From the Pastor’s desk

The Cross: Jesus didn’t give up on His journey

Beloved,
Each time we read the Gospels about Jesus’ birth and life on the earth, right up to His death,
resurrection and ascension, the journey that He undertook becomes clearer.
On the Cross, Jesus called out to His Father, saying,
“Father, into Your Hands I commit my spirit”
and then He breathed His last.
We are reminded that Jesus’ life was a journey, like ours is, and He didn’t give up!

Let’s ponder the Cross for a few moments.
What does the Cross represent?
Why did Jesus have to die on the Cross?
What does the Cross mean for my life today?

1.The Cross represents God’s great salvation plan.
The Bible tells us in 1 Peter 1:18, “You know that God paid a ransom to save you.
He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.”
In the Old Testament times, the Jewish people could only seek forgiveness for their sins from their Holy God
by bringing an animal to be sacrificed.
In the New Testament Jesus came to earth – the Cross is the altar and Jesus is the sacrifice.
When He was crucified and died, all the sins of humanity – including yours and mine
– were transferred upon Him and were dealt with for all time.
Jesus paid the ransom because of His great love for each of us.
Now, as we truly repent and ask for His forgiveness,
accept and receive Him, we are born-again! Hallelu-Yah.

2. Jesus, being God, was the only One who could deliver the great salvation plan
and bring us back into relationship with Him and His Father God.
“He personally carried away our sins in His own body on the Cross
so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
You have been healed by His wounds.”(1 Peter 2:24).
“God cancelled the record that contained the charges against us.
He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ’s Cross.” (Colossians 2:14)
Beloved, Jesus wants a relationship with each of us.
It was necessary for Him to die and rise again in order to take our sins and guilt from us.
When we accept and believe that this is Truth, we begin to have this close relationship with Him.
It has been God’s plan since the beginning of time.

3. What does the Cross mean for my life today?
“He gave Himself for us that He might redeem us from all iniquity
and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14).
For us, God’s children, the Cross means life itself, for this life with Jesus here on earth
and for eternal life in the bosom of our Heavenly Father – forever!
We now, through Jesus’ death and resurrection, have continuous access to our Abba Father God
because He sees us through the lens of the shed blood of His One and only Son Jesus Christ!
“The thief only comes to kill, rob and destroy but I (Jesus) came,
that you would have life and live it abundantly.” (John 10:10).
Beloved, this life of ours is a changed life and God’s promise
is that we have been anchored to Jesus – we belong to Him.

One final thought for your reflection:
the Creator of all things seen and unseen was willing to die for you
and me so that each of us can be in fellowship with Him for all eternity!
What is your response to Him?

God bless you.
Pr. Alex