7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 5
 
This is PART 5 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

Christ’s 5TH Saying (John 19:28)
I thirst.

John 19:28, After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.
 
We all know the common cry of daily thirst in our bodies. When the water level of the body falls below a certain point, the brain signals that we are thirsty. On a hot day, we have all become especially thirsty for water. But most of us have never known the thirst that accompanies suffering and death. Physicians have assured us that there is no suffering comparable to that of an unassuaged thirst.  It’s been said that those who died on the cross became so thirsty that their tongues would swell and protrude from their mouths. The Lord Jesus had suffered in many inconceivable ways. He had been mocked, beaten, and scourged. Then He had the cross laid upon His bleeding shoulders and back. When He reached Calvary, His hands and feet were nailed to the tree. The cross was then dropped into a prepared hole. As His body screamed with pain, indicating the intense level of His sufferings.
 
Christ did all He did according to a divine arrangement and order. The words “After this” conclude the movements of this event. “After” His prayer for forgiveness; “After” His acceptance of the thief; “After” His mother and His disciple were addressed; “After” the Father withdrew His presence from the Son; “After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished . . . saith I thirst.” The Jews, stunned by what they have already experienced, now hear a cry that stirs sympathy in the hearts of some of the crowd.  Jesus again reveals His humanity by declaring "I thirst."  In response to this cry, some of the people standing by took a sponge and filled it with vinegar and put it to His mouth.  Jesus had refused the pain deadening wine that was offered to those about to be crucified (Matthew 27:34). A soldier moistened Jesus’ lips with cheap vinegar on a sponge (John 19:29). “I was thirsty and ye gave me drink” (Matthew 25:35).
 
When Jesus cried, “I thirst,” no doubt He was thirsting for the Father’s presence from which He had been separated. Perhaps He was also thirsting for the finality of His redemptive work. Remember as the rich man was thirsty in the tormenting flames of hell (Luke 16:24), so the Saviour, bearing our sins in His own body on the cross, was thirsty as He suffered the judgment for us. What infinite and precious love! It is clear that the Lord Jesus was concerned “that the scripture might be fulfilled.” In John 19, four references are made to prophetical fulfillments related to His crucifixion (John 19:24, 28, 36, 37). In His life and in His death, the Living Word did what He did in perfect agreement with the written Word. In order to fulfil the Scriptures Jesus said, “I thirst.” He had just endured three hours of darkness when He felt the wrath of God and separation from God (Matthew 27:45-49). Jesus experienced darkness, thirst and isolation as well as spiritual sufferings “My soul thirsteth for God” (Psalm 42:1-2). This fulfilled Psalm 22:15, “My tongue cleaveth to my jaws.” This shows the deep suffering Jesus went through.
 
Messianic themes in Psalm 69:
Psalm 69:3, my throat is dried. John 19:38, I thirst
Psalm 69:4, They hated me without a cause. John 15:25, They hated me without a cause.
Psalm 69:8, I am become a stranger to my brethren.  John 7:5, For neither did his brethren believe in Him”
Psalm 69:9, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up. John 2:17, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Psalm 69:21, they gave me gall for my meat: in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. John 19:28-29,  After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. 29 Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.
 
Jesus had earlier said: “He that believeth on me shall never thirst” John 6:35, and “If any man thirst, let him come into me and drink” John 7:37. Jesus who gave His life so man need never thirst spiritually, endured great physical thirst. John 4:13-15. The One Who had said that those who are thirsty are invited to come unto Him and drink was now thirsty. He thirsted that sinners might have their thirst quenched at the Fountain of the Waters of Life. Today, we can “give Jesus a drink” by sharing what we have with those in need. The Lord wants to draw your focus beyond the immediate to the eternal. Everyday we encounter empty vessels who are in desperate need for the Fountain of Living Water. Many in this world are spiritually thirsty, but they have found nothing to quench their thirst. They have pursued the waters of pleasure, success, fame, and fortune; but they have been chasing a mirage without the Living Water Christ offers. It is our moral obligation to guide these people to the Living Water, whatever the cost.
 
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, my soul truly thirsts after your righteousness. My desire is to continually pursue You each day until Your Son Jesus comes back for me. In Jesus name, Amen.
  
Thank you for reading PART 5 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 6.
 
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This is PART 4 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 4

Christ’s 4TH Saying - (Matthew 27:46)
“…My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Matthew 27:46, “And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

At the sixth hour, which is noon, suddenly, and without any warning, the light of the world went out. There was a total darkness that lasted for three hours. Both Jews and the Roman Soldiers must have been very troubled. It seemed that our Lord was silent for most of these three hours. No one was moving because of the darkness. What would happen now? The suspense built. Perhaps some of the Jews remembered that when their ancestors were down in Egypt in the days of Moses, God sent a darkness that lasted for three days and nights. How long would this darkness last? But then, in this awful darkness in the middle of the afternoon, He did not address God as His Father, but rather addressed Him as God. Even greater than this, Christ was then talking about God forsaking Him. While Jesus did not address His Father, He did call upon God. As man, Jesus cried out to God in obedience and love.

Jesus was not questioning the divine plan. The last Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled in Matthew (Matthew 27:46; Psalm 22:1). Jesus, in His dying hour, quoted prophecy, expressed faith in it, and fulfilled it. He totally understood the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 22:1. Jesus quoted this from Psalm 22:1. Isaiah prophesied that Jehovah’s Servant would be “despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3). The Christ would be forsaken, not because of hard times and harsh conditions, but because “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19). Jesus was forsaken by the Jews, His disciples, the Father, and the Holy Spirit. When Jesus came, we read that “He came unto His own, and His own received Him not” (John 1:11). Jesus was forsaken and accused by the religious leaders of His day. Luke 23:10, “the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him.” After the leaders apprehended Him in the garden, His own disciples “forsook Him, and fled” (Matthew 26:56). It is certainly clear that no other experience of abandonment in His earthly sojourn came close to His being forsaken by His Father.

Though He had previously known only unbroken, divine fellowship from all eternity, Jesus experienced the horrible abandonment of His Father as God poured out His wrath on His Son as He bore the sins of the world. In what sense was Jesus forsaken by God? God approved His work. He was innocent. He had done nothing to forfeit the favor of God. God still loved Him. Christ’s intense sufferings were caused by our sins being laid on Him and the manifestation of God’s intense hatred of sin to His soul. This had never happened before. Why did the Father turn His back on the Son? Because Jesus was bearing the sin of the world, and God cannot look on sin (Habakkuk 1:13).

The torture and agony of the previous few hours were horrible for Jesus, but the temporary alienation from God the Father was the ultimate pain. This sense of separation was intensified because Christ—as our substitute—actually took upon himself the full weight of guilt and punishment for every sin that had ever been committed, or ever would be (II Corinthians 5:21). We cannot even begin to comprehend the sense of abandonment that Jesus felt as He hung on the cross. Here we see God’s Son, the Creator of the universe (John 1:1-3), not only rejected by His creation, but also isolated from the One who is everywhere. No human ever endured such a strong sense of judgment and isolation from God. Even though He had never sinned, God made him “to be sin for us” (II Corinthians 5:21). He was “he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:4-5), and He gave “his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28; I Timothy 2:6). He died forsaken so that we would never have to be forsaken (Psalm 22). By his suffering, He restores to those who trust in Him a right relationship with God (I Peter 1:19).

This cry speaks of the separation of the sinner from God, the worst punishment of all. Christ was taking the place of the sinner on the cross and so experienced this terrible separation. The plea, “Why hast Thou forsaken Me?” indicates that when Christ was made sin for us (II Corinthians 5:21), because of the terrible nature of sin, the Father turned His back on His Son. Jesus was forsaken by the Father that we may never be forsaken by Him. He cried out as an orphan that we may never feel like orphans. Christ was cut off that we might never be cut off from God and His grace.

Points to Ponder:
Because Christ was forsaken by His Father, God will never leave us or forsake us (Psalm 37:23; Hebrews 13:5).
Jesus experienced separation from God for the sake of others who would not need to experience that same separation.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for sending Your Son Jesus to shed His blood and die on the cross for my sins. Because of Jesus sacrificing Himself to pay the debt for my sins, I’ll never be forsaken by You. In Jesus name, Amen!

Thank you for reading PART 4 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 5.

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This is PART 3 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.


7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 3

Christ’s 3RD Saying (John 19:26-27)
“…Woman, behold thy son! … Behold thy mother!…”

John 19:26-27, “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.”

Jesus, in His dying moments, expressed His tender care for His mother. What a model for all children in providing for our parents needs who have done so much for us. “Behold thy mother.” Because your mother has always been your caregiver, when the tables are turned in her life, taking care of her can be a very challenging experience. Although you are a capable adult, in her eyes you are still her little one. We know the circumstances and challenges of Christ’s day were very different than ours. Yet He did not shirk the responsibility of taking care of His earthly mother. When the hour of His death arrived, it was clear that He had made special plans and accommodations. John, His beloved disciple, would take care of His mother, and Mary, whose heart was closest to the heart of Jesus, would live the remainder of her life with John.

The God Who said, “Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12), came to this earth and “was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). With human flesh draped around Him, He obeyed the same commandment that He had given to men. And even when He was dying, He continued to obey that commandment, honoring His mother with His thoughtfulness and provisions. Even as He hung dying on a cross, Jesus fulfilled His obligation to care for His mother. Even during the agony of a horribly cruel death and in the last moments of His life upon earth, Jesus was concerned about the welfare of his mother. He made arrangements for her care. Caring for and assisting helpless and needy family members is a responsibility we have until death. The focus here is on the responsibility of children for their dependent parents.

Jesus was saying to John that He wanted him to be the substitute for the Substitute. As Jesus trusted John to take Mary to his own home and to lovingly provide for her in His absence, may He trust us to do His bidding. The fact that Jesus spoke to both His earthly mother and John from the cross indicates they were on His heart. He loved Mary so much that He guarded her future; He loved John so much that He gave Him a special ministry. He had us on His heart also and lovingly died for us. He still has us on His heart and lovingly speaks to us by His Spirit. Like John, may we hasten to do His will.

And He purposes the same for all of us who have been purchased by His Precious Blood. As the poet has said;
"Christ has no hands but our hands
To do His work today,
He has no feet but our feet
To lead men in His way,
He has no tongue but our tongues
To tell men how He died,
He has no help but our help
To bring them to His side."

Points to Ponder:
Jesus was touched with the feelings of His mother’s hurt and pain.
Jesus is touched with the feeling of our hurt and pain, so He takes care of us.

PRAYER: Father In Heaven, I thank You for my Mother. Thank You for giving me a mother that has sacrificed so much for me and who has always been there for me. May I be as strong and supporting for her as she was for me. I Jesus name, Amen.

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This is PART 2 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.
 
7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 2
 
Christ’s 2ND Saying (Luke 23:42-43)
… Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
 
Luke 23:42-43, And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
 
In Luke 23:39, two thieves were being crucified with Christ. One thief looked over to Him and said: "If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us."  This man asked the Lord to save him, but  he wanted to be saved physically.  He wanted no part with Christ and salvation.  There is no evidence to him being saved from sin. There are still many people today who are trying to get to heaven without the cross and the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  It did not work then for this man, and it will not work for those who try it today. 
 
In Luke 23:40, the thief on the other side of Christ rebukes the thief who spoke in Luke 23:39. One malefactor railed on Him, becoming more hardened in guilt, while the other was repentant. In his rebuke the second thief acknowledges a fear of God. He also acknowledges that Jesus is God, and  that he himself is a guilty sinner.  He acknowledges that Jesus Christ was sinless by saying, "This man hath done nothing amiss."  In Luke 23:42 the second thief turns to Christ and does two things.  First, he confesses Jesus is LORD.  Then he said unto Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." He knew death was not the end. The malefactor was saved on the cross just before he died. He was never baptized, so baptism does not save. Salvation begins immediately, it does not take weeks before it takes effect.
 
The repentant thief believed Jesus was the Messiah He claimed to be and wanted to enter His Kingdom. In faith, the helpless thief asked to be remembered by the Saviour; in hope, he anticipated Christ’s future kingdom. His plea was not only answered personally “Jesus said unto him”, but it was answered immediately “To day”. It was salvation spontaneously and instantaneously. While the Lord does as He pleases and sometimes waits to answer, it is possible that He will answer our prayers much more quickly than we expect. This is Scriptural proof that some may come to Christ for salvation on their deathbed. This confirms that believers go immediately into God’s presence at death. His last minute salvation does not encourage procrastination in the matter of salvation.
 
 
The Apostle Paul spoke interchangeably of Heaven and Paradise (II Corinthians 12:2, 4). While Jesus was on the cross, Paradise was on His mind. In conjunction with this, a poor sinner was on His mind, a sinner He would take to Paradise. “Paradise” was a reference to the heavenly home of the redeemed. Very soon, Jesus was going back to His “Father’s house” (John 14:2), and the thief was given assurance that he would be there with Jesus. The malefactor had Christ's word (the Word of God) to give him all the confidence he needed for his salvation.
 
We learn 3 things about salvation here:

1. Salvation is offered to anyone, anywhere, anytime.
2. Salvation is by grace, through faith alone, and not by our works.
3. Salvation will be rejected by some in spite of all that God does.

 
We see 3 men here:

1. One was dying FOR sin (Christ).
2. One was dying IN sin (unsaved thief).
3. One was dying FROM sin (repentant thief).

 
There are all classes of people characterized at the cross.

• Indifferent – people stood beholding (Luke 23:35).
• Religious – rulers derided Him (Luke 23:35).
• Materialistic – they parted His garments and cast lots (Luke 23:34).
• Earnest seekers – Lord, remember me (Luke 23:42)

 
PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I’m thankful that when Your Son, Jesus Christ was on the cross, that I was on His mind. I have family, friends, and loved ones who are not yet saved. Thank You for compelling me to go tell them of the salvation they can have through Your Son Jesus. In Jesus name, Amen.
 
Thank you for reading PART 2 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 3.
 
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This is PART 1 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”.

7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross – PART 1

Christ’s 1ST Saying (Luke 23:34)
“…Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

Luke 23:34, “Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”

He asked God the Father to forgive them for they did not know what they were doing. This was the first statement He said on the cross. His blood was shed for us that we might be clothed in the bright raiment of His righteousness. In all of His suffering, Christ demonstrated great compassion not only for those who crucified Him, but for all mankind. As He forgave His tormentors, the Lord forgives all who come to Him in repentance seeking His forgiveness.

When Jesus was crucified, He fulfilled a number of prophetic Scriptures (Psalm 22:6, 16, 18; 34:20; 69:20-21; Isaiah 53:12; Zechariah 12:10). The idea that this terrible thing was done in ignorance runs through the New Testament. Acts 3:17, “And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.” Acts 13:27, “For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.”

According to Matthew’s account, Jesus had already suffered varied forms of abuse. He had been “scourged” (Matthew 27:26); He had “a crown of thorns” placed upon His head and was “mocked” (Matthew 27:29); the wicked ones had “spit upon Him…and smote Him on the head” (Matthew 27:30); and nailed Him to the cross. Jesus had been on the cross for a period of time and had said nothing. Everyone was wondering, what would He say? Suddenly, from the lips of Jesus, there came the first word since He had been on the cross. The suspense of only a half-minute pause would have seemed like an eternity. What would His next words be? Would He pronounce a curse upon them?

His first words would bring a hush over the crowd. In the darkest hours of His life, Jesus called upon Him as a trustworthy “Father”. The next words that Jesus spoke are perhaps the sweetest words to ever fall from the lips of the Saviour. He said, "Father, forgive them". This fulfilled the prophecy “and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12). Here, Jesus practiced what He had preached earlier in His sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:44). Matthew 5:44, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” We cannot comprehend what a sword this would pierce into the unbelieving hearts of those Jews. Try to imagine what must have been going through the mind of those that had just passed by the cross and ridiculed Him for making Himself the Son of God.

In essence, the first words that came from His mouth were, “I love you!” His prayer to the Father for the forgiveness of His enemies was an expression of love for sinners. The malice of hatred was never as toxic as in this hour. Yet the strength of love was never as powerful as when Christ prayed for His enemies. While the wicked succeeded in manifesting their wicked hearts, the Lover of sinners succeeded in revealing His loving heart. And by asking the Father to forgive them, He demonstrated to us that where there is a heart of compassion, there is a heart of forgiveness.

Then, the next phrase, "for they know not what they do", was like adding insult to injury. The Jews were a very proud people and to tell them they did not know what they were doing did not help their feelings. This must have been a stunned crowd as they tried to analyze what the Lord Jesus had just said. The Saviour of men was the center of attention. But due to spiritual corruption and depravity, the people were blinded to His Person. Paul stated this, “for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (I Corinthians 2:8). The Jews did not fully understand the greatness of their sin in crucifying their God and Creator. Instead of showing Him their affection and devotion, they revealed their accusations and detestation. Because God alone can forgive sin and open blinded eyes, we must also pray for those who continue in spiritual ignorance.

Even as He was being tortured to death, Jesus remembered the purpose for which He came; to open the door of divine forgiveness for all who would receive Him. He prayed that the Father would forgive even His executioners, because they did not know what they were doing. As they gambled for His clothes, He pleaded for mercy for them, fulfilling prophecy from Psalm 22:18. As sinners mocked Him, He interceded for them so that they might repent and be saved. He prayed for God to forgive those who were crucifying Him. The very purpose for His coming was to make provision for forgiveness of sins. God will hold no sin against any man, if that man will personally trust His Son. If God forgave the men who killed His only Son, God will forgive any man for any sin—if that man will just ask.

PRAYER: Father in heaven, thank You for loving me and sending Jesus to die on the cross for me. Thank You that I can be forgiven of all my sins. Help me to share this Good News with others. In Your name. Amen.

Thank you for reading PART 1 of the 7 PART Series titled “7 Sayings of Christ on the Cross”. Please visit this website tomorrow for Part 2.

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Jesus is the Lamb of God (John 1:26-29)

John 1:26–29, “John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

The male lamb of the first year was chosen for the sacrifice. He was not too old or too young. He was in the fulness of his strength. Jesus was in the fulness of His strength too being not too old and not too young. The lamb was chosen on the 10th day so it might be tested and inspected for approximately 3 1/2 days for defects or flaws. Christ was examined for 3 1/2 days in Jerusalem before He was crucified and His ministry was examined for approximately 3 1/2 years before He was crucified. Jesus is singled out in all four Gospel records without blemish. The lamb was slain on the 14th day of the month around 3 p.m. This was approximately the time that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary. The whole assembly slew the lamb in Israel. It was the sins of the whole world that nailed Jesus to the cross (II Corinthians 5:21). The lamb was roasted whole and nothing was to be broken in his body. None of the Lord's bones were broken. John 19:36, “For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.” Jewish records indicate that when the lamb was roasted it was put on two wood splints placed at right angles like a cross. What a picture of Christ, the Passover Lamb, being slain on the cross of Calvary. Jesus was the Passover Lamb in every sense of the word.

John was the son of a priest, so he was very familiar with the rituals of the Temple. Every morning and evening a lamb was sacrificed as a burnt offering for the people (Exodus 29:38-39). Even when the people were starving in war or were under siege, they never omitted to offer the lamb until the Temple was destroyed in 70 a.d. by the Romans on the 17th of Tammuz. At the very beginning of the Old Testament, following the entry of sin into the world, God instituted a system of animal sacrifices. These offerings did not in and of themselves make an atonement for sin. Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Rather, they were a reminder that the penalty of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and were offered as a tangible expression of faith in God’s promise of the coming Messiah who would provide salvation for those who believed in His substitutionary death. People before Jesus were saved by faith looking forward to the cross, just as we are saved looking back to it. John the Baptist had been preaching with power and effectiveness of the need for repentance and preparation for the Lord’s coming. Huge crowds left the cities and went out across the Jordan River into the desert to hear John preach.

There were several requirements for the lamb. Here are two:

1. The lamb had to belong to the offeror. Christ belonged to God the Father who gave His Son for us (John 3:16).
2. It had to be free from blemish. It had to be perfect. Rabbis listed 73 kinds of blemishes that the lambs had to be free from. Our Lord was sinless. He had just completed a six week period of testing and temptation by Satan, yet, without sin.

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would provide an offering for the sins of the entire nation of Israel. Two goats would be selected for the sacrifice. The first would be killed, and the blood would be taken into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled on the mercy seat. Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” The second would be driven into the desert, symbolically taking away the sins from the nation—where we get the concept of a scapegoat. Jesus paid the ransom price for our redemption. Therefore, our sins are forever deleted from our record. But the sins were not gone. They were covered by the blood on the mercy seat, but they were only symbolically taken away. Only the Lamb of God could not only atone for sin, but remove it from our account before the Father. II Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” There are things each of us have in the past that we wish were not there. But while some consequences for sin may remain, the guilt of sin is gone forever—not just temporarily covered up, but permanently replaced with the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

The Impact and Influence of the Lamb of God!

1. In Genesis 4, the sacrifice was for an individual.
2. In Exodus 12, the sacrifice was for the household.
3. In Leviticus 16, the sacrifice was for the entire nation.
4. In John 1:29, the sacrifice was for the entire world.

• The lamb is typified (Genesis 4).
• The lamb is prophesied (Genesis 22:7-8).
  
• The lamb is slain and the blood is applied (Exodus 12:3-5). [a lamb, the lamb, Your lamb]
  
• The lamb is personified (Isaiah 53:7).
  
• The lamb is magnified (Revelation 5:12).
  
• The lamb is satisfied (Revelation 19:7).
  
• The lamb is glorified (Revelation 22:1).
  

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I thank You for sending Jesus, Your only begotten Son to shed His blood to pay my sin debt. He gave His all for me and has allowed me access to You in Heaven. Help me to share this joy I have with others. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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Use Your Gifts (I Timothy 4:14)

I Timothy 4:14, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”

Many years ago, an Italian recluse was found dead in his house. He had lived frugally all his life, but when friends were going through his house to sort out the few possessions he had accumulated, they discovered 246 expensive violins crammed into his attic. Some even more valuable ones were in a bureau drawer in his bedroom. Virtually all of his money had been spent buying violins. Yet, his misdirected devotion to the instruments had robbed the world of their beautiful sounds. Because he selfishly treasured those violins, the world never heard the music they were meant to play. It is even reported that the first violin the great Stradivarius ever made was not played until it was 147 years old!

Many Christians treat their faith like this man treated his violins. They hide their light, their knowledge of salvation, their knowledge of Jesus Christ, and bury their treasure and gifts that God has given to them. By not sharing what God has given to them, many to whom they could have witnessed are left in spiritual darkness and poverty. The joy of knowing Jesus Christ has been kept from others that need Him. If you have made this mistake in your life, then change your attitude, follow the Lord, and do what His word commands. Tell the Lord, "I will obey because you say so".

Many Christians either hide, or are unaware of, their spiritual gifts. Matthew 25:25, “And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.” We can encourage them to get involved in areas where their gifts will shine the brightest and build others up. As each Christian is made to realize his or her spiritual gifts, the entire local church and the Body of Christ will profit. Among the everyday tasks God has enabled us to perform, there are special talents each individual possesses. Unfortunately, those unique gifts from God often get lost in the shuffle of life. As a result of business, stress, and self-doubt, they are often thrown away, never to be used to their full potential. Some researchers estimate that half of all Christians have never shared their faith in Jesus Christ with another person. If that is true, fifty percent of the world’s spiritual violins have never been played! True love of our riches in Christ leads us to shine and share, not to hide and hoard.

Do you recognize another Christian’s spiritual gifts which are not being put to use? They may not even be aware they possess any gifts at all. II Timothy 1:6, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” Encourage them by telling them what a blessing they are to others when they do the things God has gifted them to do: singing, managing, teaching, ushering, greeting, keeping peace between people in conflict, encouraging, or helping others. Tell them about opportunities in which they can use their God-given abilities to serve others. You may be the one who helps them see their spiritual gift.

Use whatever talents and opportunities God has entrusted you with to the fullest extent you can. Every church is made up of different people, each with unique, God-given abilities. Some people have the gift of preaching or teaching. Others are gifted in different aspects of ministry such as administration or music. All have an important part to play, and yet none is great in himself. These people must be willing to work together and use their combined gifts and abilities, or else the church will not properly function.

PRAYER: LORD, I want to discover my gift, find my place in kingdom work, and use my gift for Your glory. Renew my desire to serve You, God. Help me to let go of past disappointments, and forgive me for envying others gifts. I believe I am Your workmanship, uniquely gifted for the good works You prepared in advance for me to do. I seek not my own glory but Yours alone, Lord. In Jesus name, I pray, Amen.

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It’s By the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ (Revelation 12:11)

Revelation 12:11, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.”

In the 16th century, King Philip II of Spain, an arch-Roman Catholic, came against the Protestants of Holland, sending the Duke of Alva to slaughter them. Spanish troops went house to house throughout Rotterdam searching out Protestants and killing them. In this one particular house, a handful of men, women, and children heard the soldiers approaching. They heard the pounding of doors, the screams of victims, and the marching of feet coming toward them. Terror gripped their hearts. But a young man suddenly got an idea. He took a goat in the house, killed it, and swept its blood under the doorway out onto the street. When the soldiers reached the house, they saw blood flowing under the door, and assuming their fellow soldiers had already taken care of the job in that house, they went their way. That family overcame that adversity by blood—but Christians have, and will continue to, overcome Satan's attacks, slander, temptations, and persecutions by the blood of the Lamb of God! Herbert Lockyer wrote, “The precious blood of Christ is the grounds and the means of victory. Through His blood, we have boldness before God, which, in turn, produces boldness before men.” We find in this verse the sources of the saints victory.

Exodus 12:12-14, 22–23, “For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever. And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.”

All of us are born under a death sentence because of sin. We are sinners both by nature and by choice, and we deserve the punishment of Hell. But in His grace, mercy, and love, God prepared a way for our salvation before the world was created. Romans 5:9, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” The shed blood of Jesus Christ forms the foundation of our justification. God will judge sin, but because of the justification stemming from the shed blood of Jesus Christ, we will be saved from the judgment of sin and from going to hell.

Every good thing that we receive from God has its foundation in the purchase of our redemption through the blood of Christ. Far more precious than any treasure of earth, the blood of Jesus provides the atonement for sin that no other sacrifice could provide. Hebrews 10:4, “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Give God the glory and thanks for all of the wonderful benefits you have received because of the precious blood of Jesus.”

Satan is defeated by the blood of Jesus Christ. There is power in the blood (Ephesians 1:7; I John 1:7; I John 4:4). Ephesians 1:7, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;” I John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” I John 4:4, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” There are three occasions when sprinkling with blood is mentioned in the Old Testament. It may well be that all three were present in the mind of Peter and that all three have something to contribute to the thought behind these words.

1. Peter may have been referring to scouring power of the blood of Jesus Christ. In the Old Testament, when a leper was healed of his disease, he was sprinkled by the priest with the blood of a bird (Leviticus 14:1-7).
2. Peter may have also been referring to being set apart for the service of the Lord in this world. When the priests were dedicated for service in the Temple, they were sprinkled with blood (Exodus 29:20-21).
3. Peter may have had in his mind the importance of submission to the Lord, or obedience. The nation of Israel had a covenant relationship with the Lord. Obedience was a requirement in this covenant relationship. As a token of this relationship of obedience between the people and God, Moses took half the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkled it on the altar, and half the blood of the sacrifice and sprinkled it on the people (Exodus 24:1-8).

No other issue is more important in your life than the issue of knowing Jesus because your relationship with Christ will determine where you will spend eternity.

A newly married couple had invited members from their two families to a Sunday dinner. The guests were seated around the table. All desired to be at their best. As the rich, brown gravy was being passed, one young lady accidentally tipped the bowl and it spilled. With a large brown blotch on the immaculately clean linen tablecloth, the hostess quickly and skillfully scraped up the gravy and spread a napkin over the spot. The meal went on as if nothing happened. The napkin did not take away the spot. It merely covered it so the dinner and fellowship could continue. To the unfortunate young woman who had spilled the gravy, however, the white napkin was a constant reminder of her faults and accident. In the same manner, the Old Testament sacrifices at the Temple covered the sins of the Israelites, but they were also a constant reminder of their sins. The day after the dinner, the tablecloth was washed and the spot was taken away. So, by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, believers are washed from their sins in His blood. There is no napkin to remind of sin. John said in Revelation 1:5b, “…Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.”

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I thank You for sending Jesus, Your only begotten Son, to shed His blood to pay my sin debt. He gave His all for me and has allowed me access to You in Heaven. Help me to share tHis joy I have with others. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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Seeking the Lord (Amos 5:1-15)

Amos 5:1-15, “Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel. The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. For thus saith the Lord God; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel. For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live: But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought. Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel. Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth, Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name: That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress. They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them. For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right. Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the Lord God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

No nation can last long unless its leaders are honest and execute true justice among themselves. Any society will soon crumble unless it maintains true justice; this is essential for any nation’s survival. This passage shows the Lord grieving over Israel’s failure to seek Him. God has pronounced His judgment on all the unjust of Israel. Despite all the medical, scientific, and technological advances since Amos’s day, people’s behavior has not changed. We are just as guilty of unjust behavior today as were the people those many centuries ago. Mankind, has a way of tarnishing everything God has committed to him. Therefore, the need to repent becomes necessary.

Five times the word “seek” is used here. Israel lost the presence of God in their lives. Where pride and self-will are allowed to surface, corruption will soon follow. In Amos 5:5, Bethel is mentioned because of the corruption they were allowing there. Bethel lost sight of God and the godly could no longer visit there like they once were able.

The enormity of sin might be concealed from man, but God knows how many are our offences, and how great are our sins. All hypocrites will face the judgment of God. A profession to know the Lord is not enough to make us acceptable to Him. We can be in church every time the door opens and not really know the Lord. We can serve on every church committee and still not be serving the Lord if our daily walk is not righteous.

Our walk with the Lord must be genuine, consistent, and undivided. Our God is a jealous God and He will not share His glory with any other so-called god. We must truly believe in and trust the Lord, and Him alone. A person who sincerely believes and trusts will follow the Lord and obey His commandments. The person will live righteously. If we confess to believe in the Lord and continually break His holy commandments, we are liars.

We see that Amos was pleading with Israel after the fact, to “seek the Lord”. Had they continued to seek the Lord as they did at the beginning, they wouldn’t have been in that situation, however they didn’t. This calls to mind the things happening around us today in the name of Jesus Christ that certainly must grieve the Holy Spirit. Had they sought the Lord, they would have never strayed away from His pleasure. Israel’s problem was that they came to God on their own terms—"We want to worship You and believe in You and still keep our sins”. The only way to God, then and now, is through repentance, through being willing to seek goodness and justice and righteousness. Let me encourage you to continually seek the Lord about everything. And if we don’t, then may the Lord give us a godly person to reveal to us our sin. Seek the Lord!

In the midst of this talk about destruction, it is amazing that God still urges the people to seek His grace and mercy, just as the Lord encouraged the church at Sardis to turn to Him (Revelation 3:2-3). All He requires of His people is that they will come to Him and they will live. The Lord Jesus Christ makes it clear that all God requires is for people to humble themselves and come to Him and find rest (Matthew 11:28).

The most disturbing thing about Israel's fall and the fall of any man into God's judgment is that it was unnecessary. All through Amos 5 and throughout the Word of God, there runs a thread of hope, a way of escape, a way of deliverance. God said, "Seek ye me and ye shall live (Amos 5:4, 6); “…Seek good and not evil that ye may live” (Amos 5:14-15).

PRAYER: Lord, help me to seek You every day. If I seek You then I will find You. In Jesus name, AMEN!

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Guided By Grace (Exodus 23:20)

Exodus 23:20, “Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.”

The people were on their way to the promised land of God. They had just been delivered from the evil bondage of Egypt (a symbol of the world). They were about to break camp and embark on the most amazing journey imaginable; the wilderness wanderings. The journey of God's people to the promised land was to take about forty years, (11 days journey – Deuteronomy 1:2), and the journey was to be arduous and difficult. Trial after trial and enemy after enemy were to attack God's people as they journeyed to their destination. They would often become worn and weary. They were going to need God's help, His protection, and guidance in order to reach the promised land. This is the first great promise God makes to His people: He will protect and guide His people if they will just obey His commandments.

With over three million people, God foretold that He would send His angel before them to protect them in the way, bringing them to the place He had prepared for them. God provided Israel the Angel of Redemption for a redeemed people. Today, God speaks to us through His Word, the Holy Bible, and through His Holy Spirit. God guides us and directs us through the wilderness of this world as we journey to the promised land. Our duty is to listen, to do exactly what He says, to obey His Word and the leadership of His Spirit.

Jim Elliot was unsure what to do after graduating from Wheaton College in 1949. He spent the summer praying for guidance, and on October 29 received a letter about the need for workers in Ecuador. Jim felt a “simple urge” in that direction. On November 25, his diary records interest in Peru and India. On December 1, British Guiana entered the picture. Four days later he wrote, Stirred for work among the Ecuadorian Quichuas again.

On December 17, his missionary plans narrowed to either India or Ecuador. On December 31, he wrote, “O Lord, if you see anything in me holding back the revelation of Your will about Ecuador, uncover it. Had a letter from India today which ended, ‘I would rejoice to think the New Year would find you here.’ Still I am waiting.”

Early in 1950, he received acceptance from Wycliffe Bible Translator’s study camp in Oklahoma. “Feel as though the Lord would have me there, whether I go to India or South America.” Elliot arrived at the camp, still torn between two nations. The tutor assigned him was a missionary from Ecuador, and from him, Jim first learned of the savage Aucas.

But India still burned within him. On July 4, Jim set aside ten days for prayer. On July 14 he wrote, “I asked for some word from God ten days ago, which would encourage my going to Ecuador. It came this morning in an unexpected place. I was reading in Exodus 23 when verse 20 came out vividly. ‘Behold I send an angel before thee to keep thee by the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared’. * Coming as it did, with such preceding feelings and simple believing for some promise, I take this as leading…to Ecuador.”

This is the verse that sent Jim Elliot to his death, to his martyrdom, and to his glory—and that brought the Aucas, in God’s timing, to faith in Jesus Christ. In January of 1956, Jim Elliot and four other missionaries gave their lives in Ecuador in their effort to reach the Waodani (Auca) Indians. This fierce group was known to attack any outsiders, but the vision for reaching them with the gospel compelled these young men to take the risk. Not long after they set up camp near the Waodani village, they were attacked by warriors. Refusing to defend their lives with force, the missionaries were killed. The news flashed around the world, and the story of courage and sacrifice challenged many to take up the missionary cause. Even today Elliot’s words live on, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

The magnitude of this promise is overwhelming. God promised to go before His people. If we really believed and lived what this verse is saying...
1. we would not go our own way;
2. we would not run ahead of God;
3. we would let God guide us.

When we go our own way; when we get ahead of God and do not allow God to fight for us, we will always lose the battle. The cry of each heart should be, “Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.”

God speaks to us through His Word, the Holy Bible, and through His Holy Spirit. God guides us and directs us through the wilderness of this world as we journey to the promised land. Our duty is to listen, to do exactly what He says, to obey His Word and the leadership of His Spirit.

Nothing of lasting significance and importance for God is ever accomplished without great sacrifice. Whether it is our time, our talent, our treasure, or even our lives, we must be willing to give up what is temporary for the sake of what is eternal. When we do, we are following the example and pattern of Christ and walking in His steps.

PRAYER: Father in Heaven, You have been so good to me. You have placed godly people in my life. You have led me to many wonderful people. To my precious godly wife, the sweetest church I know, and to the hearts of those who are in need of You. There is no need to turn back now. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. AMEN!

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