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by Don Merritt |
The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. […]
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Colossians 2:9-15 9 For Christ is not only God-like, He is God in human flesh. 10 When you have Christ, you are complete. He is the head over all leaders and powers. 11 When you became a Christian, you were set free from the sinful things of the world. This was not done by human hands. You were set free from the sins of your old self by what was done in Christ’s body. 12 When you were baptized, you were buried as Christ was buried. When you were raised up in baptism, you were raised as Christ was raised. You were raised to a new life by putting your trust in God. It was God Who raised Jesus from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your sins, you were not set free from the sinful things of the world. But God forgave your sins and gave you new life through Christ. 14 We had broken the Law many ways. Those sins were held against us by the Law. That Law had writings which said we were sinners. But now He has destroyed that writing by nailing it to the cross. 15 God took away the power of the leaders of this world and the powers of darkness. He showed them to the world. The battle was won over them through Christ.
What does the cross mean to you? Many people in the world today view it as a symbol of Christianity, but think about what it represented in Christ’s day. Nobody wore a miniature cross around the neck or displayed one in a place of worship. The cross was a torturous means of execution, and the mere thought of it was repulsive.
Yet believers throughout the ages have chosen this as the sign of their faith. In fact, to remove the cross from our teaching and theology would leave nothing but an empty, powerless religion. How could anyone be saved if Christ had not been crucified and resurrected? According to Scripture, there can be no forgiveness without the shedding of blood (The Law says that almost everything is made clean by blood. Sins are not forgiven unless blood is given. Heb. 9:22). Christ had to bear the punishment for our sin in order for God to grant us forgiveness.
Every time you see a cross, remember what it really was—an instrument of execution. Then thank Jesus that He was willing to be crucified so the Father could forgive you of sin. Though the scene of your redemption was horrendous, Christ turned the cross into a place of great triumph.
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An ear-piercing scream from the living room brought my wife and me running to our almost three-year-old daughter’s rescue. I braced myself for the worst … only to discover that she was just terrified of an elephant character in one of her favorite TV shows. I breathed a sigh of relief and held back a sympathetic chuckle, because we’d been down this road before. She’d seen the episode many times, how the merry band of furry friends are afraid of this mysterious elephant who lives in the (gasp!) haunted mansion at the end of the street. Then they finally meet her and discover she is a sweet, neighborly soul. She even gives them cookies!
Needless to say, my daughter had forgotten all about the cookies.
Even when you’ve read the Bible for a long time, there are parts of it that can make you really uncomfortable. Like my daughter, you’ve seen every episode, but you forget the “gospel cookies,” so to speak. Maybe you know the gospel, you’ve met Jesus, and the pages of this book have ministered to your heart for years. But then you come across a passage that reminds you this is a really bloody book. You recoil in horror, even though you’ve been over these pages many times before. What’s with all the blood in the Bible?
All the bloodshed in the Bible teaches us about the bad news for sinners and how it’s answered by the good news of Jesus.
Read more: https://corechristianity.com/resource-library/articles/whats-with-all-the-blood-in-the-bible/
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Our sin renders us indebted to God, estranged from Him, and guilty before His judgment. Today, R.C. Sproul presents our only and all-sufficient hope: Jesus has provided the perfect sacrifice necessary for our redemption.
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Worshiping with other believers helps you view all of life from the vantage point of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s not just the most important miracle ever. It’s not just the most astounding event in the life of the Messiah. It’s not just an essential item in your theological outline. It’s not just the reason for the most important celebratory season of the church. It’s not just your hope for the future. No, the resurrection is all that and more. It is also meant to be the window through which you view all of life. Second Corinthians 4:13–15 captures this truth very well: “[We know] that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” But what does it look like to look at life through the window of the resurrection? As I assess my life right here, right now, what about the resurrection must I remember? Let me suggest five things.
The resurrection of Jesus guarantees your resurrection too. Life is not a constantly repeating cycle of the same old same old. No, under God’s rule this world is marching toward a conclusion. Your life is being carried to a glorious end. There will be a moment when God will raise you out of this broken world, and sin and suffering will be no more.
The resurrection tells you what Jesus is now doing. Jesus now reigns. First Corinthians 15 says that he will continue to reign until the final enemy is under his feet. You see, your world is not out of control, but under the careful control of One who is still doing his sin-defeating work.
The resurrection promises you all the grace you need between Jesus’s resurrection and yours. If your end has already been guaranteed, then all the grace you need along the way has been guaranteed as well, or you would never make it to your appointed end. Future grace always carries with it the promise of present grace.
The resurrection of Jesus motivates you to do what is right, no matter what you are facing. The resurrection tells you that God will win. His truth will reign. His plan will be accomplished. Sin will be defeated. Righteousness will overcome evil. This means that everything you do in God’s name is worth it, no matter what the cost.
The resurrection tells you that you always have reason for thanks. Quite apart from anything you have earned, you have been welcomed into the most exciting story ever and have been granted a future of joy and peace forever.
Tripp, Paul David. New Morning Mercies: A Daily Gospel Devotional . Crossway. Kindle Edition. ( I read a age frin this book everyday. I have gone through it for several years now and it is always a thoughtful part of my devotions.)
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