Him Crucified

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Him Crucified

It’s amazing how one can recollect a conversation  from more than sixty years ago,  as if it just took place.      Some things just leave indelible impressions.      As a young teen,  I frequently baby sat for a nearby family.      They had two young,  preschool girls.      We always read books before going to bed,  so one evening the older girl  wanted  to have me read a book  about Jesus’ crucifixion.      The younger  made a face, saying,  “Yeeew!      No, don’t read that!      It’s yucky!      I hate it!”

That led to a conversation  about how Jesus was lovingly taking the punishment  we deserve  for all our sins.      We are the ones  who should be punished.      The crucifixion story  is a story  of the greatest love there ever has been,  because Jesus was loving  every single one of us,  and wanting to save us all  from the eternal punishment of hell.      All of our disobedience,  rebellious attitudes,  and selfish actions are sins  that make us so filthy  in God’s sight,  that we cannot be allowed into heaven.       Our sins need a punishment.      Jesus took that punishment upon Himself,  so that we can  be cleansed  of our sins  and actually be holy  in God’s sight.

Much of the preaching  and philosophizing these days  totally ignores  our depraved condition.      They just want to promote the  “feel good”  ideas,  that the people want to hear.      People of all ages want to  disregard the account of Jesus’ crucifixion.      Nobody wants to think of themselves  as a filthy,  wretched sinner  in desperate need  of a Savior,  suffering and dying for them.      They are willing  to go through the motions  of worshipping  “God”,  so they can imagine  that they are righteous  in doing so,  but they want  to forget about the fact  that Jesus took on all our sins.

These feelings of denial existed  right from the beginning  of the church.      Some preachers  caved in to it right away.      But,  not Paul.      Paul held onto the truth,  and put his whole life  into sticking to the truth.      It brought him all sorts of punishments  and arguments,  but he plainly presented  all of God’s word  as proof of our need  to have Jesus suffer  and die  for our sins.      In 1 Corinthians 2:1-2, Paul writes,

And when I came to you,  brethren,  I did not come  with superiority of speech  or of wisdom,  proclaiming to you  the testimony of God.

For  I determined  to know nothing among you  except Jesus Christ,  and Him crucified.

We need to ask ourselves  what sort of preaching  do we  “like”  to hear.      Do we want to hear  a bunch of ideas  on how we can make ourselves  into better persons,  and forget about  leaning on Jesus  for forgiveness?      Do we want  to get all sorts of encouraging  pats on the back  telling us how wonderful we are?

When we take the time  to study and meditate  on God’s word,  we will discover just how God feels  about all our sins.      Our sins have not stopped God  from loving us.      God greatly desired  that we come to faith  in the salvation  He has lovingly provided for us  in Jesus Christ.      Trusting in Jesus’ merits  totally cleanses us  from all of our sins.      There is absolutely nothing else  we should be depending on  —  no good works,  no forms of worship,  no amounts of charity given  —  just God’s loving grace  in Jesus.

Let us consider our real needs  according to  how God’s word describes them  —  not according to  some preacher  who just wants to be popular  with a man-made religion.

Free in Jesus  from the influences  of this world,  we say,  “Hallelujah!      Lord,  thank You  for keeping Your eternal word  for us  over all these years.      Let us know the depths  of Your love  in Jesus  and “Him crucified“.

Love,
Margaret

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A Christian devotional to glorify the LORD of lords and God of gods

 

Pray for our country.

 

This is the day which the LORD has made;
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

 

The word of the LORD is tried;
He is a shield  to all  who take refuge  in Him.
Psalm 18:30

 

Sing for joy in the LORD,  O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming  to the upright.
Psalm 33:1

 

How blessed are those  who dwell in Thy house!
They are ever praising Thee.
Psalm 84:4

 

Just as a father has compassion  on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Psalm 103:13

 

Oh give thanks to the LORD,  for He is good;
For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
Psalm 107:1

 

Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
Psalm 105:3

 

Not that I have already obtained it, or have already become perfect, but I press on in order that
I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:12

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