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Category Archives: The Gospel

Seated in Heaven

13 Mar
Seated in Heaven

In my last post, I started talking about a verse in Ephesians that often gets taken out of context. I want to continue with that verse today.

And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…

Ephesians 2:6 NIV

In my last post I emphasized the need to remain in Christ and be in fellowship with other believers that God has joined us to. This allows us to see the manifestation of our heavenly calling in Christ.

But there’s more to it than that. The above sentence continues into the next verse. That fact is a very import one in understanding what’s being said.

…in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2:7 NIV

God has a purpose for seating me in heaven in Christ. It’s not just so I can get a better view of everything around me.

The Lord wants to do a work through us. There’s something that He wants to make clear to all of heaven and earth, and both the natural and the supernatural realms.

God’s desire is that through us, all of creation will see the excellent riches of His grace. The word, incomparable, in the above verse literally means to throw beyond. It’s an athletic term from the Olympic games.

There might be some competitors who throw the shot put, and they all end up around the same area. Then, someone steps up who throws it far beyond all the rest. That’s what this word means.

God’s grace is far beyond anything we could ask, imagine, or hope for. It’s well beyond anything anyone else has ever done for us. It was a grace that’s totally unexpected.

How does anyone see that grace? According to this verse, it’s found in the kindness that God has shown us in Christ Jesus. Kindness – now that’s an important word in Scripture – but do we fully understand it?

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us…

Titus 3:3-5a NIV

Usually when we’re kind to someone, it’s because we feel they deserve it. We might feel sorry for someone and do a “random act of kindness.”

But that’s not the case with the Lord. His act of kindness was totally undeserved. After a lifetime of disregard for His ways, God saved us by the grace poured out through Christ.

The Lord didn’t ask us to change our ways before He would save us. He took us right where we were at and gave us a new life. That’s beyond anything we could have ever hoped for. His desire is to seat us in Christ to show the universe this great grace that was given to us.

This word, kindness, shows us something of God’s character. It implies that He’s a God who’s very easy to serve. It’s a joy being one of his subjects.

So often we pray The Lord’s Prayer from Scripture. We ask for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven. How can God’s will be done on earth? It’s only as believers show forth the grace and kindness of God, and carry out His will, that we’ll see it take place in our generation.

Question: How has the grace and kindness of God manifested itself in your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 13, 2023 in Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Open Communication

08 Mar
Open Communication

We’re continuing our walk through Ephesians. In this post, we begin chapter 2. Paul starts to explain what Christ has done for us.

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Ephesians 2:1-2 NIV

How did we start out? The truth is that we were far from God. The Scripture says that we were dead to God. That’s an important point.

To really understand what this means, we need to go back to the beginning. Listen to what God told Adam about a certain tree in the garden.

And the LORD God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.”

Genesis 2:16-17 NIV

When I read this passage, I see Adam hearing from God the command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He was warned that if he did ever eat it he would surely, definitely, absolutely, DIE. My problem was this – when Adam ate from the tree, he didn’t die. At least he didn’t die according to our modern society’s concept of death.

What I found was that we don’t understand what God means when He uses the word death. We usually only see it from the earthly standpoint. Just because our body stops functioning does not constitute death to God.

We are told in the letter to the Romans to “Count yourself dead to sin” (Romans 6:11). Paul said that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8) This tells me that when my body stops working, I merely change residences.

To understand the events in the Garden, I need to know what God means when He uses the word death. A careful study of the Word will prove that when God says that someone has died, it means that communication has stopped. There is no longer any capability to interact with that person.

That’s why, in the parable of the Prodigal Son, the father said, “My son was dead, but now is alive.” (Luke 15:24) The prodigal was not physically dead, but the father could not communicate with him. So, to the father, he was dead. That was our condition before Christ.

At that time, we were under the power and rulership of Satan. We were living apart from God’s will and we didn’t care.

All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath.

Ephesians 2:3 NIV

Instead of seeking God’s plan for our lives, we simply followed the desires of our flesh. Whatever it wanted, we did our best to satisfy it. In other words, we lived to please ourselves. Little did we know that the wrath of God was hanging over our future.

Now for the Good News.

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV

God, in His love and mercy, took the initiative. He didn’t wait for us to petition Him. Christ went to the cross to willingly lay down His life for us.

Now, if we accept the work of Jesus Christ, we’re made alive to God. That means the lines of communication have once again opened up in Christ. Because I’m in Christ, the Lord treats me as a son.

That’s the beginning of a new life in Him. The old way of living is gone. You and I are now a new creation because of the work of Jesus Christ.

Question: How well do you make use of this communication with God?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 8, 2023 in Prayer, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Sealed

24 Feb
Sealed

As we continue studying Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, we see more and more of what the Lord has done for us. So far we’ve talked about God’s plan…

…to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Ephesians 1:10b NIV

That’s what I meant when I introduced Ephesians. With this letter, the Holy Spirit is beginning to reveal to the church how we are to work together as the body of Christ on earth. We are one organism.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:11-12 NIV

In this verse, Paul is talking about his own calling and that of the other apostles. They were the first to hope in Christ. This sentence is full of truth concerning the ministry. Let me give you my take on what this says after reading it in the original Greek.

Paul says that, in Christ, they were given an allotment. There’s a portion of the work that was set aside for them to do.

That word, predestined, literally means to mark out beforehand. This means that before Paul was even born, God had marked out the path that He wanted the apostle to follow. Of course, if you know Paul’s story, you know what the Lord had to do to get him on that path.

But the simple fact is that God has a plan. He will accomplish it, with or without my participation. And even beyond that, God will get the glory for what He works out.

So now Paul turns his attention to the Ephesian church.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

He makes it clear that this is not some exclusive club for the spiritually elite. All those who believe on Christ for their salvation are a part of this body. Here we see a detailed description of what happens when we receive Christ.

First, we have to hear the Word of truth – the Good News of salvation. Then, once we hear it, we respond to the faith that arises in our heart. At that point we’ve obtained this great salvation.

But, there’s more to it than that. Something else takes place on a spiritual level. This verse says that we were marked in Him with a seal. That’s actually all one word in the Greek language.

This is because we don’t do much with seals anymore. Back in those days, important people and government officials had special rings called signet rings.

When there was an important paper to release, a signature wasn’t enough. Anybody could pretend to sign something. So, what they would do to make it official, is to let molten wax drip near their signature. Then they would press their unique ring into the wax, leaving a mark that authenticated the letter as theirs.

That’s what the Holy Spirit is to us. He’s the One who makes the salvation official in us. The Holy Spirit in me is a sign to all of heaven and hell that I belong to the kingdom of God. I’m God’s property.

The rest of the passage says that the Holy Spirit is the down payment of the inheritance. Then, in the future, the full result of the purchase will be made manifest. That will happen when Christ returns to claim the full rights to His kingdom.

I can’t think of any place else I’d rather be than in God’s kingdom. I look forward in hope, to the day the Lord returns to claim His own. My desire is that you have that same motivation, driving you to serve Him with your very best.

Question: How important do you see your relationship with the Holy Spirit?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 24, 2023 in Anointing, Faith, Ministry, Return of Christ, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel, Word of God

 

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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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Power to Witness

08 Feb
Power to Witness

This will be my last post from the Gospel of Luke. He ends his view of the life of Christ with some important words. It’s the great “take away” from his Gospel.

“You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Luke 24:48-53 NIV

Here we see the final interaction between the Lord and His disciples. The torch was being passed. It was now up to the apostles to bring the message of repentance and forgiveness to the world.

They were to go out and tell of everything the saw and heard under the Lord’s ministry. That’s a big assignment. They probably felt unprepared for such a task. Just like we do sometimes.

I like the fact that at His departure, Jesus blessed them. But it’s more than that. As He ascended into heaven, Christ continued to bless them. That tells me that the blessing is continual – even to us – as we proclaim the Good News.

However, there’s more that we need to see in this event. Luke gives us more details about it in his second volume – the book of Acts.

On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 1:4-5 NIV

The Lord makes it clear that something had to be done in their lives BEFORE they could go out and evangelize the world. They needed the promised gift of the Holy Spirit. That is the baptism, or immersion, in the Holy Spirit.

We sometimes get confused by this. The truth is that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is different from the infilling of the Holy Spirit. This is evident in the fact that the disciples were already filled with the Spirit before they were baptized (John 20:22). This took place after the resurrection and before the ascension.

Just before He left this earth, Jesus once again made this clear to the disciples.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1:8

This is a part of receiving God’s power into your life. It’s the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit takes up residence within you when you’re saved. But the baptism is the immersion in the Holy Spirit.

I believe that this is one of the most important steps in the Christian walk. It opens us up to the power of God working in us. If we want all that God has for us, then we need to actively seek this baptism.

I know there are some who teach that this is no longer necessary for us as believers. But that doesn’t seem right to me.

The apostles walked with Jesus Christ for over three years. They heard His intimate teachings. They watched His life in public and in private. Yet, even they needed something more than just the teachings of Scripture.

How much more do I need the manifestation of the power of God in my life. Here I am, 2000 years after these things took place. I need the power of God activated in me. That’s what will get the attention of the world. It will draw them to the life changing power of Christ.

Question: How much of God’s power does it take to be a true witness of who Christ is?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 8, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Prayer in the Spirit, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Repentance is Begun

06 Feb
Repentance is Begun

As we near the end of Luke’s Gospel, we see the ministry of Christ after the resurrection. This was an important part of His work on earth.

We sometimes get the impression that the story of Jesus is all about the resurrection. As important as that is, it’s only a part of the whole picture of Christ. The work of the Lord definitely culminated when He rose from the dead. But we need to understand the entire revelation of God’s plan.

He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Luke 24:46-47 NIV

The whole work of Christ on the cross was needed to bring us repentance and the forgiveness of sin. Do we really understand what this means? Or have we watered this down in our desire to get on with what we want to accomplish with our lives? I need to know how the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord affects me.

The first word that catches my attention here is repentance. In the vocabulary of our present society it simply means to say, “I’m sorry.” Many times we throw out this phrase and never even mean it. We only want to placate the one we’re apologizing to.

Biblical repentance is a whole other matter. It’s about desiring a change of direction in your life. I don’t like where I’m at. I have all this baggage that I’m carrying with me – the guilt and regrets of the past. It’s like I’m stuck with a heavy backpack full of junk that I’d just like to shake off.

The problem is that this backpack is locked onto me. I can’t shake it. I’ve tried so many times to remove it in the past but nothing works. I want a new life. This is the spirit of repentance. It’s all about the desire to change.

The next word we have a bit of trouble with is forgiveness. We read into it the definitions given to us by our society. When we talk about repentance and forgiveness the truth gets lost in our preconceived ideas.

We do something wrong and say, “I’m sorry.”

The person we wronged replies, “Don’t worry about it. I’m okay with you now.”

Our misunderstanding comes from the fallacy that sin is only evil. The fact is that sin means that we’ve missed the mark of God’s perfect will. Of course, evil falls into that category. But there are other things that are sin as well. Not doing the good work that the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do is a form of sin. Sin is only evil when it’s done on purpose.

When we talk about forgiveness, we’re not talking about God saying to us, “I’m okay with you now. Try harder next time.”

The word, forgive, in the Bible literally means to pick up and throw away. God’s work of forgiveness is the total removal of the sin from our lives. That’s why a true understanding of repentance is so important. If all you want is to “make God happy with you,” then you’re not really repenting. True repentance is the desire for true forgiveness – the removal of sin and restoration to purity in Christ.

It’s like what the trash man does at our curbside every week. He shows up and removes our trash completely. When he’s done his work, you never see that trash again. Think about what life would be like if he took it back to your house the next week just to remind you what you threw away.

The blessing of serving our God is that the removal of sin is permanent.

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

This is what the cross and the resurrection are all about.

Question: How does a repentant heart today change how you live tomorrow?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 6, 2023 in Faith, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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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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Save Yourself?

23 Jan
Save Yourself?

We’re continuing through the Gospel of Luke. We’re now seeing Christ on the cross and all that means to us. Listen as the crowd mocks Him.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”

The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”

There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

Luke 23:35-39 NIV

As emotionally charged as this scene is, there’s something for us to take note of. There’s an overall theme of what’s being said to the Lord. “Save yourself!”

I think that we lose sight of this truth sometimes. The will of God often goes against the natural tendencies of our humanity.

The world and even our own flesh will cry out for us to save ourselves. Surely there must be something we can do to get out of the mess we find ourselves in. However, that’s carnal thinking.

Jesus prepared the disciples for what His attitude would be on the cross.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.

Matthew 16:24-25 NIV

There was a work that needed to be done. The only possible way was by means of the cross. There was no accomplishing our salvation and at the same time saving Himself. Jesus totally surrendered to the will of the Father.

We are not called to anything less. The road that we walk, many times, requires us to deny ourselves for the sake of others. Our flesh may be insisting that we save ourselves. But that’s not the example that was laid down for us.

Even in His pain and suffering, there was a work that Christ needed to be doing for those around Him. There was one more act of compassion that had to be done before His death.

But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:40-43 NIV

I can’t even fathom the love of the Lord at this point. My attitude would have been a lot different.

“Really, Father? I’m dying here. Do you really expect me to minister to this man in my condition?”

I’m so glad that Christ lived above our petty self-centeredness. His life was never about Himself, but always for the betterment of others.

That’s the key to a fulfilled life in Christ. We must accurately portray who He is through our daily lives.

But we’ll never be able to live up to this in our own strength and ability. The only way to accomplish such a lifestyle is through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

That’s why we need to spend quality time in the Lord’s presence. It’s only as He imparts His love, boldness, and strength, that we can hope to minister as Jesus did. Let the Lord’s example motivate you to seek His face for the days ahead.

Question: How much of the Lord’s compassion do you see in your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 23, 2023 in Faith, Ministry, Prayer, Spiritual Walk, 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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