Living the Cross Centered Life
Chapter Three
Searching the Mystery: A Captivating Picture of His Love
“Lest I forget Gethsemane
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.”
-Jennie Hussey
·
Do I adequately understand the deepest reasons behind the cross?
·
How can I grasp the depth of the meaning of the cross in order to be more compelled
to share its good news of grace with others and to more fully and personally
experience its “unsearchable riches”?
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What do I need to remove from my life that may be hindering me from clearly seeing
the cross? Am I willing to surrender those things in order to be radically and
recklessly abandoned to Jesus Christ?
·
Am I burdened to “search the mystery of His wounds”? Do I want to know why He died
and what that death accomplished for all who have repented of their sin and put
their trust in Him?
·
Question:
Why did Jesus Have to Die? Answer: Isaiah 53
Vs 4 He bore Our grief’s
He carried Our sorrows
Vs 5 He was pierced For our transgressions
He was crushed For our iniquities
He was chastened For our well-being
Vs 6 Our iniquity fell on Him
Vs 7 He was oppressed and afflicted
He was led away like a lamb to the slaughter
Though perfectly
innocent, He did not protest, but submitted Himself to cruelty and false
accusation
Vs 8 He was oppressed and judged He was cut off for the transgression of those who deserved the punishment
Vs 10 “The Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief.”
Vs 12 “He poured out Himself to death”
“(He) was numbered with the transgressors”
“He Himself bore the sin of many and interceded for the transgressors.”
“His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of
men.” Isaiah 53:14
“When we behold the disfigurement of the Son of God, when we find ourselves appalled by
His marred appearance, we need to reckon afresh that it is upon ourselves we
gaze, for He stood in our place.” – John Calvin
·
We face the righteous threat of furious wrath from a holy God. We are indeed
guilty of sin and deserving punishment. But the innocent One, the holy One –
God the Son – stepped forward to die for the rest of us. On that cross the
Servant suffered FOR sinners like you and me, BECAUSE of sinners like you and
me – and as the SUBSTITUE for sinners like you and me.
·
Those who have been granted new eyes perceive that He was indeed smitten by God and
afflicted – not for His sin, but for ours.
“Jesus the Nazarene...this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and
foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and
put Him to death.” Acts 2:23
“For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant
Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the
Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your
purpose predestined to occur.”
Acts 4:27-28
“The Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief.” (Isaiah 53:10) – The death of the Servant was not the fruit of human initiative and design; it was God’s plan, God’s purpose,
God’s will.
·
“When you are tempted to doubt God’s love for
you, stand before the cross and look at the wounded, dying, disfigured Savior,
and realize why He is there. I believe His Father would whisper to us, ‘Isn’t
that sufficient? I haven’t spared My own Son; I deformed and disfigured and
crushed Him – for you. What more could I do to persuade you that I love you?’”
·
“The Cross is the heart of the Gospel; it makes the Gospel good news. Christ died
for us; He has stood in our place before God’s judgment seat; He has borne our
sins. God has done something on the cross which we could never do for
ourselves. But God does something to
us as well as for us through the
cross. He persuades us that He loves us.”
·
Are you persuaded? If not, what more could God possibly do to persuade you?
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
Don’t let these words be so familiar to you. Let their meaning pierce your heart and
life and cause you to rejoice in the forgiveness and hope that we have in Jesus
Christ, our great God and Savior.
“The mystery of the cross I cannot comprehend, the agonies of
Calvary
You the perfect Holy One, crushed Your Son,
who drank the bitter cup reserved for me
Your blood has washed away my sin, Jesus, thank You
The Father’s wrath completely satisfied, Jesus, thank You
Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table, Jesus, thank You
By Your perfect sacrifice I’ve been brought near, Your enemy
You’ve made Your friend
Pouring out the riches of Your glorious grace, Your mercy and Your kindness
know no end
Lover of my soul, I want to live for You”
© 2003 Integrity's Hosanna! Music (ASCAP)/Sovereign Grace Worship
(ASCAP).
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