Monday 16 January 2017

"Sir, we would like to see Jesus." ... Jesus replied .... (2)

23 ... 'The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.


It is what Jesus did on the cross that sets Jesus apart.

Gospel Rediscovered (Part 2) 

Everything else Jesus did - others have done … 

As Jesus raided the dead, so did others, Elijah, Elisha the Apostle Peter and Paul to name four. 
As Jesus multiplied bread in feeding the five thousand, so, Elijah multiplied the oil and flour for the widow at Zarephath.
As Jesus exercised power of the elements, so Moses parted the waters and Elijah prayed for rain and it rained. And so we could go on.

There are many great men and women through history, but however great they all are, they all had feet of clay, and in the end, all sinned and were defeated by the great enemy - death. The greatest of all God’s warriors, Samson, David and all his fighting men, Gideon - were all, to a man, sinners defeated by death.

Jesus is greater than Moses, Elijah, David or anyone else that can be named.

In His life and death, Jesus accomplished (for me and for you and for all believe, for all the church and for New Life Church), what no-one else could ever accomplish. He has done for us that which no-one else could or would.



Jesus was willingly Handed Over to Satan, Evil and Darkness

He did not retaliate when they spat upon him, punched Him, stripped Him naked, rammed a crown of thorns on His brow, whipped Him so that His naked body was completely lacerated, he never lifted a muscle when they spread Him naked, bleeding, humiliated upon the cross and drove the nails through, when they lifted the cross and dropped it in its stand so that all His bones dislocated.

At His arrest, He made it clear that He was voluntarily laying down His life.

Matthew 26
53 Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? 

At any time Jesus could have vanquished all His foes with a great army of celestial angels. Jesus gave up His life willingly - he was never defeated. 

John 10
17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again.18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.

God the Father handed Jesus over to Satan on a plate - and Jesus willingly submitted to the Father's will. This was the hour when darkness had its way … 

Luke 22
53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour—when darkness reigns.”

Remember Job? (excuse the paraphrase) Satan said, “let me at him”. God said, “very well, you can touch all he has and loves - but you must not touch him.” After doing his worst, Satan told God that Job would deny God if Satan is allowed to touch Job’s flesh. Again God gave Job over to Satan, but with the restriction, that Satan cannot take Job’s life. Thus far Satan was granted - no further dare he step.

But Jesus was handed over to darkness without restrictions …. 

“This is your hour, when darkness reigns!”

Jesus knew it was the will of His father to be given over to Satan and darkness. And so, he was led like a lamb to the slaughter!

Philippians 2:8
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.”

It is hard for us to imagine the faith required by Jesus to go through with the cross. To allow Himself to be given over to evil, darkness and Satan. To the apostles, everything had gone wrong. It seemed utterly hopeless. But we are talking about Jesus! The kernel of wheat must fall to the ground and be buried in order to produce many seeds.

Let us meditate on the wonder of the cross. That Jesus gave Himself up to Satan! Let Him do His worst - no restrictions at all. And let us praise God, that He will never hand us over to Satan without restriction! Only Jesus - in our place.

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