Christ Crucified

When you first heard the story of Jesus being crucified, His death, burial and resurrection, what did you think?  Were you sad or were you kind of passive, not really convinced that it was true?  Did you want to know more about what took place or were you uninterested?  Maybe you looked at it like it was a fairy tale or just another story of intrigue.  What was your reaction to what had taken place, was it total belief and acceptance or total unbelief and rejection?

I think the first time I heard this about Jesus I accepted it as the truth and believed that it had really taken place.  When I think about the many, many people that have a negative response to what had happened to Jesus sometimes I wonder why they don’t understand or they just don’t get it so they sort of write it off like it never happened or that it isn’t true.  If you are a believer, did you ever wonder why you believe when so many others don’t?

After years of study, I understand what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:9-14:

“But as it is written:

‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,

Nor have entered into the heart of man

The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’

But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

Like I said, I believed that God existed many years ago, and I believed that Jesus Christ His beloved Son was crucified, died and was buried and rose to life again, but it was head knowledge, just like many in Jesus’ day had when He walked the earth, thinking Him to be a prophet, a Rabbi (Teacher) and healer, but not the Messiah, God in the flesh, the Savior of the world, the mystery of God the Father.  To truly believe that Jesus was who He said He was, would take a miracle of God.  God would have to reveal that to me by opening my spiritual eyes to this truth and give me His Holy Spirit to dwell within me and to give me spiritual understanding.  God is the only one that can teach you the truth and reveal the deep things you need to know and understand.  

I have used this before in my Tidbits but it has come to mind once again, what did Peter and the disciples say when Jesus asked them, “who do men say that I am?”  This was what was said; it is found in Matthew 16:13-17:

“When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, ‘Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?’

So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’

He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’

Simon Peter answered and said, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’

Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.’”

Just like God revealed this truth to Peter, He has to reveal this truth to everyone that believes in Jesus as their Lord and Savior.  Unless God opens blind eyes and reveals this truth, all they will have is head knowledge and that will never change their lives.  

If you would like to do an experiment, ask people how many believe in God and Jesus and see how many say yes.  Then ask them if they live their lives to prove what they believe, by going to church, studying their Bibles and spending time in prayer and devotions, then think about their answers.  I believe that many, many people will tell you that they believe, but that is about as far as it goes because their belief is head knowledge and not heart knowledge and that has never changed their lives and cannot.  Until the truth has saturated the heart in a born-again relationship you are not changed by the truth of God’s Word.  That is the difference between a believer and person that is just full of religion.

This is my conclusion, if you really want to know the one who died for our redemption by shedding His blood for the sins of mankind, ask Jesus to be the Lord of your life and reveal the truth of His Word to you.  Ask Him to forgive your sins and tell Him that you are sorry for committing them.  Take your time and let Him fill you with His peace, love and joy, then you can go forth rejoicing, praising and thanking the Lord!!  Pray that the Lord will lead you to the congregation He would want you to attend then start growing in your new found faith and share what the Lord has done for you with others.

Something to think about!  May the good Lord bless you and yours and may you have a super day!!