Beneath the Cross of Jesus

By Mark Largen

The cross of Jesus Christ stands at the center of human history, a place of suffering yet also a place of redemption.  As Jesus hung on that cruel wood, abandoned by most of His disciples, only a few devout women and the Apostle John remained by His side.  His enemies mocked Him, soldiers gambled for His garments, and the crowds passed by without care.  It was a place of rejection, yet it became the place where love and sacrifice met in their fullest expression.

Golgotha, the “Place of the Skull,” was not an inviting place.  It was a location of execution for criminals, a place of tombs.  His loved ones watched in agony as their Lord suffered.  His enemies perhaps experienced a degree of satisfaction in seeing Him crucified.

Yet, for Christians, it has become a place of refuge.  Beneath the cross, we find shelter in Christ’s sacrifice.  His suffering brought forgiveness, and His death gave birth to new life.

The world sees the cross as foolishness, but for those being saved, it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).  Jesus Himself called His followers to take up their own crosses—to deny themselves, to lose their lives for His sake, and in doing so, to find true life (Matthew 16:24-27).

The Apostle Paul echoed this truth when he declared, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:14).  The cross is not merely a historical event but a daily reality for those who follow Christ.  It is the place where pride dies, sin is forgiven, and hope is restored.

As the hymn so beautifully says:

“I take, O cross, thy shadow for my abiding place;

I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of His face;

Content to let the world go by, to know no gain or loss;

My sinful self my only shame, my glory all the cross.”

May we, like those faithful few at Calvary, remain near the cross—not as spectators, but as those who embrace its message and carry it into the world.

Blessings Through the Blood of Jesus

By Steve Gwin

When Jesus established the memorial of His death, He said, as recorded in 1 Corinthians 11:25, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.”  What a wonderful blessing it is that through the blood of Jesus we have received a new and better covenant in which God has promised to remember our sins no more (Hebrews 8:8-12).

The Scriptures declare other blessings for believers through Jesus’ blood on the cross:

1. Justification: Romans 5:9 states, “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.”  To be justified means to be declared innocent.  Through Jesus’ sacrifice, believers are seen as innocent before God, despite past transgressions.

2. Redemption: Ephesians 1:7 reveals, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.”  Redemption implies being freed from captivity through the payment of a ransom.  Our sins held us captive, and there was nothing we could do to free ourselves.  Jesus’ blood liberates believers from the bondage of sin, granting freedom and forgiveness.

3. Nearness to God: Ephesians 2:13 states, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”  Our sins had resulted in us “having no hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).  Christ’s blood allows believers to have a close relationship with God.

3. Reconciliation: Colossians 1:20 explains, “and through him to reconcile to himself all things… making peace by the blood of his cross.”  Reconciliation means the restoring of harmony between us and God, allowing believers to experience divine peace.

4. Clear Conscience: Hebrews 9:14 assures, “how much more will the blood of Christ… purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”  Jesus’ blood removes the heavy burden of a guilty conscience and enables wholehearted service to God.

5. Cleansing from all sin: 1 John 1:7 promises, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light… the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”  Christ’s blood gives us the assurance that we need not worry about eternity if we will repent of our sins because Jesus’ blood can cleanse us from all sin.

In summary, the blood of Jesus establishes a new and better covenant, justifies us, redeems us, reconciles us to God, purifies our conscience, and cleanses us from all sin.  These blessings are profound gifts that transform our relationship with God as well as our lives.

Let us continually give thanks for Jesus’ blood which provides us with these immeasurable blessings.

Psalm 107: A Celebration of God’s Steadfast Love

By Boyd Hurst

Psalm 107 beautifully captures the unchanging love and mercy of God through vivid stories of deliverance.  It begins with a universal call to gratitude: "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 107:1).  The psalm then highlights four scenarios where individuals cried out to God and were rescued, illustrating His faithfulness.

The Four Stories of Redemption:

1. Wanderers in the Desert (Psalm 107:4-9):  Lost and desperate, they found no city to dwell in, hungering and thirsting until they cried out, "Lord, help!" God led them to safety and satisfied their longing souls with goodness.

2. Rebels in Chains (Psalm 107:10-16):  Those who rejected God’s counsel suffered affliction, they were chained and overwhelmed.  When they cried for help, God shattered their chains, delivering them from the shadow of death.

3. The Foolish and Sick (Psalm 107:17-22):  Stricken by their own sins and near death, they cried out to the Lord.  He sent His word to heal and rescue them, calling them to rejoice and offer thanksgiving.

4. Seafarers in the Storm (Psalm 107:23-32):  Sailors facing a storm's fury were at their wits' end.  They too cried out, and God calmed the sea, guiding them to a safe harbor.

A Call to Reflect:

Psalm 107 emphasizes the power of crying out to God in times of trouble.  Each rescued group was called to give thanks for His goodness and wondrous works.  The psalm also emphasizes how God blesses the righteous and condemns the wicked.  It ends with a profound challenge: "Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the lovingkindness of the Lord" (Psalm 107:43).

This psalm reminds us that no matter the situation, God's mercy is always near, ready to restore and renew those who turn to Him.  Let us give thanks for His enduring love!

Redemption

By Boyd Hurst

“Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.”  We often sing of this thing called redemption, but I wonder if we give it serious thought as to its meaning and significance for the Christian.  I would like for us to consider the meaning of this term as used in scripture in the hope that it will draw us closer to the Lord, especially as we partake of the memorial feast each first day of the week.

The New Testament uses the idea of redemption in at least 3 ways:

• There is a Redeemer, Jesus Christ, who gave His life as a sacrifice for sin.
• We are able to have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins
• The faithful believers will have eternal redemption in heaven, freed from the presence and power of sin and the corruption of the body at His second coming.

There are two words translated “redeem” in the New Testament.  One refers to the price paid for our redemption with a view to the actual redemption.  We see this in Gal. 3:13: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us…”  Also, in Gal. 4:5 speaking of Christ, He came ”to redeem those who were under the Law.”  Of course, that occurred when Jesus, our Redeemer, was crucified.  The second word translated “redeem” refers to the actual redemption.  An example is Titus 2:14 where speaking of Christ, it says “that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people.”

The blessing of redemption in Christ cannot be minimized, and it should be uppermost in our minds.  We see this idea strengthened in the following verses:

• Heb. 9:12 teaches that redemption brings deliverance through His death from the guilt and power of sin.
• Eph. 1:7 and Col. 1:14 teaches that it provides forgiveness of sins including both a liberation from the doom of sin and the introduction to a life of liberty, a newness of life as mentioned in Rom. 6:4.
• Heb. 10:10-14 explains that we have redemption not just from the consequences of sin, as under the Law, but from the sins themselves.

Eternal redemption through Christ provides deliverance from the presence and power of sin as well as bondage of the body to corruption, Rom. 8:23.

What a wonderful blessing of redemption we have through the sacrifice of Jesus that was manifested by His love for us.  We should never cease to lift Him up in praise and honor and glory.

“Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it.  Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb.  Redeemed thru His infinite mercy.  His child and forever I am.”