Because He Lives
What’s good about Good Friday? The British called this day Good Friday because
the greatest good was done on this day. For Jesus Christ who was without sin
was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the
righteousness of God in Him.
In Matthew 9, Jesus said, the people are like sheep without a shepherd. In John
he said, my sheep hear my voice and they know him and I give unto them eternal
life. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Through the crises of life, we will learn the meaning of patience….of
endurance….of keeping the faith. According to Hebrews 12, “WHEREFORE seeing
we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run
with patience the race that is set before us, 2. Looking unto Jesus the author
and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of
God. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”
In the midst of the crisis of the pestilence and pandemic, most men ask
themselves, when will this thing end? We’re tired of “social distancing,”
hunkering down and sheltering in place. However, these men ask the wrong
question. According to Romans 5, tribulation worketh patience and patience
experience and experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of
God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.
We have hope because of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the
hope of our life everlasting in fellowship with our Father. Regardless of the
problems of life, the solution is Jesus Christ. Our life here on earth is worth
the living just because he lives.
Philippians 1:7 mentions refreshing each other in the body of Christ. At our
men’s retreats, we toss an orange to brothers who have especially blessed us.
This time of refreshing is the one of the highlights of each retreat. We have
so much to be thankful for, especially the fellowship of our brothers and
sisters in Christ. Encouragement is the outpouring of a thankful heart.
Encouragement is to build up, to edify and to exhort one another to our higher
calling in Christ. We’re blessed when we bless others with an encouraging word.
The greatest blessing is to bless the Blessor for Jesus said, “In that you have
done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.”
On the mount of transfiguration, Peter James, and John witnessed by divine
revelation the spirit of God descending like a dove on Jesus. Then they heard
God’s voice from heaven saying, “this is my beloved son in whom I am well
pleased.”
Hebrews 12:2 says, He who for the joy that was set before him, endured the
cross, despising the shame…. and is set down at the right hand of the throne
of God. What was Jesus’ joy? His joy was your redemption and mine. All things
work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his
purpose. The good of Good Friday, of the cross of Christ is that we were made
righteous according to his sacrifice on our behalf.
Our encouragement is in the cross of Christ. At the cross, our debt of sin was
paid. At the cross, the account ledger against us was balanced by his perfect
payment for sin on our behalf. At the cross we were justified and declared
righteous because of his sacrifice of innocent blood in exchange for our guilty
blood.
Because of the payment he made in exchange for our sin on Good Friday, we have
been made a new creation in Christ.
Encouragement is the antidote to resentment and bitterness. Encouragement is to
give grace. John 16:33 says, these things I have spoken to your so that you may
have peace. In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I
have overcome the world.
An excerpt from the passage entitled “Crucifixion and Resurrection” from the
Puritan Prayer book The Valley of Vision says,
“The sepulcher calls forth my adoring wonder,
For it is empty and thou art risen…
Give me to die with thee that I might rise to new life…
Let me reckon my old life dead because of the crucifixion.
Strengthen me for the battles ahead.
Give me courage for all the trials and grace for all the joys.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life in Christ…
According to the words of the hymn by Bill and Gloria Gaither,
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because he lives, all fear is gone…
Because I know He holds the future,
And Life is worth the living just because he lives…
That we may be to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael
