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Category Archives: The Gospel

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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Judge for Yourself

13 Jan
Judge for Yourself

As we continue through Luke’s Gospel, we’re now looking at the trial of Jesus before the Sanhedrin. That’s the ruling body of elders in Israel.

At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and Jesus was led before them. “If you are the Christ,” they said, “tell us.”

Jesus answered, “If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”

He replied, “You are right in saying I am.”

Then they said, “Why do we need any more testimony? We have heard it from his own lips.”

Luke 22:66-71 NIV

This is quite an applicable portion of Scripture. It contains what I call the “Jesus Dilemma”. It was faced by the religious leaders of Israel as well as the unbelieving world of today.

The biggest part of the problem is faith. These were a group of men who saw the works of the Lord. They heard His teachings and felt the power of His wisdom. The life of Christ was above reproach – there was no wrong-doing that they could accuse Him of.

However, they had already rejected the Lord before the trial ever started. They were simply looking for a way to put Him to death.

That happens a lot in today’s society. Many times, people say that they want to talk to us about Jesus Christ or the teachings of Scripture. However, the reality is that they’ve already made up their minds to reject it no matter what we say.

It’s almost like the world views Christians the same way they view time-share salesmen. They listen politely, but they already have their “no” ready and waiting for the end of the conversation.

I love how the Lord gets right to the center of the issue. It’s not that clear in this English translation, so I’ll try to explain what was said.

The first thing Jesus told the leadership of Israel was, “If I told you who I am, you wouldn’t believe me.” That’s where faith comes in.

People see the difference in our lives. They see the blessing and favor of God on us. They ask us to explain what makes the difference. But, when we tell them how the Lord Jesus has changed our lives, suddenly the walls go up.

They start getting defensive. They tell us that the blessings of God are merely coincidences that could happen to anyone. They’ve decided from the start, not to believe.

There’s a second issue as well. Literally, Jesus said, “If I asked you, then you not think long and hard about your decision.” That’s because the word for answer, is a word that means to make a decision based upon all of the facts before you.

That’s what I think is a major problem in today’s society. People don’t want discernment and understanding. They simply want explanations that agree with what they already want to believe. They don’t want to make a personal judgment about who Jesus Christ is.

We have a generation that doesn’t want to think deeply about anything. That’s why we enjoy Google and Facebook. These sites record what we view, determine what we like, and spoon feed us more of the same.

Personally, I want to be challenged. Tell me why you think I’m missing it. It strengthens my faith. Or it shows me areas in which I need to change. In either case, I experience growth.

The worst-case scenario is for me to decide what I want to believe, then only listen to those who agree with me. That’s a sure road to failure.

I don’t follow Jesus Christ by blind faith. He has proved Himself faithful to me over and over again. My trust in the Lord is based upon a deep understanding of Him and His ways.

My prayer is that you will know Jesus Christ in the fullness of who He is. Then your life will reflect the glory of God.

Question: Why do you think that many in the world reject the knowledge of Jesus Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 13, 2023 in Faith, Israel, The Gospel

 

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Christ in Our Place

11 Jan
Christ in Our Place

We are now in the Gospel of Luke, looking at the trial, arrest, and death of Jesus Christ. There’s so much that took place here. As believers, we need to understand what the Lord went through for us.

The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to him.

Luke 22:63-65 NIV

Whether you know it or not, this is a very important verse to us. It’s the point at which the Lord begins to pay for all the riches of His grace.

There are three things that happen here. They are spiritual battles that Jesus came through victoriously on our behalf. The first is the one that most preachers talk about.

He was wounded for our healing. This verse says that they began beating Him. That word means to strike hard enough to leave a mark. It could cause bleeding or bruising.

In any case, the Lord took that pain for us. Isaiah prophesied that this was for our healing.

…by his wounds we are healed.

Isaiah 53:5b NIV

So many people don’t want to believe that Christ paid for our physical healing. However, this Hebrew word speak of a physical cure. The fact is that throughout Scripture, we are told that we serve a God who heals our bodies.

It’s at this point in His struggle, that Jesus paid the price for our healing. Now it’s up to us to trust Him as our Healer. But, there was more going on in this verse from Luke.

He was mocked to take away our shame. Many times, our past is a place of shame and disgrace. The Lord took that all upon Himself so that we no longer need to bear it. Isaiah explains this.

I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

Isaiah 50:6b-7 NIV

Don’t allow the devil to shame you by bringing up your past. It’s all buried under the blood of Christ. We’ve been delivered from the shame and disgrace of our past because of Jesus’ victory.

As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Romans 10:11 NIV

There’s so much more that Jesus Christ accomplished for us. As we look at the verse in Luke, there’s one more thing I want to explain.

He was blasphemed so that we would know the power of His name. Every power in heaven and on earth bows before the name of Jesus Christ. The amazing thing is, that we have been given the authority to use that name.

Again, the prophet Isaiah looked forward to the day when this would happen.

“And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed. Therefore my people will know my name; therefore in that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I.”

Isaiah 52:5b-6 NIV

Those of us who are in Christ have been called by that name that is above every other name. Essentially, we’ve been given power of attorney to walk in that name.

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:17 NIV

This means so much more than simply tacking on “in Jesus’ name” at the end of our prayers. It means that we are to walk and minister just as Jesus did. We are now taking His place on earth through the power of His Holy Spirit. This is a great responsibility.

There’s so much that Jesus accomplished for us. We may never know all the battles that were won from the Lord’s arrest to His crucifixion. But what I do know is that He paid for everything I’ll ever need.

Question: How well have you applied the Lord’s grace to your life?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 11, 2023 in Faith, God's Provision, Healing, Power of God, The Gospel

 

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