Gospel — Jesus is calling…

And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:9–12)

The Gospel is simple yet so profound and so different than human thinking that it makes no sense without the Holy Spirit’s gift of faith to understand it and believe it. Think of it; God became a man. How sci-fi that sounds. And that man was sinless, meaning He didn’t do anything according to His own will but always spoke and acted as instructed by His Father in heaven. And His Father in heaven told Him to take our place and die for our sins, which He did, again saying “Not my will but Thine be done.”

We occasionally have a parent who offers to take the punishment or pay the fine for their offspring who has committed a crime, but that is infinitely small compared to what Jesus did that day on a cross just outside Jerusalem. 

This is how Isaiah describes sin:

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

Consider the population even at this moment and how each person, including Christians, makes decisions  without consulting God. Then multiply that by all the people that ever lived. That is an awful lot of sin. And pain, guilt. And all children are born with this sinful way of life. The entire human race is at odds with our Creator — unless we accept Jesus and His sacrifice as our salvation. 

Further, no one can do the will of the Father without Him. That sin-nature is unable to yield without the power of the Holy Spirit who comes to live in believers. It is as Jesus said:

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:1–5)

Yet even as we need Him, He blesses us just as the OT prophet says:

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17)

For this incredible truth, the Lord calls to everyone with this invitation:

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:6–9)

Yes, it is simple, but the Gospel is profound and beyond understanding to human thoughts. For this reason…

Lord Jesus, I continue to pray that You will have mercy on all who have not yet heard Your call and given their lives to You. Speak to the hearts of unsaved family and friends, to all men and women who are lost without faith in You. Do a mighty work of redemption before You come again and before it is too late.

Survivor’s Guilt

 

READ Luke 21-24

This morning’s news piles on a host of emotions. Our Christmas was wonderful, but the news is not. People are dying in severe weather. Where I live, deep snow is normal but not so in those places where snow and below zero temperatures are taking lives. I am praying for those who experience this time of year with broken relationships and all sorts of difficulties, those who lost loved ones and stare at empty chairs, and those who are alone. One family member spent Christmas day in bed — her expected guests were all sick.

Today’s reading begins with the simplicity of giving — Jesus praised a woman because she trusted God for her needs and put all she had in the offering box. Then He begins a description of “the end” with wars, great earthquakes, famines, pestilences, terrors, great signs from heaven, and increased persecution for those who believe in Him with hatred even from relatives and friends. These things are already in the news. He also talks of severe weather and the powers of heaven shaken just before He comes again:

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” (Luke 21:33–36)

The people came to hear Him as the chief priests and scribes tried to figure out how to destroy Him without causing a riot. Satan helped by entering Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus when the crowds were not around.

As His disciples prepared the Passover and they ate together:

He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” (22:19–22)

The eleven were still oblivious to what was about to happen and argued who would be the greatest. Jesus told them that being great was about serving others and greatness was a gift from God, not about their leadership qualities (or lack thereof).

Jesus knew Peter would deny Him and what was going to happen. He prayed earnestly that God would remove this fate from Him, sweating blood yet saying: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (22:42)

God’s will was done. Jesus was betrayed by Judas, arrested, denied by Peter, abandoned by the others, mocked, beaten and blasphemed. His trial was a farce. Pilate considered Him not guilty but gave in to political pressure and delivered Him to the will of those who cried, “Crucify, crucify Him.” Simon carried His cross. A great multitude lamented. His garments were divided. One of the two crucified beside Him asked for mercy as the other thief rebuked him.

And Jesus died.

He was buried in a borrowed tomb, the first hint that His stay would not last long. The women came to anoint His body, but it was not there. They told the eleven but were not believed. Peter ran to the tomb and saw it was empty, yet he went home — too amazed to do much else.

That same day, two disciples were walking away from the scene, discussing the events. A man appeared and asked about their conversation. Then he said to them,

“O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (24:25–27)

He stayed and ate with Him, and as He took bread, blessed it and gave it to them, they realized this was Jesus. He vanished and they went back to tell the others. At that, Jesus appeared again, ate with them and then “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (24:45), something Jesus must do so for all of us.

He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God. (24:50–53)

Again, this incredible news triumphs over my angst at the news and sadness in this world. Jesus is alive. He will return. Someday, all will be right. Jesus has done and always will do everything He promises to those who love Him.