Do you know if you know the real Jesus? The Jesus of the Gospels? Satan has always tried to confuse people about the nature of Jesus. There is great ignorance in our culture today as people glibly say “Jesus would do this” or “Jesus wouldn’t do that…” Much of this hearsay today comes from ignorance of the gospels and the Scripture that Jesus followed; even ignorance of his actual words!
Many people have created a Jesus out of their own wishful thinking. Simply put, we know that Jesus, as the Son of God, is both Just and Justifier. Some of his first words were “I did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17) That should give us a clue to finding the real Jesus. But the truth is, most people haven’t taken the time to explore Jesus at all. They live their lives by sound bites and catchy phrases. Jesus repeated the moral commandments and even raised them to higher standards. He made it clear that our only hope of right living before God was through Him!
He didn’t leave us the “nice teacher” option. How many people think Jesus was just a good teacher, on a par with any other? So you can take his advice or leave it, right? No, he said things like “unless you repent you will all perish”. It gives him no pleasure to say that, it’s just a fact! The God who created immutable laws of science and physics also created immutable moral laws. We will stand before him someday in judgment. It is in this context that Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” Yes, he forgave sinners. But he also said, “Go and sin no more.” He took all of our sins on the cross. The New Testament defines sins the same way as the Old, with the exception of ceremonial laws.
God does not change. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Man is still lost without the blood of Jesus. If everybody is “okay” regardless of behavior, then Jesus would not have needed to die. And if he was just a non-judgmental nice guy, how did he manage to get himself crucified?
As we get closer to Easter, let us be mindful of why he died. Let us be conscious and also grateful that “while we were still sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Rom. 5:8) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (II Cor. 5:21) A song puts it this way, “he became sin who knew no sin, that we might become his righteousness, he humbled himself and carried the cross— love so amazing!”
Lord, we repent of our personal sins. We also repent on behalf of a nation that has ignored your laws and made unrighteous laws. Regardless of what happens around us, save us from the sins of compromise with evil. Save us from an amoral culture and from leaders who have no fear of God.
We pray for interventions against the so called “Equality Act”, which is not about equality at all, but about promoting a sinful lifestyle, promoting the abuse of children, and removing religious freedom. It seems that the freedom to sin in our society is unlimited, but the freedom to speak against it is in danger.
Lord, free us from the strong delusions that have so quickly taken over in this country. Regardless, let us speak with boldness and truth. Let us have discernment to see through lies and false teachings. Let your church be a light in this dark world so that people will know the real Jesus and know why he went to the cross.
Lord, we thank you that you sent Jesus and that he loved us enough to die for us. We pray that in our lives and in the lives of loved ones his cross will not be in vain. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.