A dear friend asked me this morning what the life, death and resurrection of Christ mean to me. Pretty big topic to put into to a single blog. But, here it goes. Thank you for the challenge DJG-M.
There is so, so much that happens hundreds of years before the birth of Christ that makes this weekend so significant. Perhaps the most important is WHY the life, death and triumph of Christ was even necessary.
When the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years, the Law was given to Moses from God Himself. Many times we hear only of the 10 commandments, but there were actually 613 rules in the Law. The Law contained the rules for the Kingdom of Heaven. They explained the way in which they were to live so as to provide maximum health, morality, and prosperity. When these rules were violated, the Law also explained the penance to cover each sin. Sometimes a sin could be covered by the blood of an ox, two doves, a ram, or a lamb. Whichever was sacrificed, the offering had to be FLAWLESS - no diseases, no broken bones, and with a perfect coat. If the animal was flawed it would have to die for it's own sin and therefore could not cover the person making the sacrifice. Imagine how painful it would be to have to give up your best every time even when a seemingly minor offense was committed.
God does not, and never did, want sacrifices. Instead, He wants our hearts to be turned toward Him. He wants an intimate relationship with His children. Any relationship requires time spent together. In the system of sin and sacrifice for atonement, we approach the altar as sinners trying to cover our sins. This sin offering is a constant reminder of the Law and our inability to follow it. It is only through the death of a perfect animal that their sin is covered so that they could come near the Presence of the Lord. Even then, they were separated from the Glory of the Lord by an enormous curtain. This was more symbolic than anything as God can't be stopped by a piece of cloth.
If the goal was to have a continual, growing, intimate relationship with God, then the system of sacrifice for atonement failed. Well, that is actually not true at all. The system, the Law, did not fail. We failed It. Instead of allowing us the relationship God sought, it actually drove us away from Him. After all, none of them could and none of us will ever be able to meet the standard of the Law.
Jesus came because we can't do it on our own. Jesus came because we can't measure up to the demands of perfection that God requires. Jesus came because God loves all of His children and wants that relationship with all of us. Jesus came to be our scapegoat. Jesus came to take the penance for our sins. Jesus came to eliminate the shortcomings of the old system - sin, suffering, death and the power of the devil. Jesus came to remove all of those things and to replace them with righteousness by demonstrating the grace, mercy and love that is God.
By living a perfect, sinless life, Christ is the perfect, spotless sacrifice that is able to cover sins. As a perfect lamb covered the sin of a man in the old system, the perfect Lamb of God is able to cover the sins of all mankind. But, even better than that. The perfect Lamb of God does not just "cover" our sins but removes them from us. In Christ, our sins are justified - just as if we'd never done it. Our sins are gone and we are washed clean.
So, the question remains. What does it mean to me? Personally. It is more simple than we think. While God's original plan is perfect and works in the Kingdom of Heaven, mankind ruined it. I am filled with sin and hung a giant curtain between myself and God that prevented His Glory from shining on me. Despite all of my errors, God still loves me and wants that relationship with me. And I can prove it. I cannot imagine giving my son up for anything. But God did that for me. And you. This weekend, when I think of Christ suffering on the cross that I nailed Him to the first emotion is sorrow. I'm remorseful for the pain I caused Him and others in my life with my mistakes. Then I am filled with repentance, a desire to not repeat those mistakes but to use them for good.
With Christ's death, the entire Spiritual world changed. The curtain that hid the glory of God was torn in half. Instantly the power, mercy, grace, and love of God became available to the world; for every person who wants it. What does Easter mean to me? It means that my God loves me, wants to be with me, empowers me, protects me. It means that Jesus is Risen. That I am forgiven and I may approach God with freedom and confidence. It means that I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. It means that I am a new creation in Christ.
It means that I am thankful that 2000 years ago they didn't know that Sunday was a comin'.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Leap of Faith
Once upon a time there was a child born to a poor family in Egypt. The King at that time had issued a decree that all newborn males were to be killed. Instead of risking the life of her son, she gave him up so that whoever found him would be able to give him life. That is exactly what happened as the daughter of the Pharaoh adopted him as her own. As the adopted grandson of Pharaoh, he had no want or need that was not met. As he aged, his knowledge of the Creator grew.
Years later while out with his people a fight erupted between a Hebrew and an Egyptian. Not wanting to see his fellow Jew injured, Moses entered the fight and killed the Egyptian. When Pharaoh heard this news he issued a decree that Moses be killed. Instead, he fled. While in Midian to avoid prosecution Moses met his future wife, Ziporah and her father. They then waited for the news that the king had passed away. Finally safe again in his homeland, Moses became a shephard.
While tending sheep with his father-in-law, Moses witnessed an amazing sight. On the mountain there was a bush. Even though it was engulfed with flames, it did not burn up. This is the beginning of an incredible relationship between Moses and God. At that moment Moses became the only human after the fall to ever see Father God. God was using Moses to accomplish His goal of setting the captive Israelites free. Convinced that no human would believe what had happened, Moses pleaded for signs that he might be able to prove that God was working through Moses. Did he ever. Moses was given power like nobody had seen before.
When his staff was thrown to the ground it became a snake. The plagues that were brought on Egypt grew in severity and difficulty. Plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and the firstborn proved the undeniable power of Yahweh. Those signs, however, were merely the beginning.
Throughout the 40 years when the Israelites wandered aimlessly through the wilderness His power was shown over and over again. God splitting the Red Sea is absolutely impossible in our weak, human minds. But, isn't that why it's miraculous? With science today proving that this split is reproducible should strengthen our faith, trusting in the God that does not change and is the same then, now and forever.
Although TWO MILLION Israelites walked throughout the desert for 40 years, not a single need was unmet. They had bread, meat, water, clothes, shoes and health. I dare you to find any group of people, the world over, that are even two thousand people without disease. God did it with two million. Also, there were so many other miracles that God performed through Moses. Cleaning water that was not be drinkable, obtaining water from a rock and healings.
As Moses was the closest to God than any other human being, he should have had an unbelievable knowledge of the Will and Ways of God. That knowledge actually became a negitive for Moses. For decades Moses and his people wandered through the wilderness. What they found was the truth about who God is. He provides, protects, defeats enemies and imparts wisdom. Moses was so close to God that he actually thought that he knew what God wanted. In Kadesh the people had run out of water again. They complained to Moses who brought that concern to Father. His response is here.
Moses did what he was told. He gathered the people and, raising his staff, hit the rock twice. Seeing Moses acting in faith, water gushed from the rock and the people were satisfied. In this instance, God saw Moses act in faith so that even though he didn't do it properly, his effort was still blessed. How much more might it have been? Because of this sin, Moses was forbidden to enter the promised land. He went right to the border, 40 years after leaving Egypt, just on the other side of the river. But alas, Moses' sin prevented him from going further.
I do not believe that we can expect to have the same revelation about God's Will in our own lives. But, He does still talk to us. That Still, Small Voice in us is Him revealing His plans. While it certainly takes practice to hear Him, the conversation has never stopped. Learning to hear is only the beginning. After the message is received we must follow it and we must follow it completely to the letter. Can you imagine following God most of the way, as He blesses everything we put our hand to, only to get to our own promised land but having access denied?
The plan that God has for our lives, that He wrote in us when we were conceived, is so much better than our simple minds can conjure. It can be difficult at times and may not be what our flesh wants. Even Christ, in whom we model, did not always like or want the Will of His Father. He did, however, always want Father's will to be done, no matter how painful. God does not give us something in the hopes that we will use it properly. Instead, after we take the first step, God has the ability to carry us the rest of the way, revealing every step, every door, every bridge along the way. It's walking through those doors, crossing that bridge, swimming in God's will that allows Him to work through us in the most effective and complete ways. All that He asks is that we trust in Him, believe His promises and give the glory for our accomplishments to Him. When you are in a situation that seems impossible to overcome in our ineffective human ways are looking aimlessly in hope to find a way? Or are you simply trusting that somehow, in some way that we don't have to understand, God will catch us and carry us??
Father God,
Thank You so much for all of the blessings that you bestow on us daily. We recognize that all that we have is from You. Thank you for trusting us with them for our short stay on Earth. Father, we understand that although your way is not always the most fun way, it is always the best way. We love you for that. Daddy, give us the desire to seek Your Will, the wisdom to recognize It, the courage to fulfill It and the strength and endurance to see it through to completion. We thank you that you have heard this prayer and praise You as You begin to teach each of us how best to serve You.
In the name of Christ Jesus,
Amen
Years later while out with his people a fight erupted between a Hebrew and an Egyptian. Not wanting to see his fellow Jew injured, Moses entered the fight and killed the Egyptian. When Pharaoh heard this news he issued a decree that Moses be killed. Instead, he fled. While in Midian to avoid prosecution Moses met his future wife, Ziporah and her father. They then waited for the news that the king had passed away. Finally safe again in his homeland, Moses became a shephard.
While tending sheep with his father-in-law, Moses witnessed an amazing sight. On the mountain there was a bush. Even though it was engulfed with flames, it did not burn up. This is the beginning of an incredible relationship between Moses and God. At that moment Moses became the only human after the fall to ever see Father God. God was using Moses to accomplish His goal of setting the captive Israelites free. Convinced that no human would believe what had happened, Moses pleaded for signs that he might be able to prove that God was working through Moses. Did he ever. Moses was given power like nobody had seen before.
When his staff was thrown to the ground it became a snake. The plagues that were brought on Egypt grew in severity and difficulty. Plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and the firstborn proved the undeniable power of Yahweh. Those signs, however, were merely the beginning.
Throughout the 40 years when the Israelites wandered aimlessly through the wilderness His power was shown over and over again. God splitting the Red Sea is absolutely impossible in our weak, human minds. But, isn't that why it's miraculous? With science today proving that this split is reproducible should strengthen our faith, trusting in the God that does not change and is the same then, now and forever.
Although TWO MILLION Israelites walked throughout the desert for 40 years, not a single need was unmet. They had bread, meat, water, clothes, shoes and health. I dare you to find any group of people, the world over, that are even two thousand people without disease. God did it with two million. Also, there were so many other miracles that God performed through Moses. Cleaning water that was not be drinkable, obtaining water from a rock and healings.
As Moses was the closest to God than any other human being, he should have had an unbelievable knowledge of the Will and Ways of God. That knowledge actually became a negitive for Moses. For decades Moses and his people wandered through the wilderness. What they found was the truth about who God is. He provides, protects, defeats enemies and imparts wisdom. Moses was so close to God that he actually thought that he knew what God wanted. In Kadesh the people had run out of water again. They complained to Moses who brought that concern to Father. His response is here.
Moses did what he was told. He gathered the people and, raising his staff, hit the rock twice. Seeing Moses acting in faith, water gushed from the rock and the people were satisfied. In this instance, God saw Moses act in faith so that even though he didn't do it properly, his effort was still blessed. How much more might it have been? Because of this sin, Moses was forbidden to enter the promised land. He went right to the border, 40 years after leaving Egypt, just on the other side of the river. But alas, Moses' sin prevented him from going further.
I do not believe that we can expect to have the same revelation about God's Will in our own lives. But, He does still talk to us. That Still, Small Voice in us is Him revealing His plans. While it certainly takes practice to hear Him, the conversation has never stopped. Learning to hear is only the beginning. After the message is received we must follow it and we must follow it completely to the letter. Can you imagine following God most of the way, as He blesses everything we put our hand to, only to get to our own promised land but having access denied?
The plan that God has for our lives, that He wrote in us when we were conceived, is so much better than our simple minds can conjure. It can be difficult at times and may not be what our flesh wants. Even Christ, in whom we model, did not always like or want the Will of His Father. He did, however, always want Father's will to be done, no matter how painful. God does not give us something in the hopes that we will use it properly. Instead, after we take the first step, God has the ability to carry us the rest of the way, revealing every step, every door, every bridge along the way. It's walking through those doors, crossing that bridge, swimming in God's will that allows Him to work through us in the most effective and complete ways. All that He asks is that we trust in Him, believe His promises and give the glory for our accomplishments to Him. When you are in a situation that seems impossible to overcome in our ineffective human ways are looking aimlessly in hope to find a way? Or are you simply trusting that somehow, in some way that we don't have to understand, God will catch us and carry us??
Father God,
Thank You so much for all of the blessings that you bestow on us daily. We recognize that all that we have is from You. Thank you for trusting us with them for our short stay on Earth. Father, we understand that although your way is not always the most fun way, it is always the best way. We love you for that. Daddy, give us the desire to seek Your Will, the wisdom to recognize It, the courage to fulfill It and the strength and endurance to see it through to completion. We thank you that you have heard this prayer and praise You as You begin to teach each of us how best to serve You.
In the name of Christ Jesus,
Amen
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