NINE: "I INVITE YOU INTO MY PRESENCE"
GOD'S PROMISE THROUGH THE TORN FLESH
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16 NIV)
1. He has spotted you. He has heard you, and He has invited you. What once separated you has been removed: “Now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away from God are brought near” (Eph. 2:13). Nothing remains between you and God but an open door.
"So, brothers and sisters, we are completely free to enter the Most Holy Place without fear because of the blood of Jesus’ death. We can enter through a new and living way that Jesus opened for us. It leads through the curtain—Christ’s body" (Heb. 10:19–20)
2. It’s as if the hands of heaven had been gripping the veil, waiting for this moment. Keep in mind the size of the curtain—sixty feet tall and thirty feet wide. One instant it was whole; the next it was ripped in two from top to bottom. No delay. No hesitation. What did the torn curtain mean? For the Jews it meant no more barrier between them and the Holy of Holies. No more priests to go between them and God. No more animal sacrifices to atone for their sins. And for us?What did the torn curtain signify for us? We are welcome to enter into God’s presence—any day, any time. God has removed the barrier that separates us from Him. The barrier of sin? Down. He has removed the curtain.
3. But we have a tendency to put the barrier back up. Though there is no curtain in a temple, there is a curtain in the heart. Like the ticks on the clock are the mistakes of the heart. And sometimes, no, often times, we allow those mistakes to keep us from God. Our guilty conscience becomes a curtain that separates us from God. As a result we hide from our Master. Don’t trust your conscience. Trust the cross. The blood has been spilt and the veil has been split. You are welcome in God’s presence.
TEN: "I UNDERSTAND YOUR PAIN"
GOD'S PROMISE IN THE WINE-SOAKED SPONGE
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows" (2 Corinthians 1:3–5 NIV)
1. Why did Jesus live on the earth as long as He did? Couldn’t his life have been much shorter? Why not step into our world just long enough to die for our sins and then leave? Why not a sinless year or week? Why did he have to live a life? To take on our sins is one thing, but to take on our sunburns, our sore throats? To experience death, yes—but to put up with life? To put up with long roads, long days, and short tempers? Why did He do it? Because He wants you to trust Him. Even his final act on earth was intended to win your trust.
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19:28–30 NIV)
2. Why did He grow weary in Samaria (John 4:6), disturbed in Nazareth (Mark 6:6), and angry in the Temple (John 2:15)? Why was He sleepy in the boat on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:38), sad at the tomb of Lazarus (John 11:35), and hungry in the wilderness (Matt. 4:2)? Why? Because He knew you would feel them too. He knew you would be weary, disturbed, and angry. He knew you’d be sleepy, grief-stricken, and hungry. He knew you’d face pain. If not the pain of the body, the pain of the soul … pain too sharp for any drug. He knew you’d face thirst. If not a thirst for water, at least a thirst for truth, and the truth we glean from the image of a thirsty Christ is—He understands. And because He understands, we can come to Him.
3. Why did the throat of heaven grow raw? So we would know that He understands; so all who struggle would hear His invitation: “You can trust me”. The word trust does not appear in the passage about the wine and sponge, but we do find a phrase that makes it easier to trust. Look at the sentence prior to the declaration of thirst: “So that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I am thirsty’” (John 19:28 NIV). In that verse John gives us the motive behind Jesus’ words. Our Lord was concerned with the fulfillment of Scripture. In fact, the fulfillment of Scripture is a recurring theme in the passion.
ELEVEN: "I HAVE REDEEMED YOU AND I WILL KEEP YOU"
GOD'S PROMISE IN THE BLOOD AND WATER
Christ “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins” and “by a single offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:12, 14 NRSV)
1. Positional and progressive sanctification. God’s work for us and God’s work in us. Neglect the first, and you grow fearful. Neglect the second, and you grow lazy. Both are essential, and both are seen in the moistened dirt at the base of the cross of Christ. Let’s examine each of these more carefully:
• God’s work for us
The Son of God became the Lamb of God, the cross became the altar, and we were “made holy through the sacrifice Christ made in his body once and for all time” (Heb.10:10). What needed to be paid was paid. What had to be done was done. Innocent blood was required. Innocent blood was offered, once and for all time. Bury those five words deep in your heart. Once and for all time. If the sacrifice has been offered once and for all time, need it be offered again? Of course not. You are positionally sanctified.
• His work in us
“If anyone believes in Me, rivers of living water will flow out from that person’s heart, as the Scripture says.” Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit. The Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet been raised to glory. But later, those who believed in Jesus would receive the Spirit (John 7:38–39)
Water, in this verse, is a picture of the Spirit of Jesus working in us. He’s not working to save us, mind you; that work is done. He’s working to change us.
2. The blood is God’s sacrifice for us. The water is God’s Spirit in us. And we need both. John is very concerned that we know this. It’s not enough to know what came forth; we must know how they came forth: “At once blood and water came out” (John 19:34).
3. Engrave in your heart the announcement of John the Baptist. Jesus is “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The blood of Christ does not cover your sins, conceal your sins, postpone your sins, or diminish your sins. It takes away your sins, once and for all time. When you and I stand in heaven to receive our prize, only one will know all of our sins, but He won’t embarrass you—He has already forgiven them. So enjoy the game, my friend; your prize is secure.
TWELVE: "I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER"
GOD'S PROMISE IN THE CROSS
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins" (1 John 4:10 NIV)
1. Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer look no farther than the cross itself. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal—the other vertical. One reaches out—like God’s love. The other reaches up—as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of His love; the other reflects the height of His holiness. The cross is the intersection. The cross is where God forgave His children without lowering His standards. How could He do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on His Son and punished it there.
“God put on Him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God” (2 Cor. 5:21 MSG).
2. Envision the moment. God on His throne. You on the earth. And between you and God, suspended between you and heaven, is Christ on His cross. Your sins have been placed on Jesus. God, who punishes sin, releases His rightful wrath on your mistakes. Jesus receives the blow. Since Christ is between you and God, you don’t. The sin is punished, but you are safe—safe in the shadow of the cross.
3. How wide is God’s love? Wide enough for the whole world. Are you included in the world? Then you are included in God’s love. But isn’t there a limit? Surely there has to be an end to this love. You’d think so, wouldn’t you? But David the adulterer never found it. Paul the murderer never found it. Peter the liar never found it. When it came to life, they hit bottom. But when it came to God’s love, they never did. They, like you, found their names on God’s list of love. And you can be certain that the One who put it there knows how to pronounce it.
THIRTEEN: "I CAN TURN YOUR TRAGEDY INTO TRIUMPH"
GOD'S PROMISE IN THE BURIAL CLOTHING
"And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5:10 NIV)
1. Jesus was dead. The Master’s body was lifeless. John’s friend and future were buried. But John had not left. Why? Was he waiting for the resurrection? No. As far as he knew, the lips were forever silent and the hands forever still. He wasn’t expecting a Sunday surprise. Then why was he here? Perhaps the answer was pragmatic; perhaps he was taking care of Jesus’ mother. Or perhaps he didn’t have anywhere else to go. Could be he didn’t have any money or energy orndirection…or all of the above. Or maybe he lingered because he loved Jesus. To others, Jesus was a miracle worker. To others, Jesus was a master teacher. To others, Jesus was the hope of Israel. But to John, he was all of these and more. To John, Jesus was a friend. You don’t abandon a friend—not even when that friend is dead. John stayed close to Jesus.
2. The original Greek provides helpful insight here. John employs a term that means “rolled up,” “still in their folds.” These burial wraps had not been ripped off and thrown down. They were still in their original state The linens were undisturbed. The graveclothes were still rolled and folded. How could this be? If friends had removed the body, would they not have taken the clothes with it? If foes had taken the body, would they not have done the same? If not, if for some reason friends or foes had unwrapped the body, would they have been so careful as to dispose of the clothing in such an orderly fashion? Of course not! But if neither friend nor foe took the body, who did? This was John’s question, and this question led to John’s discovery. “He saw and believed” (John 20:8).
3. Remember the second half of the passage. “God works for the good of those who love Him” (Rom. 8:28). That’s how John felt about Jesus. He loved him. He didn’t understand Him or always agree with Him, but he loved Him. And because he loved Him, he stayed near Him. The Bible says that “in everything God works for the good of those who love Him.” Before we close this chapter, do this simple exercise. Remove the word everything, and replace it with the symbol of your tragedy. How would Romans 8:28 read in your life?
FOURTEEN: "I HAVE WON THE VICTORY"
GOD'S PROMISE IN THE EMPTY TOMB
"But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three—sin, guilt, death—are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ. Thank God!" (1 Corinthians 15:57 MSG)
1. The decision of the Jewish leaders about the church: “If their plan comes from human authority, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them” (Acts 5:38–39).
The response of the church. “The number of followers was growing” (Acts 6:1).
2. The question. How do we explain it? Jesus was a backwater peasant. He never wrote a book, never held an office. He never journeyed more than two hundred miles from His hometown. Friends left Him. One betrayed Him. Those He helped forgot Him. Prior to His death they abandoned Him. But after His death they couldn’t resist Him. What made the difference?
The answer. His death and resurrection.
For when He died, so did your sin.
And when He rose, so did your hope.
For when He rose, your grave was changed from a final residence to temporary housing.
The reason He did it. The face in your mirror.
The verdict after two millenniums. Herod was right: there is room for only one King.
FIFTEEN: WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE AT THE CROSS?
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight" (Proverbs 3:5–6 NIV)
1. He screamed. As if someone had yanked His hair, the back of His head slammed against the sign that bore His name, and He screamed. Like a dagger cuts the curtain, His scream cut the dark. Standing as straight as the nails would permit, He cried as one calling for a lost friend, “Eloi!” His voice was raspy, scratchy. Reflections of the torch flame danced in His wide eyes. “My God!” Ignoring the volcano of erupting pain, he pushed upward until His shoulders were higher than His nailed hands. “Why have You forsaken Me?” He’d shouted a question to the heavens, and you half expected heaven to shout one in return.
2. Many have done what we have done: More minds than ours have read about the cross; better minds than mine have written about it. Many have pondered what Christ left; fewer have pondered what we must leave. May I urge you to leave something at the cross?You can observe the cross and analyze the cross. You can read about it, even pray to it. But until you leave something there, you haven’t embraced the cross.
3. You’ve seen what Christ left. Won’t you leave something as well? Why don’t you start with your bad moments? Those bad habits? Leave them at the cross. Your selfish moods and white lies? Give them to God. Your binges and bigotries? God wants them all. Every flop, every failure. He wants every m single one. Why? Because He knows we can’t live with them.
4. God does more than forgive our mistakes; He removes them! We simply have to take them to Him. He not only wants the mistakes we’ve made. He wants the ones we are making! Are you making some? Are you drinking too much? Are you cheating at work or cheating at marriage? Are you mismanaging money? Are you mismanaging your life? If so, don’t pretend nothing is wrong. Don’t pretend you don’t fall. Don’t try to get back in the game. Go first to God. The first step after a stumble must be in the direction of the cross. “If we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away” (1 John 1:9 CEV).
God wants your list. He inspired one servant to write, “Love does not keep a record of wrongs” (1 Cor. 13:5 TEV). He wants us to leave the list at the cross. Not easy.
5. Do yourself a favor; take your anxious moments to the cross. Leave them there with your bad moments, your mad moments, and your anxious moments. And may I suggest one more? Your final moment.
FINAL WORDS
1. Can you imagine your final message to those you love? Your last words with a child or spouse? What would you say? How would you say it? Even if you can’t answer the first question, you can answer the second. How would you say your final words? Deliberately. Carefully. Wouldn’t you go as Monet to a palette—searching for, not just the right color, but the perfect shade, the exact hue? Most of us have only one chance to make our last statement.
2. That’s all Jesus was given. Knowing His last deeds would be forever pondered, don’t you think He chose them carefully Deliberately? Of course He did. There were no accidents that day. Jesus’ last moments were not left up to chance. God chose the path; He selected the nails. Our Lord planted the trio of crosses and painted the sign. God was never more sovereign than in the details of the death of His Son. As deliberately as my father wrote the letter, so your Father left this message:
“I did it for you. I did it all for you”.
HE CHOSE THE NAIL
MAX LUCADO
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