Bible Ballistics: Vol. 9 No.14    His Death Brings LIFE!!!

 

As we approach the time when we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, let’s spend some time considering Jesus and the price that HE paid for us.

“And Jesus answered them, saying,

The hour is come,

that the Son of man should be glorified.

²⁴ Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground

and die,

it abideth alone:

but if it die,

it bringeth forth much fruit.

²⁵ He that loveth his life

shall lose it;

and he that hateth his life

in this world

shall keep it unto life eternal.

²⁶ If any man serve me,

let him follow me;

and where I am,

there shall also my servant be:

if any man serve me,

him will my Father honour.

²⁷ Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say?

Father, save me from this hour:

but for this cause came I unto this hour.”      John 12:23-27

Jesus came to give His life so that we could live now and in eternity with Him. It was His purpose for coming; it was God’s will to provide the perfect sacrifice for our salvation; it was Jesus’ desire to bring us to The Father, knowing it would cost His death—He loved us that much!

“And no man hath ascended up to heaven,        

but he that came down from heaven,          

even the Son of man which is in heaven.

¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent                      

in the wilderness,                                               

even so must the Son of man be lifted up:      

¹⁵ That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,                                

but have eternal life.

¹⁶ For God so loved the world,                                

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.”     John 3:13-16

Jesus took on flesh and blood, to be the sacrifice for sin. He came to pay for our sin, and save us from the penalty of it, hell. Jesus came that we might know Him and The Father, and not only spend eternity with Him, but also have them in our lives for victorious lives in the here and now—victory over sin.

“And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins. ²² Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, ²³ Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Matthew 1:21-23

“God with us “, Jesus who came as the ‘seed’ of the woman to die for us, and unless we trust Him as payment for our sin, we are doomed to pay for our own sin, and the payment due for sin is ‘death’, eternal death.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

As the old hymn says, “Jesus Paid It All”! And there is no other payment for sin, except Jesus, the only way to God. Jesus came to die for us so we wouldn’t have to pay for our own sin. He came so that we could have life and spend eternity with Him—it IS the reason He came—to die in my place and yours, to bring us to heaven and The Father.

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. ⁴ And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. ⁵ Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:1-6

As Jesus was about to approach the cross, the disciples couldn’t understand what was about to happen. Jesus was trying to prepare them for His eminent departure, and they just couldn’t understand—but then we wouldn’t have either! Jesus was telling the disciples that even though they didn’t understand what was about to happen (just like we don’t always understand what’s going on), that it wasn’t being able to know and/or understand all that was going on about them, but that they, and we, could know the way, because we “know” HIM! He is not ‘a way’ to God, but “THE Way” to God, the only way. And that way is the way of the CROSS! His death for me and you, so that we could be ‘born again’ in His resurrection power!

What totally amazes me, is that God knew even before He created us, that we would fall into sin, yet He had already made the way for us to be saved from that very sin.

“Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.” John 17:24

God is the eternal God of salvation, and by His love and grace He not only knew we’d need a way, but He sent His only son as The Way! God made the way for us—The Jesus way, knowing the cost was Jesus’ life at Calvary.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: ⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,” Ephesians 1:3-5

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: ²⁰ Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, ²¹ Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” 1 Peter 1:18-21

New life; new hope; a new relationship with the God who created us, and the glory of eternal life with HIM forever! Life from death—not only saved from death, but also saved to new life IN Him.

“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? ⁴ Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. ⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:” Romans 6:3-5

We can have new life IN Jesus! And not only new life In Him, but also HIM IN us—the indwelling Holy Spirit, which HE bought with His own blood.

“Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: ²⁷ To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:” Colossians 1:26-27

“Christ in you, the hope of glory”—Christ in those who will come to Him in repentance and faith. The “New Covenant” in HIS blood. Bought at Calvary, received by repentance and faith, our life given to HIM in faith, knowing that it’s Jesus, “ In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:” (see Col 1:14) His life for me! We must choose who can save us, self or Jesus? And receiving Him, means dying to myself:

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

The saved live by faith—faith alone, in Christ alone, by His grace alone.

“And you hath he quickened, (Meaning make alive.)

       who were dead in trespasses and sins;

² Wherein in time past ye walked

       according to the course of this world,     

according to the prince of the power of the air,

       the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

³ Among whom also we all had our conversation

       in times past

       in the lusts of our flesh,

       fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind;

       and were by nature the children of wrath,      

even as others.

⁴ But God,

       who is rich in mercy,

       for his great love wherewith he loved us,

                ⁵ Even when we were dead in sins,

hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

⁶ And hath raised us up together,

and made us sit together in heavenly places

       in Christ Jesus:

⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

⁸ For by grace are ye saved

       through faith;

       and that not of yourselves:

       it is the gift of God:

              ⁹ Not of works,

                      lest any man should boast.

¹⁰ For we are his workmanship,

       created in Christ Jesus

unto good works,

 which God hath before ordained

that we should walk in them.”                                             Ephesians 2:1-10

Saved by Grace!!! Praise God Almighty for His great love.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

Jesus, just like the seed planted in the ground to die, and then to bring forth fruit, was planted in death to be raised to life eternal, for us. He already possessed ‘eternity’—yet He died to share it with all who will come to Him in repentance and faith. And when we come to Him, we are to daily take up our cross, dying to self. He empowers us to live unto HIM by His Holy Spirit and the Resurrection power that enables us to live victorious lives IN HIM!

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13

What will you do? Take up your cross and die to self, or are you holding onto this world, and your own way? You can’t take hold of the cross with your hands full of the world.

“Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. ²⁵ For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. ²⁶ For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? ²⁷ For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”  Matthew 16:24-27

Will you take up your cross today? Will you die to self, and let Him raise you up to newness of life? Just like we plant the seeds in the spring, and look to the harvest to come—so Jesus takes our life and plants it in HIS kingdom to raise us up to walk in newness of life—HIS life in us. Just as Paul told the Colossians: “Christ in you, the hope of glory”!

HE is our hope, our joy and our future–Jesus Christ, the seed which died to bring new life! Just as He explained to the disciples in John 14, we don’t have to fear, but believe and trust all things to Him, as He said:

“…if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also….”

We must simply (although it’s not easy) trust Him and obey:

“….run with patience 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 is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Remember, we can have “new life” in Him, born from the seed that was planted in death—but raised in victory on that great amazing Resurrection Day! And because of it, we can live victorious, abundant new life in Jesus, because HE gained the victory over death—HE AROSE!!!

“Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. ⁵¹ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵² In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³ For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴ So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵ O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.”   1 Corinthians 15:50-56

And praise to our Lord Jesus it doesn’t stop there:

“But thanks be to God,

which giveth us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren,

be ye stedfast,

unmoveable,

always abounding in the work of the Lord,

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:50:58

Jesus is still in the life-changing business. Trust HIM today. If you know HIM, then take up your cross and follow HIM—“ stedfast… unmoveable…. always abounding in the work of the Lord”! Amen and Amen!