10/23/2018
As Christians, how do we speak of our faith in Jesus? Who do we envision Him to be? Do we see Him as a miracle child born of the Virgin Mary? Do we witness the young boy discussing scripture in the temple? Do we long to be the man who calls out to others to become His apostles? Do we dream of a miracle worker turning water into wine and walking on water, or do we see a great rabbi who teaches powerful truths? Are any of these remembrances the heart of our faith?
These are all things that Jesus was... but now in our faith He should be much more. We should not only see the risen Christ... crucified... but we should join Him on the cross, in the resurrection, and in the ascension. In these things of Calvary we find our life, and by them we can take our next breath.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20 ESV
All of the wonders that made up the life of Jesus inspire and awe us, but in reality, none of these things matter without His obedience on the cross... that was the defining moment, and His conquest of sin and death gave way to the grace of God for us. His entire life was spent moving Him closer to this moment... towards this one event that was so powerful that it prompted Him to chastise Peter...
“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."”
Matthew 16:21-23 ESV
If we close our eyes and aspire to live out, in our minds eye, the life of Jesus, then we are like Peter, and we are seeing what was, and this is who we would be at the feet of a great man of God, but if we see the Cross, the empty tomb, and the ascending Jesus... then we see the essence of the Messiah, and who he is now, and who we have become through Him.
As Christians we must ask ourselves who we worship... Jesus the man, or Jesus Christ the risen Son of God? Do we know Jesus like the two apostles walking the road to Emmaus reminiscing between themselves of the life that Jesus had lived? Are we those same men as they met Jesus and didn’t recognize Him but spoke to Him of His life? Are we the good and moral men who invited this stranger to stay and dine with them, or are we the two who raced back to Jerusalem to tell the others that Jesus Christ had risen and now walks with us?
“They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.”
Luke 24:32-35 ESV
In the single verse that we read as we began today’s devotional, Paul unlocks our faith. In this one verse we find the truth of our faith in Jesus Christ. It is worth repeating again here, and then repeating over and over again to ourselves. This is a verse worth keeping in our hearts into eternity because it is who we were made to be.
“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
Galatians 2:20 ESV
So now we have the risen Christ within us. We are guided by the past, and who Jesus was when He lived among us, but today we are much more than just someone who longs to live as He did... we are in Him, and He is in us... not in Bethlehem, or Nazareth, but on Calvary and beyond.
“For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God. Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.”
2 Corinthians 13:4-6 ESV
Prayer:
Thank you Father for the living Jesus Christ who suffered, has risen, and who not only sits at your right hand, but who dwells in me, and I in Him. Thank you for your grace that flows through Him, and has redeemed me, and transformed me. I thank you for your Holy Spirit that brings the words of Jesus to my remembrance, and gives me understanding. This is my comfort and my rest as I lay upon the cross and feel the nails piercing my hands and feet. Lift me up Holy Father; lift me up above the height of the cross, beyond the tomb, and further than the road to Emmaus stretches. Lift me to join you, and to sit with you at your table, dining with my brothers and sisters, and praising you always. In Jesus I am crucified, and in Him I am resurrected, now through Him the ascension becomes my reality, and eternity with you more than a hope, or a promise but my experience with Christ Jesus. Praised be your name Merciful Father, and great is your glory and grace! Holy, Holy, Holy, are you who has given me the cup of Jesus, quickened my soul on Calvary, and who has called me from the cross to dine in your house forever.
“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Psalms 23:6 ESV
Rich Forbes