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Category Archives: Encouragement

Spiritual Music

07 Jun
Spiritual Music

We’re continuing through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. He’s been dealing with how we should interact with one another. He talked a lot about the “don’ts”. But there’s an important “do” that affects our attitudes.

Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:18b-20 NIV

It’s better to be around people who have good attitudes. I’d rather be with people who are singing than with those who are complaining. The church should be a place that’s filled with music and singing.

Did you know that the Bible speaks about how we should aim our singing? That’s what determines our attitudes. There are two goals we should direct our music toward.

Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
proclaim his salvation day after day.

Psalms 96:1-2 NIV

The first goal in our music should be pretty obvious.

Our music can be directed toward God in the praise of His glory. This is an important part of our relationship with the Lord. Singing His praises transports us into His presence.

I get so upset when believers view the praise and worship time as merely the “warm-up act” for the pastor’s preaching. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As we sing praise and thanksgiving to God, we’re brought into a deeper spiritual place. We become more open to the move of the Holy Spirit.

Praising God in song is an important part of a spiritual walk.

The second aim of music may surprise some of you. It’s what Paul talked about in the above verse.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord…

Ephesians 5:19 NIV

This aspect of our music can change the hearts of those around us.

Our music can be directed toward each other. There are many people (and I used to be one of them) that dislike the use of songs that are not directed toward God. This verse clearly shows the necessity of both types of music.

There are times when we need to sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to one another. Why is that so important?

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:16 NIV

It’s through music that the Word of Christ can live richly in you. Singing music that’s directed at each other is a form of teaching and admonishing. As we sing, we learn.

This is an incredible truth. When my children were small, they learned all the states and their capitals because they were put to music. How much more important is it to get the Word into our hearts?

Through music, the Word of Christ can enter our lives and stay with us. That’s why I’m so adamant about not singing songs that contain bad doctrine. Too many Christians believe error because they learned it in their music.

We give praise to our God. We teach and admonish each other. Both of these can and should be done through the music of God’s people.

Question: Is there a song that opened up your eyes to a spiritual truth?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on June 7, 2023 in Encouragement, Music, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Anger Without Sin

22 May
Anger Without Sin

We’re continuing to go through Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. He’s explained that we’re now one body in Christ. Also, we’re working at putting on the new man. Because of this, there are some things that should be evident as a part of our Christian walk.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Ephesians 4:25 NIV

First, Paul deals with deception. In the world, people are all looking out for their own betterment. Many times that involves being untrue to those around us.

That’s not to be the case in the body of Christ. We’re all members together. We need to learn the transparency and vulnerability that brings us closer together.

Yes, I know that there are those who would use this against us. Not all believers have pure motives. However, as for ourselves, we need to make sure that we’re walking correctly before God.

The next thing he talks about is anger. That’s something that always needs to be dealt with.

“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV

There are some important truths here in regard to anger. First of all, anger, in and of itself, is not a sin. Anger is a passionate part of our emotional make-up. Even God expresses His anger (Hebrews 3:10-11).

So the problem isn’t about stopping anger. What we need to do is learn to use it appropriately. There’s a right and wrong way to be angry.

What this passage tells us is to be angry, but don’t let that anger cause you to miss the mark. Anger itself can be a very useful tool. It can be a passion that drives you to change things for the better. It can force you seek God’s wisdom concerning a bad situation.

The key is that our anger needs to be submitted to the Holy Spirit working within us. What causes problems is when we let anger have free reign and we do or say things without thinking. That’s when hurts or bitterness can result.

One thing that this Scripture makes clear is that anger has to be resolved quickly. That doesn’t mean that the passionate emotion goes away. It just means that we are on the right path to a solution.

Paul tells us that we cannot let the sun go down on our unresolved anger. This is especially true in our relationships.

This is one area that my wife and I agreed together about from the start of our marriage. We committed to each other that we would never go to sleep with unresolved anger. Of course, there have been some long nights where we were up until 1 or 2 in the morning! But our relationship was stronger because of this.

Paul tells us why this resolution is so important. When we go to sleep with unresolved anger, we tend to forget about it by morning. Sometime the strong passion that we felt has dissipated.

On the surface this seems like a good thing, but it’s actually a ticking time-bomb. Any unresolved anger becomes a piece of ground that the devil – the accuser – has a claim to in your life or relationship.

Then, even years later, the enemy can use this as a base of attack against your marriage, family, or church relationships. If we allow this pattern to continue, the devil can have multiple areas to attack from, causing divorces or church splits.

As members of the body of Christ, we need to be constantly aware of the evil one’s tactics. Don’t give away any ground to the enemy’s kingdom. Allow the Holy Spirit to have total control over your anger. Use that passion constructively, and don’t let it lead you into sin.

Question: How can your anger move you forward toward your destiny in Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 22, 2023 in Encouragement, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Growing in Love

01 May
Growing in Love

We’re continuing through Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. He’s been teaching about our growth from infancy to maturity. This is where the Lord wants to bring us to.

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4:15-16 NIV

This passage is key to our growth as God’s people. It shows some things that we really need to concentrate on in our generation.

The first thing I see is pretty obvious. We need to be speaking the truth. But, the word Paul uses here is important. This word for truth also contains the thought of it being unconcealed truth. If we only tell half the truth, is it really the truth?

In our generation, we have a problem with many of the Scriptural teachings. We stay silent because we don’t want to “rock the boat” of society around us.

We miss the key. This verse literally says that we speak the unconcealed truth, BUT, IN LOVE. That’s the important part. So often we either stay silent or we speak the truth as if it were a baseball bat to knock people around.

Once we know the truth, we need to seek the wisdom of God for how to present it. The Lord loves all people. His goal is always relationship and restoration. Unfortunately, there are many Christians who portray hatred and judgment.

We need to walk the narrow path that Jesus exemplified so wonderfully in His life in earth. He was able to tell someone, “I’m not condemning you, but you need to leave your life of sin.” (John 8:11)

It’s obvious from these two verses that the important part is our love. We need to be speaking in love. But the body of Christ also has to be growing in love.

The language here is important for us to understand. It literally speaks of the body parts being joined and forced together. That’s an important concept for us to lay hold of. Especially after COVID, there are so many people who have left church and never returned.

We all need to be active members of the body of Christ. What do I mean by that? I’ve talked to many people, especially those who are of younger generations than me. (I’m 66 years old)

Many younger believers have left organized churches because of their frustration with “big box” religion. They don’t like seeing all of the money being poured into salaries and building maintenance. I get that.

However, the commands of Scripture still stand that we need to be meeting together, in-person, as the body of Christ. I don’t know what the church of Jesus Christ (not the denomination) is going to look like in ten years. We’re going through a time of transition right now.

But, there needs to be a meeting together. Whether that turns out to be in homes, like the first century church, or coffee shops, libraries, etc. Somehow we must come back together, face to face. That’s what we’re being called to do.

The passage above give us the result that each part is doing its work. We’re all called to some work for the Lord. The fact is that you’ll only find it when you know where you’re attached to the body. That’s the progression. Speaking the truth in love – joined and forced together – finding the work you’re called to do.

My prayer is that you’ll seek God for His wisdom. That’s what we need in the times we find ourselves in. Knowing the Scripture and applying it properly are two parts of the whole. It takes time spent with the Holy Spirit to live above the problems of the world around us.

Question: Where do you find yourself in the above passage?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on May 1, 2023 in Encouragement, Fellowship, Ministry, Relationships, The Church

 

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Resurrection Sunday – Persuaded

07 Apr
Resurrection Sunday – Persuaded

This Sunday will be celebrated all over the world. Most Christians regard it as Resurrection Sunday, it reminds us of the day that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. But not everyone believes this.

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

John 20:24-25 NIV

Thomas, one of the Lord’s own disciples had his doubts. Unpersuaded – that’s the story of our society.

“Unless I see it, I won’t believe it.”

What does it take to be persuaded? Jesus said blessed are those who don’t see yet believe (John 20:29).

Sometimes the facts persuade us. We like to check into things before we buy something expensive.

What about life? Why live your life without checking the facts first? Most people live based upon wishful thinking.

“Which philosophy do I like the best? It sure would be more convenient if there was no God.”

Do the research. It turns out that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most provable fact of ancient history. There’s more proof of the resurrection, than of Socrates and Plato ever existing. So, how can someone rise from the dead if there’s no God?

However, facts are not the only way to be persuaded. Actually, they’re the least effective. That’s because persuasion takes place in the heart, not in the head.

That’s why it’s not about convincing you to accept Christ. It’s not about making you believe the Bible. It’s getting you to see the hand of God at work. And there’s no better place than in the life of a believer.

…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Philippians 1:6 NIV

Paul literally says, being persuaded of this. God is doing a good work in me. That’s what people need to see. It’s not about grand theological arguments. The world needs to see a life-changing God.

That’s because a changed life is persuasive. Change isn’t easy. Resurrection Sunday actually falls at a great time to illustrate this. It’s now just over three months from the New Year. How are your resolutions going?

No matter how good intentioned we are, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. We’re aware of our need for change. We even want to change. But there’s a force trying to stop us called the flesh. That’s why we need an almighty God.

When I can see the hand of God working in you, it persuades me to trust in Him for my soul. God is not about trying harder. He doesn’t want you to make a resolution to be good or turn over a new leaf. The Lord wants to make you a new person.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

1 Peter 1:3 NIV

The term, born again, is not just a catch phrase. It’s not just hype invented by Paul to get your attention. It’s based upon the experience of accepting Christ’s offer to make you a new person.

A vast majority of Christians can honestly say, “I am a different person from the day I received Christ into my life.” That’s persuasive. It’s the power of a changed life. That’s why your testimony is so important.

We serve a God who raises the dead. He’s a God who can give you a new start – born all over again. Let Him do His work in you this day. Let this Sunday truly be Resurrection Sunday for you.

Question: How did Jesus Christ change your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 7, 2023 in Encouragement, Power of God, The Gospel

 

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Boldness and Access

03 Apr
Boldness and Access

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians is important in our understanding of who we are in Christ. In it, he explains many of the rich blessings of this “in Christ reality”.

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 3:12 NIV

This verse talks about the two sides of our approach to God. Paul says that it’s in Him and through faith. Those are the two key necessities.

The “in Christ” part was accomplished on the cross. There was nothing I could do. We’ve been talking about this for the last few posts.

The other issue is faith. That’s on my part. I must trust that the Lord has made me worthy to enter His presence. God’s Word should give me all that I need for this kind of faith.

That’s it. There’s nothing else I need in order to approach the throne of grace. It’s not about good works or becoming a better person. I can’t gain entrance to this holy place based on what I do.

Too often we get down on ourselves. We think we’re not good enough to go before the God of the universe. I’m glad that’s not the case. Jesus Christ did all the work to make me righteous in God’s eyes. I can come before Him without fear.

The Berean Literal Bible translation has this verse a little closer to the original.

…in whom we have boldness and access in confidence, by faith in Him.

Ephesians 3:12 BLB

Boldness and access. Those are two important concepts to lay hold of in approaching God.

The word, boldness, means outspokenness in the original. It means we have the freedom to speak out what’s on our heart, without fear. That’s because, when it comes to God, He already knows what’s in our heart.

The other great word is access. That’s our admission…the freedom to enter someplace. That’s like showing up to the arena with your ticket in hand. There may be guards and security present. But you can walk right in because you have your admission ticket.

Once I have my ticket, I’m not shy about entering the arena. That’s the confidence we should have in Christ Jesus. I know what He paid for my admission to God’s presence.

Christ bought for us the ability to stand clean before our God. There’s now no more guilt, no more condemnation, and no more fear.

When starting a new project or activity, if you know that you’re prepared, there’s a sense of freedom and confidence. No matter how difficult the task is that you’ve chosen, there’s no fear, only excitement and anticipation.

That’s how it is with the Lord. He’s provided us with all that we need to approach the throne of a holy God. Equipped with that knowledge, we can put forth the faith that draws us near to His matchless presence. As His Spirit moves upon ours, we can be free from the worry of shame, humiliation, or judgment.

You can approach the throne of grace with the confidence that comes from knowing that your sins are forgiven and that you’re a new creation in Christ Jesus. Find in His presence the freedom and confidence that God promises to His children. Then take what you receive and live it out in the world around you.

Paul understood the importance of this.

I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

Ephesians 3:13 NIV

Paul is basically telling this church not to worry about him and the trials he’s going through. Paul has the same access to the Father. He can find all the grace he needs to come out victoriously for the glory of God.

Go before God boldly and spend quality time in His presence. That’s where we find all that we need for life and godliness.

Question: How often do you spend time with the Lord?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on April 3, 2023 in Encouragement, Faith, Prayer, Spiritual Walk, Worship

 

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Redeemed

17 Feb
Redeemed

Continuing in Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, we see a revelation of the calling we’ve been given. This is about who we are in Christ.

…to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.

Ephesians 1:6-8 NIV

It’s all about the grace of God. He doesn’t hold back. He gives to us freely and abundantly. Why? Because God sees us in Christ – the One He loves so dearly.

This verse shows us more of our “in Christ” realities. First, we have redemption because of the blood of Christ shed for us. That’s an important concept for us to grasp.

The word, redemption, means to gain back by paying the full ransom that’s demanded. We were sold to the kingdom of Satan by our ancestor, Adam. There was no way for us to gain our freedom on our own.

But God, in His love and justice, took our place as Christ Jesus. The shedding of His innocent blood was the payment needed to set us free. Now we are able to enter the kingdom of God. I can now serve God in a way I could never do on my own.

But, if that was all the Lord accomplished, then I would still have the black cloud of my sin hanging over my head. I would be weighed down by the guilt and shame of it all. Praise God, Christ even dealt with that.

This passage says that our sins are forgiven. That word means to pick up and permanently throw away. I don’t need to think about them or grieve over them anymore. They are done and gone.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

Psalms 103:11-12 NIV

It’s a good feeling to know that God will never bring up my past once it’s under the blood of Christ. We’re the ones who do the remembering and think we’re no good. We need to start seeing ourselves as the Father sees us.

This was all a part of God’s plan for humanity. In His foreknowledge, He knew that Adam would fall short of God’s expectations. So, before the world was ever created, God had a plan to rescue and redeem us back to Himself.

According to the above verses, the Lord did this with all wisdom and understanding. Wisdom is the application of knowledge in order to solve a problem. God knew what would happen, and His wisdom came up with a solution before it ever became an issue.

He also saved us by His understanding. This is a word that means to think deeply about your plans and opinions.

God didn’t just save us as one of many things on His agenda. The whole of His being – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – were all actively striving for the goal of man’s redemption.

Never think that you’re of little importance to God. He loves you with everything He has and is. He thinks more highly of you than you think of yourself. That’s why it’s so important for us to see ourselves the way He does.

Never lose sight of this fact. You’re a part of the body of Christ on earth. You’re a member of the One He loves dearly.

That’s why I like the book of Ephesians so much. You can’t read it without seeing how great the power of God is that’s at work in us.

Question: How do you keep your past failures from affecting your future?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 17, 2023 in Encouragement, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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In Christ Realities

15 Feb
In Christ Realities

We’re continuing our walk through Ephesians. Paul is introducing us to the theme of his letter. He wants us to see the calling and mission of the corporate body of Christ.

In my last post we looked at the fact that the Lord has already stored up all spiritual blessings for us in heavenly realms. Now he moves on with that thought.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Ephesians 1:4a NIV

This one verse contains so much truth. We see God, choosing us before we were even thought of. When He laid down the foundations of the earth, God looked ahead in His foreknowledge. In eternity past, He saw my choice to serve Him and He made a place for me in Christ.

He also looks for me to be holy in His sight. That means to be set apart for God’s personal use. That amazes me.

After all I’ve done to further my own wants and desires. In spite of all my sin. Yet God in His love and mercy, places me in Christ. Now, when He looks at me, He sees the holiness of Christ Jesus Himself.

The word used for in His sight, literally means directly in front of Him. He doesn’t just see me as a part of the crowd. In Christ I’m in His direct line of sight.

But the holiness of Christ is not the only thing He sees. The Lord also sees me as blameless. That means to be without fault, blemish, or flaw. This is me we’re talking about! I don’t know about you, but that description is not even close to how I would describe myself.

But that’s the glory of our “in Christ” reality. Who we are in Christ is not based upon our performance or good works. It’s based upon the work of Christ on the cross.

As good as this is, it doesn’t even end there.

In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

Ephesians 1:4b-6 NIV

Again, in God’s love and God’s foreknowledge, He predestined us to be adopted into His family. One note here – you women shouldn’t get upset about the masculine terms used. It’s actually for your benefit.

In that culture, women were excluded from the family inheritance. The word, adopted, literally means to be placed as a son. So, as a woman, you have been placed as a son in that culture. In other words, Paul is saying that you have the same full inheritance rights as a male in God’s kingdom.

As believers, we’ve all been given the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of sons in the family of God. That’s a lot to live up to. We definitely need the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill this calling.

Why did God choose to do this? It’s important to understand this because it’s a recurring theme throughout the book of Ephesians.

It all comes down to His good pleasure and His will. They are both an important part of what God accomplishes in us.

Most of the time we talk about God’s will. That speaks of what He has determined to do. It’s the Lord’s plan that He’s carrying out in the world, with or without our involvement. I found that it’s always better to be a participant in what He’s doing.

But there’s another side to this. He also adopted us according to His good pleasure. We don’t talk about that as much. It speaks of what satisfies and delights Him.

Whether you realize it or not, it brought joy to the Lord’s heart to adopt you and me. We sometimes get the idea that God carries out his plan with no emotion. That’s simply not the case. We’re created in His image. That means we serve an emotional God.

He takes pleasure in us as His children. My highest goal should be to bring God the most joy that I can. That’s one of the keys of a fulfilled Christian life.

Question: How does your life add to God’s pleasure?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 15, 2023 in Encouragement, Power of God, Sonship, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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What Are You Preparing For?

27 Jan
What Are You Preparing For?

As we continue our journey through the Gospel of Luke, we’ve just witnessed the death of Christ on the cross. He was buried and laid in the tomb for three days. Now we’ll see the best part of the story.

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Luke 24:1-3 NIV

Recently, I noticed this gem in the Scripture for the first time. I was reading my Bible and the words seemed to jump out at me. The women who had followed Jesus’ ministry were very faithful to Him. They worked to support the ministry while He was alive.

When Jesus went to the cross, they were devastated. But they continued to serve Him the best that they could. This verse says that they prepared spices for His body.

Because Jesus’ crucifixion took place so close to the Sabbath, they were not able to go through the normal embalming process when He was placed in the tomb. It was only after the Sabbath was over that they could proceed with it.

This was quite a bit of work on the part of these women. It involved grinding the spices to a fine powder. Then they had to crush a resin in a mortar and pestle. Only after this was done and the spices mixed, could they go to the tomb.

The problem was – all that work was for nothing. Jesus Christ had risen from the dead! Embalming spices were not necessary. The Holy Spirit started to speak to me about our walk with God.

How often do we give up on something – a plan, dream, or ministry – because it doesn’t seem to be working. We just want to put it out of its misery. So we go through all the work of preparing for its demise. Then, to our surprise, God supernaturally brings life to it again.

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'” Then they remembered his words.

Luke 24:4-8 NIV

We have to heed the words of the angels to the women. “Remember how He told you…” That was the key for them, as well as us.

We need to remember the things that God has spoken to us. That’s why we should have a prayer journal of some sort. We should always be able to go back and remind ourselves of the interactions we’ve had with the Lord.

Sometimes it looks like the things we heard will never happen. Circumstances, situations, and setbacks can rob us of our vision. But thankfully, God is not bound by circumstances.

We need to remember that we serve a God who can raise the dead. Never give up on a God-given dream. It may go through a “death cycle.” But God is not bound to how things appear on the surface.

Don’t waste your time preparing for defeat, when the Lord’s plan is for your victory. Let Him have the final say in your situation.

Question: What are some God-given dreams that you’ve laid aside?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 27, 2023 in Encouragement, Faith, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Is It Really Over?

25 Jan
Is It Really Over?

We’re at the final chapters of Luke’s Gospel. Jesus Christ is on the cross, giving His life for our redemption.

It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Luke 23:44-46 NIV

The power that was released because of Christ’s obedience is beyond comprehension. You need to realize that the curtain in the Temple was not a mere piece of cloth. It was made of leather panels stitched together. It was tested by placing it between two teams of oxen. If they couldn’t tear it, then it was ready for the Temple.

In the same way, the power of God is released in us when we walk in obedience to the Holy Spirit. There may be trials along the way. There may even be people who ridicule and tell us we’re wrong to trust God. But, God’s power shines brightest when we’re at our weakest.

The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away. But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

Luke 23:47-49 NIV

This wasn’t something that was done in secret. There were many people surrounding the cross. They watched as He gave His life.

Many of these people had placed their hopes in Christ. Now that dream was gone.

Maybe they were all praying for a miracle as they watched everything taking place. They could have hoped that at the last moment, angels would swoop down and take Jesus off the cross. They watched and waited, but the Messiah stayed on the cross.

Now it was over. There was nothing left to do but to take care of the body. A member of the Sanhedrin stepped up and came out of the shadows.

Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.

Luke 23:50-54 NIV

Joseph was a man who was highly respected. He could have remained as a secret follower of Christ. Instead, he summoned his inner strength, and received the body of Jesus. Joseph did what he could to prepare the body for burial. He even gave the Lord his own tomb that had never been used.

The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Luke 23:55-56 NIV

Once the body was laid to rest, the tomb was sealed. It was finished.

At least that’s what everybody thought. What went through their minds as they tried to sleep that night? It seemed like God had failed them.

It’s like us sometimes. We give God a time limit. We think He needs to answer us by this time. Then, when nothing happens, we get upset at God.

“Lord, I trusted You. Why didn’t You answer my prayer?”

What we miss, sometimes, is that God isn’t bound by our limits and weaknesses. He can bring about His plan even after we think it’s too late.

The people of Scripture thought the same way as us. Jesus is dead and buried in the ground. There’s no way that He can save Israel now.

Understand this. God always has a bigger plan than we can see. It’s never too late for the Lord to turn things around. Put your trust in Him and never waver in your faith.

We know how the story will finish!

Question: When has God answered your prayer even when you thought it was too late?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 25, 2023 in Encouragement, Faith, Power of God, Prayer, The Gospel

 

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Forgiveness Begins

20 Jan
Forgiveness Begins

As we continue through Luke’s Gospel, we’re now at the crucifixion of Christ. There’s so much for us to see in this section of Scripture.

Sometimes we need to be reminded about the simplest concepts. Something as common as forgiveness should be reviewed again and again so that it stays fresh in our hearts. Christ is our greatest example of forgiveness, even while hanging on the cross.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals — one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Luke 23:32-34 NIV

In the past I’ve shared about what forgiveness is. It started out as God’s idea. In the Old Testament, God is the only one who ever forgave. Forgiveness is the end of the penalty for our actions. It cancels the demand for retribution. It also frees us from the guilt.

If you want to read the original series in more detail, click here.

Jesus started the process of our forgiveness even while being humiliated and ignored on the cross. But, how does this process work? Let’s start with King David in 2 Samuel, chapters 11 and 12.

It all began when he stayed home from battle when he should have been with his army. He ended up on his porch, watching his neighbor’s wife as she bathed. David ended up being involved in adultery, murder, and a cover-up.

God sends the prophet, Nathan, to confront David with these sins. David is convicted, repents, and writes a song about his experience. (Psalm 51)

In the first 4 verses of Psalm 51 he used 5 different words for sin. He wanted to make sure he covered everything. That’s how forgiveness starts.

The first step – Sin is committed. There is a failure, a hurt against someone. But the truth is that no matter who gets hurt, there’s one important truth we need to recognize.

Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.

Psalm 51:4 NIV

Think about all that were hurt by David’s actions. There was Bathsheba, Uriah, Joab, Nathan, David’s family, as well as the whole nation of Israel. In spite of all this hurt, David recognized that the sin was against God only.

This is the key. We have such a high opinion of ourselves. The fact is that we were created to be perfect. Anything less offends God. There is no sin we could possibly commit that’s not against God.

There is good news, however. That’s not the end of the story. The next step is that once sin is committed, forgiveness is purchased.

We know from Scripture that without blood there is no forgiveness (Hebrews 9:22). Under the Old Testament Law there had to be a sacrifice. The Good News is that we live after the cross.

Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Matthew 26:27-28 NIV

The blood of Christ paid for our forgiveness once and for all. It was the one perfect payment needed.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.

Ephesians 1:7 NIV

This verse says that we have been loosed off by His blood and our sins are forgiven. Forgiveness is available to all.

But that’s also a problem. It’s available to all, but it’s not yet manifest. That’s what the Good News of Christ is all about. It’s communicating the forgiveness of God to the world.

Each one of us, as believers, should be proclaiming this great Gospel.

Question: How has God’s forgiveness changed your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 20, 2023 in Encouragement, Faith, Ministry, The Gospel

 

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