Christ Still Stands

Scripture:

Job 19:25 (ESV)

For I know that my Redeemer lives,
    and at the last he will stand upon the earth.

Devotional:

My redeemer lives, what an awesome statement.  No other religion, person, or group can say it.  This time of year, we celebrate the truth and fact that Jesus Christ our redeemer does indeed live.  Something I have wondered from time to time is why would you want to follow a dead savior?  No one else can save us.  No one else can pay our debt of sin. 

I’ve heard more than once that it takes more faith to not believe than it does to believe in Christ.  All we have to do is look around to see the evidence of God.  He presents himself to us all the time.  All we have to do is be open and to look.  I think people just do not want to see.  I think we can become too comfortable with the status quo.  Life is good, I have all I want, how can any god that is good and loving let these things happen.  I am in control of my destiny…  Do any of these sound familiar?  What is it that you say to yourself?

I do not pretend to have any or all the answers.  But, what I do know is that Jesus lived, died, and is now alive.  He returned from the grave alive and well.  He loves us so much that He allows us to make our own choices.  Because of our freedom we sometimes choose poorly, and bad and horrible things happen in this world.  There is sickness and even death.  What is amazing and awesome is that despite all our faults, rebellion, and sins, God loves us enough to send Jesus.  Jesus loves us so much he suffered and died.  He has risen and is alive.

God never promises a life free of pain and suffering.  He never promised that bad things will not happen.  (Remember He gives us the freedom to make our own choices.)  What he does promise is to be with us through it all.  Life is sometimes hard and difficult.  However, life is also good and wonderful.  It is what we make of it.  Our attitude will shape our lives.  Our focus will shape our attitudes…

Christ still stands and will stand at the end.  He is my savior and my redeemer.  What about you?

Status Quo, or Jesus's Best?

Scripture:

Matthew 26:1-5 (ESV)

When Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said to his disciples, “You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man will be delivered up to be crucified.”

Then the chief priests and the elders of the people gathered in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and plotted together in order to arrest Jesus by stealth and kill him. But they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar among the people.”

Devotional:

Jesus had to go.  The Pharisees and chief priests wanted Jesus out of the picture for good.  After all He was changing everything.  Jesus challenged them to their very core.  Status quo had changed and Jesus was to blame.  By getting rid of Him they could go back to the way it was.  They wouldn’t have to give up any power or make any life changes.

Do you feel that way sometimes?  What challenges you?  What is it that you might be fighting against?  We tend to like the way things are.  We might have power, prestige, money that we don’t want to give up.  Maybe we have something special we just love.  Maybe it is our way of life.  Whatever it is we like it.  Then all of a sudden Jesus comes along and threatens it all.  So we think…

For years we lived in Senoia.  We had a house I loved.  After all I designed an addition, it had a great private yard.  To me it was almost perfect.  I couldn’t even think about moving.  All of a sudden out of nowhere we are moving.  Long story short I had my view of what was best.  I didn’t want to change.  God wasn’t going to force a change on me, or my family.  In fact over the years He graced us and blessed us in our home.  However, when it was decided to move I found something better. 

God has what is best in store for each of us.  It is when we are stuck where we are that we miss out.  Jesus comes along and we shout out that He must go.  I like it the way it is.  It is perfect, so I thought.  We have a choice to make.  We can accept what Jesus has to offer or keep things status quo.  We can settle for what we think is best.  The other option is to accept Jesus’s best for us.

The chief priests thought Jesus had to go.  They crucified him.  What will you do?

It Is Not Hopeless

Scripture:

Luke 24:1-8 (NASB)

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” And they remembered His words,

Devotional:

The followers of Jesus must have felt confused and definitely in shock.  Here they thought Jesus was the one to lead them to victory.  He was the one who would save them all.  Then all of a sudden they watched Him die on the cross.  They watched His body be taken down and placed in a tomb.  Even the tomb wasn’t His.  All their hopes dashed, fears rising to new peaks inside them.  Then when they finally get to the tomb Jesus was gone.  I wonder how close to giving up they were.  Which of them became filled with doubt and continued fear?

For years I have prayed that one of my brothers would change his life and come to know Christ. It always seems that my prayers fell on deaf ears. But the truth is God hears our prayers and answers them. I had given up but I know that isn't the right answer. The truth is my brother has the freedom to choose. I will continue to pray for him. I know God hears my prayers and answers. But the final choice is my brother's.

Just remember despite the circumstances Christ has risen and death lost its sting.  Victory is complete.  When you feel ready to give up and all seems hopeless Remember that Christ is there and with you.  He is alive and the tomb is empty.  We are not alone and it isn’t hopeless…

Happy Easter

He Suffered Just For Me?

Scripture:
Mark 15:16-37 (NIV)

The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.

It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS.

They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.

At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

Devotional:

Even as a young adult I never fully realized the torment and torture that Christ willingly endured just for me, & just for you... One of the closest visualizations I have ever seen was watching The Passion that Mel Gibson produced.  It pains me just to think about what He had to suffer.  What He willingly suffered through just so that I, even just one person, could be redeemed.  He went through it all for just you.

How much are we willing to endure for someone else?  How much are you willing to endure for Christ?  He suffered a brutal death.  He was mocked and ridiculed, even as he hung on the cross.  At any point he could have stopped the whole thing and come off the cross.  But then where would we be?

I ask again, how much are you willing to endure?  What are you willing to do for Christ?  I wonder that myself.  How much am I willing to give?  Christ died for you.  Christ LIVES for you.  Shouldn’t we be willing to do the same?

As horrible as it was I am so glad He died for me...

Happy Easter