Jesus Died and Rose Again. Halleluiah !
29 March 2021
Isaiah 53:1-12
The corner stone of Christian faith is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Countless books have been written and theories proposed to disprove Jesus death on a cross and His physical resurrection. What motivates people to spend time, energy, money and resources in disproving the death and resurrection of Jesus ? We may never know, but satan has a great motivation to propagate that Jesus never died on a cross and Jesus never rose again from the dead. In his war against God, satan is determined to prevent people from believing in “the Grace of God that has appeared bringing salvation to mankind.” Tit 2:11
Satan has no problem when people believe that Jesus was a good teacher and that He has taught people how to live in order to enter the Kingdom of God. Satan is happy if people magnify the Sermon on the Mount and people put their best effort to live out the Sermon on the Mount. Satan would not even mind if people believe that Jesus is God who came down to earth to show mankind the path to Heaven – a path that requires mankind to live a holy life like Jesus. Satan is too happy if people give up their lives to spread the teachings of Jesus, convert others from their faith in order to follow the teachings of Jesus and in the name of Jesus serve the poor, the orphans, the destitute and the oppressed. And finally satan is also happy if people throng to the church on Good Friday as long as the message that is preached is like this .
- Father forgive them as they do not know what they do : Jesus practiced what he taught even on the cross. We also need to forgive people in our life.
- My God My God why hast thou forsaken me ?: All people who are having financial problems , sickness , loneliness and are feeling that God has forsaken them – take comfort Jesus went through the same pain and understands your sorrows . So He will deliver you from all your problems.
- Mother behold your son. Son behold your mother : Just as Jesus took care of His mother even at the moment of His death, we also likewise need to take care of our parents.
- It is finished : How are you living your life ? What are your life goals ? At the end of your life can you say that you have finished achieving your life goals ?
There is nothing wrong in the above messages except that it is NOT the message of the Cross. Jesus was the Lamb of God, a Lamb without blemish, who took our sins on Himself on the Cross. Jn 1:29 Jesus sacrifice on the cross satisfied (propitiated) the wrath of a Holy God on sinful man. Rom 3:25 The wrath of God was poured on Jesus because “He who knew no sin became SIN for us”.2Cor 5:21 It is at the Cross that Jesus not only took our sins but gave us His Righteousness “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2Cor 5:21 Jesus died on the cross because there is no other way it is possible for a sinful man to be reconciled to a Holy God. It is because of Jesus death on the Cross, as my substitute, that God is justified to declare sinful man Not Guilty. The Father is well pleased with me because of the Cross alone. Good Friday is good not because we can take some applications from what Jesus said on the cross but it is good because of what Jesus did on the Cross . It is good because I do not have to do anything to be in a right relationship with God – Jesus did it all . The work for my justification was finished by Jesus on the cross – I can add nothing more to it. But the goodness does not end with Good Friday . All the goodness becomes real through Easter. “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” 1 Pet 1:3 It is because Jesus was raised from the dead that “even when we were dead in our trespasses, (God) made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved” Eph 2:5 “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” 1Cor 15:17
What is your response to this love of God as revealed through Jesus Christ death and resurrection?
And can it be that I should gain , An int’rest in the Saviour’s blood ? Died He for me, who caused His pain For me, who Him to death pursued? Amazing love! How can it be That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me.
No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine ! Alive in Him, my living Head, And clothed in Righteousness divine Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown, through Christ my own Charles Wesley