It's not new that Jesus Christ died and rose again, that's why tonight, I am examining the topic titled:
EASTER: THE MIGHTY AND GREAT EXCHANGE (PART 1)
I'll love to ask a question, although some people never though of such a question. The question is:
"Why did judas betray Jesus?"
Most of us have over the years wonder why Judas betrayed his master, apart from the reason that it has been prophesied, but please don't forget that in the prophecy given about Jesus' betrayal, the name of the betrayer was not given/mentioned, which means it could have been peter or John or thomas or phillip or the judas or any of the disciples! Some of us also believed that it was due to judas love for money but after being paid 30 pieces of silver, he ended up throwing the money away!
Nevertheless, his GREED and love for money can't be overlooked, considering the reason. The main reason judas betrayed Jesus was because he was the most OFFENDED among the rest of the disciples, who were also offended against Jesus for not stopping Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who poured her expensive oil from an alabaster box on Him, when they were all in the house of simon the leper! You need to Study Matt.26:6-16 to understand this better.
Matt.26:8 made it clear that it was ALL the 12 disciples that was angry and offended at what that woman with the Alabaster box of expensive ointment did to Jesus! Verse9 also made it clear that it was ALL the 12 disciples(not just Judas) that suggested that the expensive oil should be sold and given to the poor but verse 14-16 says it was only ONE out of the offended 12 disciples that took the matter too personal; he went too far because he was disappointed and was the most OFFENDED among them, coupled with his GREED, he concluded that if he(Judas) cannot sell the alabaster oil for money, then he must sell Jesus(the one whom the oil was poured on)for money!
We have a lot "disciples", pastors, bishops, etc today, who are still SELLING Jesus for money; they because of GREED are betraying their master(Christ) by merchandising the anointing. It's a pity.
May I ask you, don't you think Jesus had the power to freed himself after th arrest? Definitely, he has, but why did he? It's because, the will of the Father be done.
"...O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. " (Matthew 26:42).
He allowed it all because of LOVE.
Love is the motivation for everything God did for us in Christ Jesus. This week is a celebration of the mix of love and compassion that God displayed for us. More than two thousand years ago, heaven invaded the earth, and the result was the redemption of man. God became (flesh) man, walked the earth and paid our legal, spiritual and social debt. We earned our freedom on the basis of his blood.
Christianity without love is the definition of religion. Love for the Holy Spirit activates a walk in the supernatural. Love for others is one of the test of our love for God. The system of the law with a windows 98 is good but cannot operate our current walk with God that is a system of grace with a windows 10. The system of the law was good, but was just to guard us until Christ came (Galatians 4).
Real Article:
Easter: The Great and Mighty Exchange
Jesus Christ did nothing else other than EXCHANGE. Exchange in what sense, he died for you and me so that we can be redeemed, reconciled to God, our creator. It's a great and mighty exchange because no man on earth even in heaven do that. That's why the Bible recorded it that "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. " (John 15:13)
Get it clear....
+ Jesus Christ died so that we'll not die (physical death), so that we'll not perish in Hell provided we accept him. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. " (John 3:16).
+ Jesus Christ resurrection makes us a new creature by faith. Jesus died so we could change. Without his death, there is no justification before God. There is no Holy Spirit coming to heal our rebellious souls and make our small acts of worship worthy. Without Jesus we're trapped. We are slaves to our own sinful desires and couldn't obey God even if we wanted to. And God had every right to leave us this way, but he didn't. Out of the shear force of his loving will, because of grace alone, he sent Jesus to take on our sin. This encounter with such unimaginable grace will change you.
There are other reasons why he died, but I'll be examining them in the next Part.
All that we need to do was just confess with our mouths the lordship of Jesus and also confess with our hearts that God raised him from the dead and we will be saved (Romans 10:9-10). That becomes the genesis of our walk with the king. Pretty soon, we discover that salvation is a launch into a love world and walk with God and man.
Now that Christ has come, we are no longer under the system of the law but grace. The reason for all of these is love. Grace is the facility for a love walk with God and man. That is why whether you are an Anglican, Methodist, Redeem, Winners, Deeper, Baptist, Dream center or whatever, love should be our common identity. I mean love for God and man. All these petty jealousy, criticism and condemnation of ourselves is not God's way.
No matter your denomination, if you find it difficult to relate with other believers only because of denominational difference, may be you need a spiritual overhaul. Friends of God, the true church is mystical, it goes beyond the confines of denomination or church buildings.
All these "mine is better than yours" mindset is not going to get us anywhere in the body of Christ in this nation. Our doctrinal differences may be a matter, but is should not separate us. Some believers find it difficult to attend other people's programmes, yet they keep inviting others. True, you don't want to be 'contaminated', but he/she too does not want to be 'contaminated' too.
If you have an issue with any believer, you can correct the person biblically with love, not condemn such. In heaven there is no winners lodge or Redeem close or Deeper street or Baptist junction, it is the same heaven for all of us. The same believer you don't want to have anything to do with not as a result of sin, but for denominational difference will also make it to that same heaven!
It is the same strategy of division that the enemy is using against the body. Friends, let us get back to the altar of love and unity. "... While we are yet sinners Jesus died for us..." He expect the reciprocation of the love, but imagine, if we don't love ourselves, how can we claim to love God? And how can we even win the world for Jesus? Our ministry is of reconciliation in love, not condemnation through intense criticism and hatred.
Now, Christ said and is saying, the exchange I made on the cross and that you've accepted, he said "Go and tell them the story, and that's where evangelism comes in. I must say, evangelism must be motivated by love. Let love be the motivation for all your actions as a believer. I love you and Jesus loves you more. Have a purpose driven Easter period.
I want to drop my pen here for part 1 as we awaits Part 2 of this article.
But before I drop my pen, sing this song with me...
He loves me I cannot say why,
He loves me I cannot say why,
On Calvary tree, He suffered for me,
He loves me I cannot say why.
You'll know why when part 2 comes...
God bless us
I haven't changed my name...
I remain
Rauf Kazeem Isaac
(C) March, 2016.
Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN
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