I post a lot on here about my journey and the lessons I have learned along the way. I try to use my experiences -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- to bring it all back to Jesus and demonstrate His grace and His worth. But, this is a new chapter in the journey and, at least for the moment, I'm looking to get back to basics. So, today, no parables, no veiled references -- nothing but the facts, as they say. And what better day than Good Friday!
"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures."
-1 Corinthians 15:3-4 (ESV)
First importance. The work of Christ at the cross was not Plan B. And there is no other. God is omniscient, all knowing; He knew what His beloved creation would do before He ever spoke it into existence. He was looking to do a perfect work and to demonstrate His character as He does with all He allows or brings to fruition. It is of first importance because Christ's death and resurrection is the primary need of every being ever created. Ask a man if he needs to breathe, and he should answer in the affirmative. Ask him if he needs God, and who knows what you will get. But, even more foolish than that man denying his need for breath, is that man denying his need for Christ. We are all created beings, created by an infinite and wonderful God. The presence of sin -- invited in by Adam and Eve, and inherited and befriended by each of us thereafter -- caused a severance, a disjuncture between mankind and who we were created to be, between mankind and the shalom God gave us; our relationships with one another were fractured, our physical and mental health was torn away from the wholeness in which we were created, and most importantly, our relationship with God was completely and irreparably broken -- except for God's grace and immense love for us, His desire to be in relationship with us again, and His obedient, perfect Son. But for Jesus Christ, there is no other way to be in right standing with God, and to be who He created us to be. Like a fish out of water, or the man who refuses to breathe, we will die. The penalty for sin is death. Agreeing or disagreeing doesn't change that; truth, whether it is accepted or not, is still truth.
Jesus took our penalty; Jesus became a curse for us so that we might live forever in a perfect way -- in relationship with our Creator. That's what celebrating Good Friday is all about. And that's why it is good. What Jesus did that day makes it possible for all of us to know God and have His Holy Spirit change us. We can, because of Christ's selfless work, have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. And we can use those gifts to change a world still broken and headed for death. It isn't easy, I won't delude you, but that's why we have the Holy Spirit, that's why we read the Bible and pray, that's why we go to church and fellowship with others who will disciple us and hold us accountable. Choosing this life is not some moment in time that covers our butts on Judgment Day; choosing this life is a choice for an eternal (Christ-like) way of living. Choosing to follow Jesus is to accept His work and live our lives as though all He promises is true. Becoming a Christian (literally "little Christ") is not trying to obey a list of rules and live a certain way for the mere practice of it; becoming a Christian is falling in love with One who has deliberately created us, who has an incredible plan for us, who gave His all to make sure we could be who we were designed to be, who loves us beyond anything human beings can imagine, who is mighty and sovereign, whose very laws of existence require sin to be punished, but whose grace has provided a way that punishment doesn't have to be received by us.
Contrary to any belief, popular or otherwise, time (if it can be called that) goes on forever. The choice is whether we will live in relationship with God, a relationship that is whole because of the blood of Christ shed at the cross and the wrath poured out on Him which is sufficient for any legal obligation, or whether we will go it alone. We will choose whether we recognize, esteem, and hold in highest gratitude Christ's substitutionary work, or whether we will ignore it and suffer the consequences. We will live as if we have been made new and filled with God's Holy Spirit, or we will remain the same. We will look toward a day when we will be united with Jesus, face to face, as His resurrection assures us, or we will look forward to nothing more than our next vacation, or family gathering, or anything that brings immediate satisfaction in this world.
I urge you today, talk to God. Acknowledge your need for a relationship with Him and your animosity and failure as a sinner, toward God and His laws. Acknowledge the gracious and sufficient gift of salvation purchased for you by Jesus at the cross. Ask Him to be of first importance in your life and grow in your heart a love so deep for Him, it overflows boldly, bravely, generously and faithfully in your life. Ask Him to make you into the person He designed you to be, and to guide you along the path as you work in concert with Him to that goal. Know that, although our love is for the Giver and not the gift, your reward will be great in heaven.
Blessings to you, and celebrate this very Good Friday!
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