Jesus Christ was resurrected 3 days and 3 nights after he was crucified on the cross. He knew his life mission on the earth. He lived with great joy and expectation although he knew he would suffer death. His understanding about defeating the enemy and bringing victory for mankind gave him joy. We have immense joy because Jesus has brought us freedom, righteousness and eternal life. We also have the very same resurrection power of Jesus Christ available to us. With the Holy Spirit’s help we can have it.
Brief on Jesus Christ
Father God, His son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit together make the triune God. Jesus Christ is also known as Emauelle, meaning God is with us. Before the foundation of the world, God’s plan included sending Jesus Christ to earth on a mission for salvation of mankind.
Many of you remember that God created Adam and Eve and they were placed in the garden of Eden. There was only one stipulation. Only from one specific tree God had asked them not to eat from. Mankind was blessed with free will. And God had desired obedience in this one matter.
The devil, the evil one, had another plan. He enticed Eve to eat of the fruit from the tree God had instructed not to. Through Eve, Adam also fell to eat of the forbidden fruit. Hence God had no other option but to get Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden.
But as mentioned God had in His wisdom already planned getting mankind saved through Jesus Christ as mentioned in Genesis 3:15. In the passage her Seed refers to Jesus Christ (as well as all who believe in Jesus Christ). In verse 14 and 15, God speaks to the serpent, the Devil who misled Adam and Eve to disobey God.
And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.” (Genesis 3:15 NKJV) You can choose to read chapter 3 from the 3rd chapter of the Book of Genesis.
God in His wisdom had planned to send Jesus to be born as a man to save mankind, even before the foundation of the world. God desired a relationship with mankind, who were created in the image and likeness of god.
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”(Genesis 3:15 NKJV)
Birth of Jesus as man
God had foretold about Jesus Christ, the blemishless lamb of God to be crucified for the sins of the world. In Psalms 22:16-18, written over 1,000 years before the birth of Jesus, the manner of death on the cross is prophesied. It is interesting to note that at the time of writing this psalm, crucifixion was not even a punishment.
Very many prophecies about Jesus Christ can be read throughout the old testament – the portion of the Bible before the birth of Jesus Christ. Of these the two most popular verses are the book of Isaiah written over 700 years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. (Isaiah 7:14 NKJV)
For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. (Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV)
What does the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ look like?
To many in the world the cross appears to be death, end, punishment, defeat. Yes, all who are crucified have done some wrong. But in the case of Jesus Christ, the blemishless lamb of God was crucified. Throughout his life, he was aware of the crucifixion which awaited him.
Here are a few instances.
When John the baptist saw Jesus, he called him the lamb of God who pays for the punishment of the sin of the world, by paying the wages of sin by death on the cross. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29 NKJV)
There is a price paid for any wrongdoing. When a student does not study as he should, the child gets retained in the same class instead of getting promoted. If a person does not obey the traffic rules, the person is fined by the police. The way a person had an opportunity to pay for not obeying the law was by sacrificing a spotless, blemishless lamb. Only a lamb, healthy and wholesome was offered to God. Thus the sinner pays for the sin by bringing a spotless lamb for sacrifice.
Jesus Christ knew the pain and the suffering of the cross. During moments he even desired if this suffering could be avoided, but yet the very next moment, he reiterated that he wanted to do only his Heavenly Fathers will. Jesus on the first day of Passover, when he had the last supper with his disciples, He foretold about the suffering he was to undergo. So Jesus knew he was going to suffer, his preparation for the suffering on the cross started from his childhood as he knew the scriptures from an early age. One of the easiest opportunities to sin is through the tongue.
All the arguments during the trial of Jesus could not identify any wrongdoing in Christ. Yet Jesus was willing to sacrifice His life on the cross as a spotless lamb that was slain. Even during the brutal suffering and all through the ridicule, Jesus in self control did not speak a word. So often when circumstances are bad, many of us falter and speak words which we regret later. But in spite of justifiable circumstances, Jesus refused to speak. Here are a few among the many insightful verses from the Bible about how one should manage one’s tongue.
Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. (Psalms 141:3)
keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. (Psalms 34:13)
Thus in innumerable ways, the cross was a far superior victory than the way the world can think with logic and reason.
How can we relate to the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ?
We know a sinner can pay for the sin through the sacrifice of the blemishless lamb. This is done annually. But in this day and age, we have Jesus Christ who had not committed any sin die on the cross. As a lamb of God he died on the cross.
So for whose sin did he die on the cross?
He died on the cross for the sins of the world.
To be specific, he died on the cross for every one – which includes you and me.
He died on the cross for our sins until yesterday, our sins of today, our probable sins of tomorrow.
Who died on the cross of Jesus?
Since Jesus was a blemishless lamb of God, he carried the burden of sin on all of us, past present and future.
So the sinful person I was is crucified.
The sinner person is crucified and dead.
So I who live now, am the resurrected person in Christ.
Being a resurrected person in Christ, I am not a slave to sin.
Thus I am free from the grip and clutches of sin.
I may occasionally slip into sin, but that does not define my identity.
The cross of Christ has done a finished work on me.
I am without sin, I am redeemed by the cross.
My occasional sin no longer defines my identity.
I am in Christ.
I am a new creation.
I have freedom from all kinds of sinful nature including anxiety, fear, worry and the very many variations.
So along with Jesus Christ, my old identity of being a sinner was crucified. Your old identity also was crucified on the cross.
It’s a finished work of the cross.
“So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished! ‘ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30, NKJV)
Although the benefits of the crucifixion is available for all of mankind, a few refuse to accept the crucifixion of Jesus. So although Jesus gives this to all of mankind, if instead of receiving, you hold your hands tight behind you, can you receive it. No, it is only when you are open to receive with your heart, only then the crucifixion becomes a reality for your heart and then your mind.
Thus if you have received the crucifixion of Jesus to include you can only be answered by you individually.
To be continued…
