen, hundreds of thousand of slaves were freed. They could go anywhere they chose. But many remained where they were. Why? Why in the world would they remain in slavery? Well, there are many reasons, but one big one is that they didn't want to face the unknown. Living as a slave is all they knew. To go where they had never been and experience the new liberty they were given was too frightening.
You see, right now, in the middle of our massive technological age, with all of our scientific and communication breakthroughs, and all of the impressive opportunities, the only ones accepting and acting on their new freedom are those who have true wisdom, and live simply by the influence and power of the Spirit and by glorying and boasting in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ!
There is a tremendous passage that encapsulates this perfectly:
For the message of the cross is foolishness, absurd and illogical to those who are perishing and spiritually dead. [Why?] because they reject it! However, to those of us who are being saved by God’s grace, it is the manifestation of the power of God!" (I Corinthians 1:18)
Wow! Oh man, if you want to see your Father in all of His power and glory, then take a look at Jesus Christ dying on a cross! It is at the cross that God in Christ conquered death, hell, sin sickness and all of the ailments of mankind! That is where He purchased for us all the glory, life, and freedom we would ever need, and more! It has, my friends, already been done for you, all you have to do is accept it and live by it!
Jesus Christ, our Lord and King, has paid the price for our sins so we don't have to. When He died on that cross and rose again, He defeated the power of sin and death in the life of every person who surrenders their life to Him.
God is serious about the cross. We need to be serious, too.
Nickolas
Doulos Studies (http://doulos-studies.info/)
(I send out messages like this each morning in emails, and if you are interested in receiving them, send me your email address and I will add you to the list. However, you can also find these messages at: Thought For The Day http://thinkingtoday.wordpress.com/)
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