Christ – The Ultimate Sacrifice ~ Episode 201
The work of Jesus Christ – the Ultimate Sacrifice, His saving death on the cross for our sins is learned by Christians very early on, but what have we done with this information? How has this transformed our lives? How can we look at this sacrifice as a gift and with joy for what He has done for us? In this podcast, the challenge will be to live out the good news.
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The ultimate sacrifice is one that we tend to avoid thinking about because it makes us sad. It is not a popular topic. To think that original sin first, and the addition of a sinful culture was the root cause of the death of Christ, seems too much to handle. When we experience the love of God, we must realize it came with a cost. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
He is the reparation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.
1 John 22 – “The cost was reparation for our sins.”
It is the entire concept of cause and effect. When something happens there is an outcome, sometimes good and sometimes bad. The cause of a broken window is that the window must be repaired, which requires a cost. The retribution or payback is the “cost” and the “fix.” What is the cost of sin? Think about this for a minute.
The death of animals in the old testament to atone for sins was an unwilling sacrifice on the part of the animal, for sure. The sacrifice that was Christ replaced this type of sacrifice with a willing sacrifice of His life for ours. This giving of His life is so hard to understand. To give your life for another. Why? Because of sin.
The cost of sin is sadness, anger, brokenness, depression, retaliation, and of course death. Maybe not the death of our body but the death of our soul! It is the reason that we look for other ways to forget and many of those are not good. The ways to everlasting life are spelled out in the scriptures and the teachings of the church, oh so clearly.
Yet, while we have verses memorized such as – John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Do we believe them and realize that this means us.
When you think about Christ’s life, death and resurrection do you think you had a hand in His death? Surprisingly there are many who do not, because Christ died long before we were born. This is where we must remember that with God there is no time, no beginning, middle and end, no past or future, only now. The effects of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice is for now, for us. For those who lived before us, for those who died before Christ, and for those who will be born long after we are gone.
Mind-blowing, I know!
Here is what I’d love fo you to join me in contemplating:
- What does the ultimate sacrifice of Christ’s death on the cross mean to you?
- How do you live your life with this knowledge?
- If this fact (Christ’s sacrifice) has changed your life, in what way?
- If this fact (Christ’s sacrifice) has not changed your life, why is that?
- How do you live your life according to God’s plan?
I do not profess to have any or all of the answers about this topic, but I do know that I have considered this sacrifice in a personal way. When I pray I say, Christ died for my sins, not… Christ died for the sins of the world, or Christ died for sinners. While all of those statements are true, it is important to personalize, to own, to realize the great magnitude of this fact. Jesus died for me, a sinner. A repentant sinner (often daily) but a sinner nonetheless.
The older I get the more I realize my sinfulness. I try to look at myself as the Lord must see me, and I shake my head. I’ve often wondered how the Lord puts up with me! Thankfully, He does as I am still here and speaking out for the glory of the Kingdom of God as He allows.
God’s will whether we are united to it or not will come to fruition, if you pray the Lord’s prayer, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” My friends, we have a choice to make. Are we for Him or against Him? The world as we know it today is in shambles. I believe much of it is because good people stay silent and wait for others to speak out. We must ask the Lord to use us within our capacity, and always in love.
Jesus said in John 15:13 “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends…” Read John 15 and you will see the scriptures relating to the Vine and the Branches. It is an example of the good fruit that comes from following God, and His will for your life. So many times I wonder, “Am I doing the will of God?” and I know when I am not. It is easy to be complacent but we must be a people of action. How will you work for the Lord in His vineyard? What has He called you to do. It does not have to be extreme but we should be doing something.
When we fast, as we do in the 40 days leading up to Easter known as Lent, we deny ourselves. This reminds us that when we sin we give in to whatever “it” is in the lives that bring us down. Fasting brings us closer to God.
Your challenge this week:
- How will you appreciate the sacrifice, the ultimate sacrifice of Christ each day?
- How will you be ready for the challenge of the call to make a change (big or small) in your life each day?
- How will you share the good news of what Christ has done?
It is a blessing to share the love of Christ with all of you, weekly. I pray you are blessed in abundance today and always.
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