You Can’t Keep a Good Man Down
There has never been anyone like Jesus. For starters, Jesus was not conceived in the womb of his mother through natural means. Rather, he was supernaturally conceived in the womb of a young virgin named Mary. Because of his supernatural conception, Jesus, who is wholly God, also became wholly human.
Though Jesus is God, he chose to lay aside the privileges of his deity to live on earth as a man. The Bible, describing the sacrifice Christ made in becoming a man, says that Jesus "gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." Philippians 2:7-8.
It is extremely important to note that Jesus did not cease to be God when he came to earth. He simply laid aside his divine privileges and walked the earth as a man. In doing so, he was personally to experience the gamut of human emotions, ranging from happiness to sorrow. He felt what it was like to be tired, cold, and hungry.
Moreover, he came to this earth with a clear objective in mind: to bridge that gap between us and God.
When the Israelites of the Old Testament sinned, they would have the high priest go into the Temple and offer an animal sacrifice to God to atone for their sins. In a symbolic sense, this was a way of putting one's sins on the animal, which stood in the place of the guilty person. The Bible teaches, 'Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins." Hebrews 9:22.
The sacrificial rituals carried out by the Israelites in the Old Testament foréshadowed what Jesus would do when he came to this earth. He took the sin of the world upon himself when he hung on the cross so many years ago.
Numerous Old Testament prophecies pointed not only to his birth and life but also to his death, including the way in which he would die.
Jesus knew from the beginning that he had come expressly to die for the sins of humanity. He also knew that this sacrifice would be made on a Roman cross. He began his final journey to the cross of Calvary at a place called Caesarea Philippi, and he often spoke of his impending death with his disciples. Scripture records,"From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead." Matthew 16:21.
He was eventually arrested on false charges after Judas, one of his own disciples, betrayed him. But it was no accident. If humanity was going to be put in touch with God and have the barrier that separated them removed, something drastic had to be done. In essence, with one hand Jesus took hold of a Holy God, and with the other hand he took hold of the sinful human race.
As crude nails were pounded into his hands, he bridged the gap for us!
We must not forget, however, that three days after his crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead! If it is true that "you can't keep a good man down," then it is even truer that you can't keep the "God-man" down.
Jesus Lives!!!
Let us pray -
Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to the Father.
I choose now to turn from my sins, my self-centeredness, and every part of my life that does not please you.
I choose you.
I give myself to you. I receive your forgiveness and ask you to take your rightful place in my life as my Savior and Lord.
Come reign in my heart, fill me with your love and your life, and help me to become a person who is truly loving—a person like you want me to be.
Restore me, Jesus. Live in me. Love through me. Thank you, God. In Christ’s name we pray.
Amen Jesus! Amen. Amen.
Though Jesus is God, he chose to lay aside the privileges of his deity to live on earth as a man. The Bible, describing the sacrifice Christ made in becoming a man, says that Jesus "gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross." Philippians 2:7-8.
It is extremely important to note that Jesus did not cease to be God when he came to earth. He simply laid aside his divine privileges and walked the earth as a man. In doing so, he was personally to experience the gamut of human emotions, ranging from happiness to sorrow. He felt what it was like to be tired, cold, and hungry.
Moreover, he came to this earth with a clear objective in mind: to bridge that gap between us and God.
When the Israelites of the Old Testament sinned, they would have the high priest go into the Temple and offer an animal sacrifice to God to atone for their sins. In a symbolic sense, this was a way of putting one's sins on the animal, which stood in the place of the guilty person. The Bible teaches, 'Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins." Hebrews 9:22.
The sacrificial rituals carried out by the Israelites in the Old Testament foréshadowed what Jesus would do when he came to this earth. He took the sin of the world upon himself when he hung on the cross so many years ago.
Numerous Old Testament prophecies pointed not only to his birth and life but also to his death, including the way in which he would die.
Jesus knew from the beginning that he had come expressly to die for the sins of humanity. He also knew that this sacrifice would be made on a Roman cross. He began his final journey to the cross of Calvary at a place called Caesarea Philippi, and he often spoke of his impending death with his disciples. Scripture records,"From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead." Matthew 16:21.
He was eventually arrested on false charges after Judas, one of his own disciples, betrayed him. But it was no accident. If humanity was going to be put in touch with God and have the barrier that separated them removed, something drastic had to be done. In essence, with one hand Jesus took hold of a Holy God, and with the other hand he took hold of the sinful human race.
As crude nails were pounded into his hands, he bridged the gap for us!
We must not forget, however, that three days after his crucifixion, Jesus rose from the dead! If it is true that "you can't keep a good man down," then it is even truer that you can't keep the "God-man" down.
Jesus Lives!!!
Let us pray -
Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God, that you died on the cross to rescue me from sin and death and to restore me to the Father.
I choose now to turn from my sins, my self-centeredness, and every part of my life that does not please you.
I choose you.
I give myself to you. I receive your forgiveness and ask you to take your rightful place in my life as my Savior and Lord.
Come reign in my heart, fill me with your love and your life, and help me to become a person who is truly loving—a person like you want me to be.
Restore me, Jesus. Live in me. Love through me. Thank you, God. In Christ’s name we pray.
Amen Jesus! Amen. Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment