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The Centrality of the Cross

…that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.  1 Peter 2:24

The Lord is speaking to you believer.  He is not speaking to the unsaved, lost soul who has not come to believe through saving faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior of their sin and Lord of life.  Oh he or she might have a degree of head knowledge  whereby there is belief in the Lord’s existence, His birth in a manger, that He died on the cross and was raised again from the dead, but there is no saving faith. A true conversion has not taken place through repentance of sin with sincere confession and reception of God’s saving grace in Christ.  The Lord would want to speak to such, but they have not yet been brought into the Kingdom, because they have not been born again.  They may have once been through the waters of baptism, but they broke with that covenant long ago. They cannot hear with the heart what the Lord is addressing here today (1 Corinthians ). 

Through these words, the Lord speaks to those who have been born of the Spirit, about the purpose in Christ’s bearing our sin to the cross.  We find however, that His purpose extends beyond the baptismal fount, beyond the moment of the new birth.  The stated purpose is that we would then be able to live as a redeemed soul in a changed way.  The way that reflects that death has been replaced by life, darkness has been penetrated by the light, sin’s stain has been washed away and now there is the covering with the righteousness of Christ. This is where the cross is to shine in our daily life.

The result is to be a life that no longer lives as when in the spiritual deadness before saving faith.  As the Apostle Paul writes, “Therefore, I urge you brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.  Do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…Romans 12:1-2ff.

We may wonder why the word might is used instead of a word expressing more certainty or even making a command.  There is a condition in this. The condition being, without Christ, there would be no death to sin, but only death in sin.  There would be no living to righteousness, but condemnation of our unrighteousness.

Might expresses that there is also a subjective element to the reception of Christ’s purpose.  Will I or will I not chose to live in His righteousness and in so doing, suffer the consequences of being set apart in the righteousness of Christ while the world lives in darkness.  Will I accept the injustices of following a just God? This is where my faith becomes work.  It is a work of resting upon His grace to motivate me and enable me to follow in His steps.  To never grow tired of doing good.

Lord, may my heart’s desire and commitment be to follow You.  I do so entrusting upon You that You will grant me such grace.  Lord be glorified.

The Centrality of the Cross

…and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1 Peter 2:24 NASB)

These words above explain the circumstances in which Christ set His example before us.  They indicate why He qualifies to lead and why we can follow behind in the times of duress and the hardship of injustices that come upon us when we have done good. 

This is how God chose to defeat the injustice that came upon His creation and His beloved because of Satan’s work.  Friend, when you are in the thick of inequality, the frustration of injustice, the pain of persecution, the disgust over unfair laws, and the weariness of rights denied and privileges deprived…remember; this is where your Jesus has walked not only as our example, but as God experiencing Himself all that is born of sin.

When it came to dealing with our sin, the Lord chose not to come in with an arm of might, an army of numbers or any movement of force to annihilate the enemy of our souls.  No, He destroyed his work. He instead chose an answer for us that would not depend upon each one of us living a life of perfection.  He chose for His Son to bear our sins in His body. He chose payment for sin on the cross rather than the destruction of the sinner.  He defeated sin’s effect and power over us by carrying sin on His back up onto the cross. 

The injustice that fell upon Christ was for our healing.  Friend, even though we might sin, its power and its condemnation have been paid in full.  Yes Satan might have his day in our lives from time to time, but his work is useless because of Christ we live in His righteousness, not in our own efforts, not in our own successes and certainly not in our defeats or in our failures.  Yes dear one WE ARE HEALED.

As you gather together in His sanctuary of your precious church this day, rejoice dear one, and celebrate the cross of Christ.

Thank You Lord for saving my soul, thank You Lord for making me whole, thank You Lord for giving to me, Thy great salvation so rich and free.

The Centrality of the Cross

WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteous

(1 Peter 2:22-23 NASB) 

When it comes to the art of suffering, we would agree that to suffer when we have done wrong is just.  We may not like it, but we accept what is due us.  This is not the kind of suffering in keeping stride with the Lord Peter speaks to us about.  Nor is it the kind of suffering of which Christ has given us an example.  Jesus cannot be our example of how to suffer having done wrong because He has done no wrong.  He is the one WHO COMMITTED NO SIN. No the call upon us is for the purpose of following after Christ when injustice has come upon us.  Earlier in this chapter the question is raised, “What credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.” 

We find in Scripture things God asks (commands) us to do.  Quite often, we like to take refuge in convincing ourselves that what He asks is not something we can do, but only a few, super religious people like the apostles are capable of doing. Each argues that I am not one of them. Truth be known, we don’t want to extend the effort and discipline it would take to carry forth what He desires.  On other matters we excuse ourselves with the defense that we do not know how to do what He asks. In the subject being considered in today’s next, our refuge and our excuses fail us, because Jesus has left us an example.  His example is not one that exists only in theory on some dry piece of paper, but lived out in His own blood, His sweat and His tears. When it comes to injustices Christ shows us through His example that it can be done.

We reason however that He endured because He was God.  It was by divine strength that He conducted Himself as He did in the hours of His sufferings. That however is not the case at all. Jesus suffered in silence and in the dignity of His own calling as a man – true man.  Remember dear one, He is God in the flesh and He chose not to use His own nor call on any divine powers from above to rescue Him.  What did He do?  In obedient trust, He just kept entrusting Himself to the God who is just.

We often forget that we are a new creation in Christ.  Too often we consider what the Lord asks of us or leads us into through the eyes of our old nature. And if we do attempt obedience, more often than it should be, it is done under our own fleshly power.  No wonder we fail.  Dear reader, you are called.  You are called for this purpose. You are equipped in Christ.  This is the Apostle Paul’s revealed secret, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.: (Philippians 4:13 NASB)

Could I ask you today to never again accept defeat? You are above that.  It is below your dignity as a believer in Jesus Christ. You are powerful in Christ. You can suffer in the dignity of silence and a pure heart toward your enemies because Jesus is your example, and your power, and your confidence.  It’s not you, it’s Him!

Divine power did not see Jesus the man through this. No it was love – love for His Father and love for you.  It is surprising what can be accomplished with love as the motivator. He loved His Father to simply proceed in silence that His will be done.  In our times of unjust suffering and inhuman prejudices, we need only to entrust in Jesus our example.  While Jesus eventually would cry out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?, we in Christ will never have to.  Jesus did that alone for us that we would never have to suffer to that point.  For this He has my eternal praise and thanks.

The Centrality of the Cross of Christ

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…1 Peter 2:21

Here we have the word follow.  We all need a pathway for life.  The Lord in His intentional calling of us with a purpose is that He would put me on a course that is life itself and not just some hollow shell masquerading as life.  This imposter offers no real pathway of life, but keeps plodding along in the broad way leading to death. But not in Christ. No indeed, when the Lord calls us through His Son, we have life…genuine life. He tells us to follow and gives us an example.

The example however given us by Christ to follow in His steps requires faith.  To follow presupposes a spirit of desire, obedience and submission.  Of course this is all to be given willingly and not grudgingly by the heart.  The heart that can do so has tasted and seen that the Lord is good.  This is a heart moved by grace and overwhelmed by His love.  This is the heart of appreciation desiring to be an imitator of God.

All this is mine having been born of the Spirit.  This is the way requiring the new nature of the new creature created by faith in Christ. The old man does not want to and will not follow the example of Christ.  The old man is not equipped to.  In fact the old me must first be crucified with Christ (Galatians 2:20) and buried with Him in baptism (Romans 6:4). 

The old nature will not appreciate the example of Christ which is the way of sacrifice…Christ also suffered for you.   Like Simon of Cyrene following behind Jesus carrying His cross to Golgotha, we fall in line behind the suffering Jesus.  But we also know something else of this suffering when it is of Christ. Jesus tells us, “For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.” (Matthew 11:30 NASB)

Remember dear one, Jesus has bore our load of sin and suffering on the Cross.  This is what we mean when we speak of the centrality of the cross in terms of our life.  Life’s load has been hefted up on the cross on the back of Jesus.  Yet we suffer as did Jesus because of our faith and obedience to Him. These sufferings come as natural consequences of a life of faith in the midst of a fallen, sinful world. We are given in Christ an example to suffer the injustices, the unfair treatment, the mocking or the temporal depravations experienced at the hands of others because of our faith. This suffering of the cross in step behind Jesus keeps us moving forward in the faith.

My life is to follow in His tracks.  Like a child stepping in freshly fallen snow behind its father, so too I would walk behind Jesus, carefully putting my foot in the imprint left behind by His.  I am safe in His footprints because they lead all the way to eternity.  This I will do by the strength and power of His abiding Spirit.

The Centrality of the Cross

 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps…1 Peter 2:21

Called – purpose – follow. Three basic needs of life have their origin met at the cross.  Being called by God meets fully the greatest human need – to belong. Through Christ opening the way for me via the cross, I become one of a most honorable association – God’s elect.  We all have the invitation but so many turn away.

I have been called for a purpose.  A certain purpose in fact.  Now the Lord is speaking to me not in specifics so much in what I will do in life, but how I will do life.  Called for this purpose encourages me in what my God has taught me about Himself.  God is intentional.  Everything He does is not by chance but is intentional.  He has intentionally called me with a purpose in mind.  A purpose that brings glory to Him and for me: confidence and well-being. Why? Because I have the peace of assurance that comes from knowing it is of His will.

Every one of us must have purpose or we find no fulfillment in life.  In fact, some find no reason for life. Lack of reason and purpose drive some in selfish desperation to end life.  The believer living with the increasing grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ need never suffer this. The cross declares purpose and intent. Oh dear one, let your heart hear this most satisfying word, Christ has called us for this purpose.  Unlike the lost of this world, we don’t have to search for our purpose.  Our purpose has searched for and found us. 

What is this purpose? It is to follow in Jesus’ steps. This is the third basic need of life – a path of life to travel down. We’ll look deeper tomorrow.

Lord Jesus, I praise You for lifting me up and out of a life of endless searching and lost wandering.  Lord I once was wondering and wandering.  Now I am called and assured of life.  Thank you.

The Centrality of the Cross of Christ

Christianity has inherent in it a calling of conformity for our lives.  Central to this is the Cross of Christ.  These next seven days, we’ll devote our attention to 1 Peter 2:21-23.

For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls.  (1 Peter 2:21-25 NASB) 

This passage, particularly the first verse reminds us of the absolute necessity of the cross to the Christian faith.  It should help us to see the vanity of any form of Christianity where the cross is omitted, whether in a congregation, ministry or the life of the individual believer.  The cross is an absolute of our faith.  While some forms of Christianity and some segments of Christ’s church intentionally obscure the cross, eventually there will be a discovery of the foolishness of attempting to remove its offense, or they will perish in a religion of comfort and self sufficiency.  The very offense of the cross is incorporated into God’s plan for the salvation of the individual. Wishing to satisfy the crowd, if left unrepented of leads to the misplacing of the cross where some may not find it again having fallen victim to becoming “Gospel hardened”.

To be Christian is to live the cross.  We see that expressed as Peter faithfully records the inspired Word of God pointing out three truths regarding every true believer with three simple words: called, purpose, follow.

We are called. This is also referred to as being of the elect of God, or His chosen.  It is another way of referring to the church…the called out ones.  We did not initiate our current relationship with Jesus nor were capable of enlisting out of some desire we created within ourselves.  No, we were called by someone outside of ourselves.  This the Holy Spirit did when He first awakened us to our sinful nature and called us out of the darkness into the Light of God’s Son, Jesus Christ.  He does this through the Gospel.  The Gospel is the good news of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins.  The cross is central to our being called for without the cross; there would be nothing to hold before us as hope for our sin.  We are called through Christ into the kingdom of heaven.  At that point, the cross of Christ is no longer an offense to one’s pride but is viewed by the humbled heart as that instrument of hope where Jesus paid it all.

Lord, may I never remove Your cross from my own like, either by careless neglect, arrogant intent, or misplaced intentions. Jesus, keep me near the cross, there a precious fountain, free to all a healing stream, flows from Calv’ry’s mountain.

The Conspiracy of the Cross

 And wishing to satisfy the multitude, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he delivered Him to be crucified. (Mark 15:15 NASB)

It’s rare to find a man who will stand it alone. The demands of peer pressure, popularity, political expediency or personal harm most often will sway the strongest of men or women to buckle in, even to their own shame and disappointment.  Pilate, with his own career on thin ice, made the decision – release the scoundrel Barabbas and deliver Jesus over to the torturers. To give Pilate some credit, one could make the observation that this was not his first choice.

Wishing to satisfy the crowd – everything decided and done was for the satisfaction of everybody but one- Jesus. The conspicuous omission of any consideration toward Christ is incredible. It was as though He didn’t even exist as the conspiracy of the cross took on a life of its own.  Not a single concern for His welfare was entertained by either the Jewish leaders, Pilate or soon to enter into the picture, Roman cohort of soldiers.

Like Pilate, we are daily faced with the dangerous temptation as believers to satisfy the multitude or remain faithful to Jesus.  Believing teens are often beaten down by the tyrant of peer pressure to satisfy the multitude at the expense of consideration for Jesus. 

The conspiracy against Christ continues today – pastors who have forsaken the integrity of their calling as ministers of the Gospel to satisfy the multitudes.  How limp some pulpits have become in order to satisfy the multitudes. How sanctuaries have become full with multitudes being satisfied on a diet of self help and personal enhancement talks rather than the preaching of Christ and Him crucified.  And so the church has become a prayer-less church…who needs Christ if we are capable of ourselves. This too has all been planned and calculated. It will end sadly as any conspiracy against Christ and His life given on the cross for sinners.

Jesus stood alone.  How good it is for the troubled soul to ponder this reality, Jesus stood alone.  The healing for our guilty hearts is, Jesus stood alone for us. This is powerful.  This is life giving.  Jesus stood alone.

Lord Jesus, thank You for standing alone that we may life. We ask for strength and we ask for forgiveness when we have not stood with You but acted against You.  May Your church repent of her conspiracy against You.  In too many places Your cross and Your blood have been taken out in order to satisfy the crowd, to tickle itching ears.  Lord how Your church needs revival, both in our personal lives and in Your corporate body. Lord by Your Holy Spirit, restore unto us the joy of Your salvation we pray.  Amen.

The Conspiracy of the Cross

 But the chief priests stirred up the multitude to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead. And answering again, Pilate was saying to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”  And they shouted back, “Crucify Him!” But Pilate was saying to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!” (Mark 15:11-14 NASB) 

The private and unrepented envy of the chief priests spreads across the scene and becomes the fuel of the mob mentality.  Human behavior is predictable. We might sometimes be surprised by what one man or even ourselves can and will do to another, but should we be?  The Lord Himself knows our hearts.  He tells us the human heart is deceitfully sick to the point of who can know it.  He does. Human Envy in the human heart would be the assurance that Jesus would end up on the cross.  Like a snowball headed down hill, this was only going to end in one way: God’s predetermined plan for man’s salvation would be fulfilled – Jesus, His Son nailed to and dying on the cross of Calvary.

The crowd now involved in the conspiracy of the cross became complicit in their following the influence of the envious priests.  They were given a choice…twice. They wanted Jesus crucified.  They wanted to be rid of Him having become convinced this is what was best for all. Mob mentality doesn’t listen to the questions of reason, it takes on a life of its own and pushes forward.  Jesus would be crucified.  Man the sinner and his sinful behavior would make sure of it.  It was just a matter of time.

Pilate asked a question we are all faced with at some point in life.  He was led to ask the question because of the action of the chief priests.  We are brought to answer the question because of the Holy Spirit.  “”What will I do with Jesus?”  What will you do with Him?  Have you received Him as the one and only Savior from your sin?  This is an important question Pilate asks.  So too for each of us to ponder…what will I do with Jesus?

The Conspiracy of the Cross

For he was aware that the chief priests had delivered Him up because of envy. But the chief priests stirred up the multitude to ask him to release Barabbas for them instead.  And answering again, Pilate was saying to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?” (Mark 15:10-12 NASB)

Now through Pilate comes the nugget of truth.  No matter how else they presented themselves, Pilate knew what was behind all of this taking place before him seeking his authority. Somebody or his own intuition tipped him off.  Jesus was standing in front of him because of envy.  Boil it all down and what is it that would delivered man’s salvation to its fulfillment? Envy.

How could anyone be envious of Jesus?  Envy is that selfish ability of the flesh to suffer the richness in the life of another person. Envy is the revenge upon another for the possessions he has that the envier does not.  Usually it’s one of the five p’s that an envious person holds over another whether it be a physical possession, a personality quality, a position, popularity or power. What is it that Jesus possessed that the Jewish leaders did not?  They were losing control.  They saw Jesus draw people unto Himself.  They noticed His power to change lives, while their strict religious rituals produced nothing. They heard authority in His words and He had not even gone to their schools. 

The conspiracy of the cross was driven by envy.  Envy can turn normally calm people into a rabid mob.  The chief priests stirred the crowd to demand for the release of Barabbas.  Pilate implicated himself in guilt when he angered the chief priests by asking what to do with the One they had never called the King of the Jews.  What a cauldron of man’s hatred toward one another was boiling in the conspiracy of the cross.  And for this Jesus was to die.

Friend, are you a captive to envy, not perhaps toward Jesus, but envious of your neighbor? Is it his home, his job, his family, his possessions, his spouse, his health, his faith, his blessedness in Christ that you envy?  The chief priests envied Jesus because they didn’t possess what He had and it drove their conspiracy.

Dear sufferer of envy, your cure is the riches you have in Christ.  Do you not remember that you have the riches of heaven in Him?  All that He has is yours. It became yours when by faith you were made an inheritor.  Do you need to go before the Lord before granting rest to your eyes tonight and confess this malady upon your soul to restore rest to your soul? He wants to give to you all that the Father has given Him.

Lord, I realize every time I envy my neighbor I am offending You as well. Help me Jesus to remember that whatever I do for the least of them I do unto You. Expose or Lord all our little conspiracies and help us to see Your riches which we have in You are far greater than anything we could even envy for.

The Conspiracy of the Cross

Now at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested. And the man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them. Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”(Mark 15:6-8 NASB) 

It’s surprising the things of normal discipline and conviction that fall victim to the advancement of an agenda or surrendered in compromise for the fulfillment of a cause. Conspiracies are like that.  The Jewish leaders suffered this malady in what they sought for Jesus. Surely they realized they were departing from their own better judgment to have a convicted murderer freed in order to be rid of this bothersome Jesus.  Yes they believed Him to be guilty of blasphemy, but without a proper trial? Weren’t they afraid of becoming guilty of committing a crime against humanity or Roman law?  Apparently not for in their conspiracy they were committing a crime even against themselves, never mind the laws of the land and the norms of civility.

Pilate asked if they wanted him to release for them the King of the Jews. They were willing to accept anything but that option.

Are we not also as the Jewish leaders?  Do we not also surrender our better judgment and even what we expect of others when it becomes a personal matter for us? 

Is not Satan constantly at work in his conspiracy against our souls, our families and our churches?  Do we not even join in knowingly at times even helping him in his life destroying work? No you might say.  

• How about when we enable our adult children in their sin?  Have we not become accomplices with the devil when we support our erring children, especially adult children who have chosen a life style that treats the blood of Jesus as common? Have we not even joined in with them in ways that condones their sinful choices for the sake of keeping the love relationship intact?
• Have we not added to the hardships within the church when leaders and pastor might be faithfully and lovingly administering biblical discipline to restore a wayward soul, and we have spoken publicly against them in our misplaced empathy and sentimentalism?
• Have we not endangered the peace of our own souls when we have chosen popularity over the words of Jesus? When we have loved man, especially ourselves, more than Jesus? John 14:15

Lord Jesus, “Thy will be done on earth”, even when it means us having to suffer popularity, promotion or peace with others.  May we be held by Your great love for us so that we can love You above all others and resist the comfort of compromise.