Meditating on the CROSS

Palm Sunday.  Easter Sunday.  So much for the believer to celebrate!

And for years, I did.  Without much thought given to the days in between.

But what about those days?  Aren’t they important for the believer in Christ also?

This year…I want to be intentional about Holy Week; about the CROSS.  So one of the things I will do is meditate upon it…

1 Corinthians 15:1-3 

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ² and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

³ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

Of FIRST importance:
The Gospel
Never STOP concentrating on the WONDERS of Jesus crucified!

Romans 3:24-26

²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

JUSTIFIED – My status before God.

• Declared righteous.
• Immediate and complete upon conversion.
• My PERMANENT position before God.
• Christ’s work for me — Objective.

Romans 6:11

And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

SANCTIFIED – My practice while on earth.

• A  p-r-o-g-r-e-s-s-i-v-e PROCESS.
• Being made righteous.
• The process of becoming more like Christ; of growing in holiness.
• Christ’s work within me — Subjective.

Luke 7:36-50

A Sinful Woman Forgiven

³⁶ One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. ³⁷ And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment,³⁸ and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. ³⁹ Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.” ⁴⁰ And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.”

⁴¹ “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. ⁴² When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” ⁴³ Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” ⁴⁴ Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. ⁴⁵ You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. ⁴⁶ You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment.⁴⁷ Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” ⁴⁸ And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” ⁴⁹ Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” ⁵⁰ And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” 

Mark 14:32-35

³² And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” ³³ And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. ³⁴ And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” ³⁵ And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him.

Oh, HELP me UNDERSTAND it,
HELP me TAKE IT IN –
WHAT it meant to THEE,
The Holy ONE,
To bear away my sin.*

*Give Me a Sight, O Savior by K. A. M. Kelly (1869-1942)

Habakkuk 3:18

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

            “Nothing in my hand I bring.
             Simply to the cross I cling.”**

**Rock of Ages, Cleft for Me by Augustus M. Toplady, 1740-1778

Isaiah 53:10

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

God’s plan
God’s purpose
God’s will

WHY?
“Because I love you”

Stand before the cross &
Look at the wounded, dying, disfigured SAVIOR &
Realize why He is there.

What MORE could God do to persuade me that He LOVES me?
THAT is how far God’s LOVE goes.  THAT is what it all means!

Luke 22:42

saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

I WILL drink it ALL –
I drain this cup for you –
I drink it ALL for you.

Behold HIM –
Behold His suffering
&
Recognize His LOVE!

The CROSS — God’s answer to sin and suffering!

The CROSS — Jesus thought I was worth it!