CHRIST CRUCIFIED lesson 2
1 Corinthians 2:2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
The epicenter of humanity is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. If we would adopt the truth of this verse for ourselves all of heaven would come to attention. The truth Jesus brings and we acknowledge will indeed set us free. Christ crucified is where the object of every believer’s faith should be! Right believing leads to victorious living in the abundant life Jesus declared. Jesus came knowing His purpose was to go to the cross and it was time to fulfill holy destiny.
Luke 22:39 Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 40 When He came to the place, He said to them, "Pray that you may not enter into temptation." 41 And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's throw, and He knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." 43 Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. 45 When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. 46 Then He said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."
Jesus' spirit was willing but his flesh was weak and he was drawn to prayer in the garden. He brought His three closest disciples to pray with Him. He knelt down and prayed. This was a pouring out of His soul to His Father over what he was about to suffer. If possible let this cup pass but the request came with nevertheless no My Will. Being in agony He prayed more earnestly; so intent was the prayer His sweat became like great drops of blood. He get up from prayer finds the disciples sleeping from sorrow. What if instead of living in despair and slumber we follow the example of the Savior and pray?
Hebrews 5:5 So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You." 6 As He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek"; 7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
This passage lets us in on the secret between the Father and the Son. Jesus was heard because of His godly fear yet was brought to surrender to the cross and the will of the Father. Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Indeed, He was and is the perfected One! In the garden of Gethsemane, the victory over the weakness of His own flesh was overcome.
John 10:17 "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Some like to debate who was responsible for Jesus' death on the cross. This command makes it clear, no one took Jesus' life; He gave it willing. The Father had given Him the power to lay it down and the power to take it again. The plan of God so wondrous and beyond our human comprehension. Thank you JESUS!
Luke 22:47 And while He was still speaking, behold, a multitude; and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him. 48 But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" 49 When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?" 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 51 But Jesus answered and said, "Permit even this." And He touched his ear and healed him.
Judas came to betray his own Master with a kiss. Jesus had surrender to the cross but Peter did not understand and took up His sword to fight. Jesus healed the man whom Peter had wounded. Jesus declared “Permit even this.”
Luke 22:52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, captains of the temple, and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs? 53 "When I was with you daily in the temple, you did not try to seize Me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness."
Jesus identified this moment is the hour for the power of darkness. Dare you believe the hour for the power of darkness is past?
1 Corinthians 2:6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
Jesus Christ crucified brought the plan of salvation into being. The wisdom of God is unlocked at the revelation of the cross of Jesus Christ. Had the rulers of this age known, they would have not crucified the Lord of glory. The true wisdom of God cannot be had outside the truth of Jesus and Him crucified.
Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
Looking unto Jesus is imperative if we will overcome the weight and sin which so easily ensnares us. Your victory over sin is exclusively in Jesus Christ and Him crucified and there is no other path to victory. Consider Jesus who endured the cross. Next lesson we are going to the cross.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Learn to make your boast exclusively in the cross and never let it be about your performance!
Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
I live by faith in the Son of God… yes, the One who loved me and gave Himself for me. Thank you, Jesus, for the cross and all that it provides for me! Turn your eyes upon Jesus!
Jesus is the faithful God
God is good all the time!
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