Hello Friends!
The following article is meant as
an encouragement and reminder of the Awesome God we serve!
Please join me in remembering to
reach out to those in our personal & professional spheres of influence here
@ TR who desperately need to hear the Good
News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
May they receive Him as their
personal Lord and Savior – Praise the
Name of our Lord Jesus!
The
Cross, The Resurrection & The Holy Spirit
What sets Christianity apart from every other belief system or
religion? For more than 2,000 years, the Gospel facts about Jesus Christ of
Nazareth have been proclaimed on every continent and to people from every walk
of life. When someone considers the Christian message, what exactly are they accepting
– or rejecting?
The Cross:
The instrument of torture upon which Jesus Christ died is the
most well-known “symbol” of Christianity. What could possibly explain a two
millennia-long fixation on something so horrible? One clue is found
in Jesus' final words in which He uttered as He died:
It is finished! – John
19:30
That victorious declaration – spoken in the midst of what looked
like humiliating defeat – tells us Jesus Christ saw these events as an accomplishment.
But how could such a tragic end to Jesus' amazing teaching and miracle-working
ministry be an accomplishment? Jesus taught that He came to:
…seek and save the lost – Luke
19:10
And:
…to give His life as a ransom
for many – Mark 10:45
On the Cross, a divine transaction took place. It was His life
for the life of the “believer” in
Jesus Christ – a willful ransom paid to buy “us” back
from our “lost” and “sinful”
condition. That's why the day Jesus died is called "Good Friday," not "Tragic Friday!" Jesus' death on
the Cross completed the work God gave Him to do, because His mission was not
just to “teach” us but to “die” for “us.” All
that is left for “us” to do
is to personally receive that wonderful, “free
gift” for ourselves.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life – John
3:16
As grand as the accomplishment on the Cross was – the
story doesn't end there...
The Resurrection:
On the third day, the stone that covered the tomb was rolled
away – Jesus Christ came back from
the dead! He is “alive” – never to die again! The
power over “sin” and “death” has
been defeated!
The angel in the Gospel of Luke said
to the startled disciples looking for Him at the tomb:
He is not here; He is risen! – Luke
24:6
The Resurrection declared Jesus Christ as Victor over “sin” and “death” –
humanity's most unsolvable eternal
dilemmas. By “rising” from
the “dead,” Jesus Christ proved that even death
was no match to His power! Without the Resurrection, Jesus' life would
have been “unique” – just like every other human being. Faith in Him under
those circumstances would be foolish – a criticism understood by
both Christianity's adherents and detractors. In fact, it was the Apostle Paul
just a few decades after this event who wrote:
If Christ is not raised, your faith is futile – 1
Corinthians 15:17
Yet, in fact, the Resurrection did
occur and Jesus' life and mission became the most powerful events this
world has ever seen! Therefore, faith in Him makes sense. And if we fail to
trust in Him – in light of what He did for us – disbelief seems foolish.
The Resurrection “assures“ us that “power”
beyond human comprehension is available to the “followers” of
Jesus Christ. Everything changes when we come to the foot of the Cross
with empty hands of faith and stare in wonder at the open doorway to the tomb –
He is risen!
The Holy Spirit:
And there's more! The power of the “resurrected” Jesus
Christ comes to us through the “Holy Spirit.”
After His resurrection, Jesus told His followers that the same “Holy
Spirit” who “ascended” upon
Him at His baptism in the “form of a dove” would
be “on” them:
You will receive power when the
Holy Spirit comes on you – Acts 1:8
God's desire is for every true “Christian” to
have access to His personal presence and power – in Jesus Christ through the “power” of
the “Holy Spirit!” At Pentecost – 50 days after
His resurrection – that's exactly what happened!
What does this powerful Person of the Holy Trinity do in our lives today?
Jesus Christ was clear – He takes residency “inside” of
the “believer” and the “Holy Spirit” comes
“on” us so “we” can become His “witnesses” by
being “like” Him. The “character” and “power” that
Jesus Christ has – “we” have to “overcome” the “sin” in
our lives. The “Holy Spirit”
produces “fruit” in us! The Apostle Paul describes exactly what that looks like:
...the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and
self-control – Galatians 5:22-23
In other words… The Christian life!
These characteristics
demonstrate that God is at work in Jesus' followers through His “Holy
Spirit!” And when His “power” produces these “fruits“ in
our lives, the natural result is that “unbelievers” will
sit up and take notice! If the “fruit of the Spirit” is
the Christian “life,” then the “fruit” of
the Christian “life” is… more
Christians – Hallelujah!
The Cross, the
Resurrection & the Holy Spirit. These
three aspects God’s Sovereign plan set Biblical “Christianity” apart from every other religion and cult
group!
Take any One of these aspects away and you don't have the whole
story – or the whole Truth. Embrace them all and you will
have “eternal life.” He will make you “new” from
the moment
you receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life:
Therefore,
if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away;
behold, all things have become – 2
Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, what we do with Jesus Christ determines what
Jesus Christ will do with us – for all eternity...
Thank you for your desire for Biblical discernment and Truth – Praise the Lord!
May the Lord Jesus Christ continue to bless you with His perfect
love, mercy and grace!
Keep looking up and sharing the Gospel while
there is still time… Hallelujah and Maranatha – come quickly Lord Jesus!
Blessings!
Shane <><
