Because He Lives: What Jesus Did When He Died for Us

WHAT JESUS DID WHEN HE DIED FOR US

   (Part of a series sharing my devotional thoughts from almost two decades ago. For the back story & links to other posts, see the first post in the series.)

Understanding exactly what happened to provide salvation for us is sometimes difficult. I struggled with this myself, even after becoming a Christian. I didn’t know how God could reconcile my sin and status under his holy Law and still allow me to enter His perfect heaven. Then He gave me a beautiful picture based on His Word. Here is the scene for you.

I stood before God guilty, condemned. The sentence was death. I deserved to die under the requirements of the Law, which is holy and good according to Romans 7:12. Then Jesus Christ the Righteous, my Advocate (1 John 2:1), stepped in. He didn’t come in to use legal talk and argue the fine points of the law, or to make excuses for me. No, He stepped in and said, “Let Me take her penalty. I’ll die for her.” Then He took on my sin, and turned to me and took off my covering of filthiness and then clothed me with His righteousness (Zechariah 3). He lifted me up and said, “Go and sin no more.”

The most amazing thing about salvation is that the provision for it occurred when I was still an enemy of God. One day I read a newspaper article that described the tearful reunion of a man with the soldier who had saved his life in battle many years before. As I read I thought, “How much more emotional will it be to see Jesus face to face -- the One who saved me.” Later, though, God showed me there was an error in my thinking.

You see, those two men were comrades. They were fighting on the same side. But when Jesus died for me it wasn’t a soldier saving the life of a comrade. No, it was like a soldier willingly stepping into enemy territory and taking a bullet for someone on the opposing side who had just spit in his face and attacked him. Romans 5 makes it clear that when He died for me, I was an enemy of God.

But praise the Lord -- He didn’t stay dead. He was resurrected, showing the newness that comes with salvation, the victory over death and sin, and the hope of eternal life.

Imagine the reunion we’ll have with THIS Savior!

Because He Lives: The Perfect Bridegroom

THE PERFECT BRIDEGROOM

   (Part of a series sharing my devotional thoughts from almost two decades ago. For the back story & links to other posts, see the first post in the series.)

When I was a young girl, I dreamed of “Mr. Right” -- a special someone who one day would find me and fall instantly in love with me, a “knight on a white horse” who would sweep me off my feet with every romantic gesture I’d ever read about. After a beautifully perfect wedding, he would whisk me off on an ideal honeymoon and then carry me over the threshold of a big house designed especially with me in mind. Did you ever have such fantasies?

I don’t know how yours turned out, but my dreams were smashed. Instead of Mr. Right, I settled for Mr. Wrong. Rather than sweeping me off my feet, he sent me cringing and crying into the other room. A dark sadness overshadowed my beautiful wedding. The ideal honeymoon didn’t happen. And even though I was happy with the small apartment rather than my dreamed-of big house, even that would soon become filled with the pain of his abuse. My fantasy had turned into a nightmare. I know this is true of many women -- maybe even you.

Even if you are blessed with a wonderful husband, if you have been married any length of time you have discovered that although he may be Mr. Right for you, he is far from being Mr. Perfect. Humans have failings, and even the best of husbands are no exception!

But you know what? If you are a Christian you are part of the bride of Christ. You have a perfect Bridegroom. Your “knight on a white horse” is Jesus. Rev. 19:11, 16 make this clear: “And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war....And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.”

When the church is presented to Jesus as His bride (and remember, if you are a Christian you are part of this bride), there will be a wedding feast to end all wedding feasts. Rev. 19:7-9 says, “‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.’ And it was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he said to me, ‘Write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”’ And he said to me, ‘These are true words of God.’”

Oh, how wonderful of God that among everything else Jesus is to us, He is also our perfect Bridegroom. One time when I was feeling overwhelmed with some things in my life, I sank into a chair for my quiet time, leaned back, and through my tears cried out to Jesus, “Lord, I want to be what you want me to be. I want to do what’s right. But I don’t even know where to begin.” Immediately He spoke the answer to my heart: “Just love Me, and let Me love you.” My heart rejoiced as I recognized the voice of my perfect Bridegroom speaking to His beloved.

All of those desires to love and be loved that we feel so deeply are from God, who first loved us (1 John 4:19). John 3:16 says that God loved us so much, He sent Jesus, and that whoever believes on Jesus will be saved. Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

That unconditional love you’ve been looking for? It’s already there, in Christ who died for you. You will only find that unconditional love you’ve been looking for by inviting Jesus into your life. He is waiting.

Because He Lives: Jesus Loves Me

JESUS LOVES ME

   (Part of a series sharing my devotional thoughts from almost two decades ago. For the back story & links to other posts, see the first post in the series.)

“Jesus loves me! This I know, for the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong; they are weak but He is strong.”

 This little song many of us sang as children tells us much of what we need to know about God. I am weak but He is strong. Jesus loves me. The Bible is true.

If you’ve been put off about Christianity because of doctrinal differences in churches, petty arguments, a fear you won’t be “religious-sounding” enough ... if you doubt that God really wants YOU ... go to John 3:16 for this foundational truth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

Beyond all debates about style of worship, spiritual gifts, who wrote this or that book of the Bible, baptism, church membership ... at the very core of everything that is Christianity is this basic truth: “Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me; Yes, Jesus loves me; the Bible tells me so.” Whatever you know or don’t know, never doubt this truth:

“Jesus loves me! He will stay close beside me all the way.

If I love Him, when I die He will take me home on high.”

Yes, Jesus loves YOU. He came to earth to be the perfect sacrifice for YOUR sins. His death makes it possible for YOU to have access to God’s throne -- and His resurrection holds for you the promise of eternal life with Him, if you believe in Him.

Becoming a Christian is simple: Romans 10:9 says “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Jesus already loves you. Just tell God that you accept that love, that you believe that He died for your sins and was resurrected, and that you want Him to come into your heart and be your Lord. God’s Word promises that He will answer.

Jesus loves me ... and you. The Bible tells us so.