Take Your Eyes Off The Cross (Jesus Isn’t On It Anymore)
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the cross of Christ is bad. I’m also not saying that thinking about it, or loving the representation of it isn’t right. What I am saying is that all too often this becomes the focus of our faith, and we forget that Jesus did so much more.
The cross is a symbol I love. The knowledge and remembrance of what Christ paid on it can bring me to tears. The mere thought of His suffering leading to and away from it so gripped me that it led me to salvation as it has for many. The problem lies in the fact that we so often stop at the cross forgetting there is more to a life of faith.
Jesus didn’t just die for us. He didn’t stay in the grave. He didn’t remain defeated. What often times we forget is that the seemingly defeated Jesus was raised from hell by the power of God and seated next to Him in Heaven (Hebrews 10:12). As a pastor, one of the biggest parts of my job is convincing people of the goodness of God and of their victory in Him. It seems as though for so many they can believe Jesus will save them for Heaven, but, despite all His promises for this life, they cling to the idea He won’t while we are here. People pray more from the stand point of luck thinking, “just maybe, God, if He chooses to this time, will bless me,” and not from the place of believing the Word as it says He will, through faith. Mark 11:23-24 and Hebrews 11:6 are just a few scriptures that tell us this. Often Christians stop at the cross, forget about the throne, and choose to live broken.
Most every Christian denomination believes in the great commission as talked about in the end of the Gospels. The New Testament is full of scripture showing us the victory despite the trials of life and a real enemy. Yet somehow we’ve forgotten that the Bible was written for our edification and direction. It’s easier for people to believe in what they see then what is written. The truth is, it always was. Regardless of the fact that we have an entire book speaking on what faith is and what it looks like, people have always chosen their way instead of His way (Isaiah 53:6). Listen, if you truly believe God wants you sick, then why would you ever treat or pray against sickness? If that was the case, wouldn’t you be fighting the will of God? If God wants you defeated, why would Jesus have died for deliverance? Why would you pray for it? After all if it’s God’s will to see you whooped and hurting, who are you to question it? If God’s great commission is to send people to the world because He wants as many people saved as possible, how much sense would it make for Him to do everything in His power to stop you and make you powerless?
I’ll tell you, I lived my life in defeat and learned nothing from it but shame and sorrow. It wasn’t until someone showed me the Truth that I was set free. John 8:31-32 tells us that living by and making His Word of the utmost importance, we get set free. What from, you may ask? Primarily from stinking thinking. It is always through thinking wrong that people have lost sight of God, His will, and the way things work. They blame their defeat and trial on Him when He so clearly told us that it is because we have an enemy. He also told us we have power over that enemy but we have to take it by His Word. The cross leads to salvation but the cross wasn’t the end. You can cling to the old rugged cross, but I’m going to cling to His throne of victory!
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
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