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139 The Gospel: I am the Bread of Life!
The Pastor’s Call:
Hello and welcome back to PVN; before we go on with today’s topic, “Jesus is the Bread of Life”, I want to tell you about new material available on my website; The Pastor’s Call.” This eight-part series is produced by World MAP. Let me quote the lead into the series.
“The Pastor’s Call is an incredible teaching about one’s ‘call to ministry’. Dr. Vic Torres explains Who calls you, the challenges involved, understanding what the “work of ministry” truly is and isn’t, how essential the Holy Spirit is, and the goal and true purpose for those that are being called to be in ministry.”
I hope you will take a look at it.
Gospel vs. Discipleship
As we continue to look at the differences between the gospel and discipleship, we realize that the lines between the two are easily blurred. So let us refocus on those differences as a reminder the gospel is the “good news” about what Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary. Jesus accomplished the following: our salvation which means that we are part of the Kingdom of God now, we have access to heaven now, and we will experience eternal life with Jesus in the future. In comparison, discipleship is about how to live our lives now so that God can work through us to touch a lost and dying world. Show More
We are spiritually born-again through the gospel message and have the Holy Spirit living in us. Having the Holy Spirit means that we have access to the authority and power of the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that enables us to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Our worldview or perspective in life is now through the eyes of Jesus, our Lord, and Savior. We no longer live for ourselves but now live for Jesus, and the evidence of that new life is that we demonstrate love for others.
Our spiritual citizenship is heaven which is much more important than our physical citizenship because that which is physical or temporal will pass away, but that which is spiritual is eternal.
“I Am”
Today we will look at the phrase Jesus used to describe himself; he said, “I am the bread of life!” The term I am the bread of life is the first of seven “I am” statements found uniquely in the gospel of John.
The significance of the phrase “I am” can be found in the book of Exodus when God revealed himself to Moses in the burning bush encounter. The Lord gave Moses his assignment to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. Moses protested at first because he looked at his own insignificance. It is then the Lord promised that he would be with Moses and that the Israelites would believe that Moses was sent by God. Exodus 3:14, “And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.” When the Lord said, “I am,” He was saying, “I am” the ever-existent one, meaning the Lord has no beginning and no end. So, when Jesus said that “I am the bread of life,” He was indicating that He was the Christ or Messiah. The Son of God!
The Seven “I am” statements of Jesus
- “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35, 41, 48, 51) As bread sustains physical life, so Christ offers and sustains spiritual life.
- “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12) To a world lost in darkness, Christ offers Himself as a guide.
- “I am the door of the sheep.” (John 10:7,9) Jesus protects His followers as shepherds watch over their flocks from predators.
- “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25) Death is not the final word for those in Christ.
- “I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11, 14) Jesus is committed to caring and watching over those who are His.
- “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6) Jesus is the source of all truth and knowledge about God.
- “I am the true vine.” (John 15:1, 5) By attaching ourselves to Christ, we enable His life to flow in and through us. Then we cannot help but bear fruit that will honor the Father.
I am the bread of life!
So, what does Jesus mean when he says, “I am the Bread of Life?” Well, what Jesus means is that we will never be spiritually satisfied until we know Him. Bread has always represented the “staff of life,” in other words, that nourishment necessary for life. Recall that bread was a gift from God when the Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. The Manna which fell from heaven was the sustenance and provision which was converted to bread.
In the Old Testament, bread, the staff of life, was used in the worship of God, mainly in the tabernacle and then later in the temple. The bread symbolized the “I am” or eternal presence of God (Exodus 25:30, Leviticus 24:5 – 9). The Manna or bread was so important that an Omer was placed inside the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 16:32 – 34).
The bread used for our present-day communion signifies the body of Jesus, which was broken for us, and he took on all our sin, iniquity, rebellion, disease, grief, and shame. The wine or grape juice represents His blood, which was shed to establish a new covenant (this was covered in the last post). It brought the forgiveness of sins and set us apart for holiness or for His purposes.
The bread also symbolizes the Word of God, which is spiritual food us as we read God’s word, the Bible.
Let’s set the stage for Jesus’ statement of “I am the Bread of Life.”
John chapter 6 starts with the feeding of the 5000 with five barley loaves and three fishes and ends up with 12 baskets of leftovers. What a miracle that was! As a side note, Jesus asked the disciples to feed the multitude of people as a test of their faith in Him. How often do we face tests or difficulties of faith in our everyday lives?
That evening the disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee without Jesus. Jesus came later, walking on the sea to the disciples’ amazement. When the 5000 who were fed the loaves and fishes realized where Jesus had gone, they followed him across the sea.
Now you have to realize that Jesus knew that many of the disciples that followed him across the sea of Galilee followed him simply looking for more free food. They weren’t looking for spiritual food; they were looking for bread to eat. That’s why Jesus said in John 6:26, “Most assuredly I say to you, you seek me not because you saw the signs, but because you ate the loaves and were filled.” Jesus then says, “do not labor for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to everlasting life which the son of man will give you because God the Father has set his seal on him.”
The crowd then responds by saying, “What shall we do that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God that you believe in him whom He sent.” Then the followers asked for proof or signs that Jesus is from God. Verse 30, “What signs will you perform then that we may see it and believe you what works will you do they go on to say our fathers ate the manna in the desert as it is written he gave them bread from heaven to eat.” Jesus then corrects them, and he says, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven but my father gives you true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to this world.”
Then the crowd shouts, “Lord, give us this bread always.” In verse 35, Jesus says, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” That’s wonderful news. Knowing that Jesus will never turn his back on us.
Jesus then goes on in verse 38, “For I have come down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of Him who sent me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent me that of all He has given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up on the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent me that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
So, you may ask, what is the point of this episode in Jesus’ life? It should be clear that many come to Christ looking for what Jesus could provide and missed who Jesus was. He is God in the flesh, and those who come to Him, with that understanding, have the most important gift, eternal life or what is commonly referred to as salvation. While all the promises of God for hope, health, and wholeness are important, nothing is more important than knowing that after this life on earth is over, we pass on to be with Jesus in Heaven forever.
Many walk away from Jesus.
Let’s go a little further in John 6. Many of the early followers of Jesus had a problem with what Jesus said about Himself: He was the Bread of Life. However, Jesus does not apologize or try to soften the truth! While in the Jewish Synagogue, He states, 53, “Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the Manna and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
Many of His early disciples could not accept these strong and challenging words. They viewed these words in a literal sense when in fact, Jesus was speaking in a symbolic sense, very much like a parable. Have you ever heard the expression, “You are what you eat”? The proverbial saying ‘You are what you eat is the notion that to be fit and healthy, you need to eat good food. In the same sense, Jesus was saying that to be spiritually healthy; you need to have Jesus in you.
This reminds me of the encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus in John 3.3 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Then Nicodemus answered Jesus and said, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”Nicodemus understood Jesus’ words literally instead of understanding that Jesus was speaking about being spiritually born again.
In the same way many misunderstood Jesus’ meaning and turned away from the Lord. John 6:66, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 “Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?” 68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Here you see that Peter and the apostles understood Jesus was speaking in spiritual terms.
Do You Know Him?
Knowing Jesus in a true sense is not through human logic but by personal revelation. Jesus made this clear when the Apostle Peter rightly recognized Him as the Christ, the Son of God, in Matthew 16:13. “When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”
There is a big difference between knowing about Jesus and having a personal relationship with Jesus. Knowing Jesus means that you have had a personal revelation that Jesus is the Christ or Messiah, and having this knowledge means that you have taken of the “Bread of Life”, and He lives in you.
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138 The Gospel: The Lamb of God!
The Gospel is the “Good News” that has the potential to change a life and change a person’s eternal destination. When we talk about the Gospel, we are talking about Jesus and what He has done and continues to do in the life of a Believer. When we share, teach, or preach about Jesus, our focus should be on the Kingdom, the Cross, the Blood, and the Name of Jesus. There is power and authority in these terms that identify Jesus Christ. Today we will be looking at another Gospel term, “The Lamb of God”!Show More
Old Testament means of reconciling with God.
We see very clearly the practice of making offerings or sacrifices as a means of reconciliation with God in the Old Testament. These sacrifices had specific purposes and consisted of two types of sacrifices, burnt offerings, and grain offerings. The burnt offerings were sacrifices of animals and often involved lambs; by the way the term lamb can mean a lamb or a goat in the Bible.
Prior to the covenant the Lord made with the Israelites through Moses, which became known as the Mosaic Covenant or the Law, most pagan peoples worshiped pagan gods, and their worship was often a means of appeasement. By appeasement, I mean worship and sacrifices were made to prevent the capricious gods from becoming angry and punishing the people. Sacrifices were also made to make up for sins committed in the eyes of heathen gods. Heathens would also try to manipulate their gods with sacrifices for favor.
To some pagan religions, the greatest sacrifice was human sacrifice, but they also sacrificed various animals, including lambs. Often their worship and obedience were motivated by fear and not love for the pagan gods.
The Law
With the covenant of the Law (Moses), the Lord established an intricate system of sacrifices and offerings. All the sacrifices and offerings were not made as appeasement to hold back an angry God but as an effort to reconcile with the Lord when an individual or group strayed from the covenant. These atoning sacrifices were the means by which God would deal with the Israelites’ sin and provide a reliable system the Israelites could use to maintain their proper relationship with God when they did sin. Again, it is so important to recognize that these animal sacrifices were not offered by the Israelites hoping to appease a volatile and angry God.
The book of Leviticus describes several offerings that the Lord commanded the people of Israel to perform using a lamb as a burnt offering; here are some important examples:
Peace Offering, Leviticus 3. The Peace Offering had three possible purposes.
- Thankfulness for the Lord’s provision and protection.
- Votive offering; a votive offering is when a person or group of people make a vow; they make a sacrifice to show their commitment to fulfill the vow to the Lord.
- A Peace offering could also be a spontaneous expression of joy and worship of the Lord.
Sin Offering, Leviticus 4. Remember, the Hebrew Law or Mosaic Law consisted of the first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). These five books were called the Torah. In these five books are instruction on how to approach God, how to worship Him, how to interact with fellow Jews and how to interact with “strangers” or non-Jews. As you can imagine, there were many rules and regulations alongside the Ten Commandments. Some calculate 613 of these commandments.
The Sin Offering was used when one of these laws was unintentionally broken.
Trespass or Guilt offering, Leviticus 5. The trespass or guilt offering was required when a person unintentionally violated some of the Lord’s holy things. “Holy things” would normally refer to things dedicated to the Lord, anything from the sanctuary itself to the portion of the offerings normally reserved for the priests.
The trespass offering was also brought when someone committed a violation against another person. In this case, the offender had to repay damages in addition to making the animal sacrifice.
The trespass or guilt offering is primarily about making reparations or restitution, and it demonstrates the seriousness of violations against God (even accidental ones) and against one’s fellow man.
The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12 & 13). When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, the Lord sent Moses as a mediator to deliver them from slavery. The Pharoah of Egypt was reluctant to let them go free. So, the Lord sent ten plagues to convince Pharoah to let the people go. Through the plagues, the Lord showed that He was far greater than all the Egyptian gods put together. The final plague was the death of every first-born male in Egypt, and this included animals as well. However, God provided an avenue of escape from this tragedy to the Israelites and anyone else who would obey the Lord.
The Lord instructed the Israelites to kill a lamb, take its blood, and paint it on the lintel and doorposts of every home. When the Angel of death came to fulfill God’s promise, it “passed over” every home marked by a lamb’s blood. It was the blood of the Passover Lamb that protected the Israelites from the death angel who passed over all of Egypt and killed all the first-born males in the land.
The Scapegoat Leviticus 16:8, “Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the LORD and the other lot for the Scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the LORD’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. 10 But the goat on which the lot fell to be the Scapegoat shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the Scapegoat into the wilderness.”
On the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would bring two goats. One goat was sacrificed as a burnt Sin Offering unto the Lord. The other goat was set aside as the “Scapegoat”. The high Priest would lay hands on the head of the goat and transfer all the sins of Israel upon it, then release it into the wilderness. The idea is that the Scapegoat carried the sins of Israel away never to return. Thus, Israel atoned for its sins.
New Testament means of reconciling with God.
One glorious offering of Jesus, the Son of God, once and for all who would believe in Him. The book of Hebrews was written for Jewish Christians and therefore written from a Jewish perspective. The author of the book of Hebrews identified Jesus as the great High Priest (Hebrews 9:11) who replaced the system of animal sacrifices with a once-for-all sacrifice of Himself (Hebrews 9:12-28). In the light of Christ’s full and final offering for sin, Paul urged Christians to “present your bodies a living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1).
When John the Baptist first saw Jesus approaching him, he prophetically proclaimed, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” This is testified in all four Gospels (John 1:29, Matthew 3:13, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22). In the book of Revelations, the term Lamb of God is used 24 times to describe Jesus.
The Old Testament Law, which was for the Jews, was replaced by the New Covenant Grace, which was for all, Jews, Gentiles, Slave, and Free, man and woman. The Old Covenant Law, which is what the Old Testament Bible reveals, is but a shadow of the real found in Jesus Christ and the New Covenant found in the New Testament Bible.
The New Covenant is called “new” in contrast to the “Old Covenant” or the Mosaic Covenant (Jeremiah 31:32; Hebrews 8:6-13). The new replaces the old because the old Mosaic Covenant was limited. The Old Covenant could only point to the things that the New Covenant fulfilled; the child of God living a victorious life consistent with God’s righteous commands and character.
The New Covenant fulfilled (consummated, completed) all previous covenant revelations. It also established something infinitely greater, a Savior! Thus, it exceeded all previous covenants. All that was promised by God, all that had been revealed in the previous covenants by prophetic foreshadows, was now completed, and embodied in the Person of Jesus Christ. There was much that the prior covenants could not do or were inadequate to perform. The prior covenants could not:
- Open a way of salvation as a gift of grace to all people.
- Change a person’s heart and nature.
- Give every recipient of God’s salvation the power, ability, and gifting, through the Holy Spirit. That wouldenable them to lovingly obey God, be transformed from within, and live victoriously.
All that the prior covenants could not accomplish is now fully realized in the New Covenant. It is all available through Jesus Christ and the person of the Holy Spirit now living within every believer!
Jesus, by His death and resurrection, was the Lamb of God so that He alone would become the Peace Offering, the Sin Offering, the Trespass or Guilt offering, and the Scapegoat for everyone who would put their trust in Him. Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
In closing let me remind you of a story about Abraham, the father of faith.
God the Father gave us a type, or a shadow of what Jesus would do when in the Old Testament Abraham was told by the Lord to take his son, Isaac, and sacrifice him on the Mountains of Moriah. Genesis 22:2, “Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
Genesis 22:7, “Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” To which Abraham responded, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So, the two of them went together.
Here is the wonderful truth about this episode of Abraham and Isaac, the Lord did provide a sacrifice at just the right moment. We can see this starting in Genesis 22:11, “But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham! “So he said, “Here I am.”12 And He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me.”13 Then Abraham lifted his eyes and looked, and there behind him was a ram caught in a thicket by its horns. So, Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up for a burnt offering instead of his son.”
Jesus is your Lamb of God and He offered Himself so that you would have eternal life and live your life here on earth as a son of the Most High. God has demonstrated His great love for you, by giving His own Son so that you might have life and life more abundantly. All the Lord expects from you is to learn how to walk with Jesus by learning to be led by His Holy Spirit. Walking in truth and righteousness. Jesus has fulfilled all the Old Testament sacrifices, offerings, and prophecies. All that the Lord expects from you is found in Romans 12:1-2, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
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137 The Gospel: The Name!
Over the last several posts I have been making a distinction between the Gospel (salvation) and Christianity (discipleship). The Gospel is about what Jesus has done; Christianity is the response of a born-again believer to what Jesus has done. The message of the Gospel is what turns a heart towards the Lord! Trying to preach or teach how to live as a Christian to people who have not been converted or born-again simply makes people religious and dutiful, but not born-again. Remember, Jesus said in John 14, “no one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus also told Nicodemus, in John 3, that one must be born-again to see and enter the Kingdom of God! As born-again Christians, our responsibility is to first “know Jesus and then make Him known!”Show More
In previous messages, I’ve talked about the Gospel as the Kingdom, the Cross, and the Blood. Jesus came preaching the Kingdom of God on earth residing in the hearts of true believers. The Cross is a powerful symbol and reality of the forgiveness available to all sinners. The Blood is the seal and symbol of the New Covenant made available to those who believe. Today I will look at the Gospel in terms of the “Name of Jesus”!
Our Identity is in Him.
The name of Jesus is about the authority (exousia, Gk.) and power (dynamis, Gk.), these two terms are often interchanged in the New Testament. As Believers, we have, by faith, the right to use Jesus’ authority and power against spiritual forces of darkness! The name of Jesus is not a “magic spell” or enchantment to ward off evil but is used as a proclamation that, as believers, we have the authority and power to speak and act as representatives of Jesus. We also believe that we are Ambassadors of Christ (2Corinthins 5:20) and therefore act as His representative. Jesus has given us authority to use His Name to represent Him and do what He would do on earth. Using the “Name of Jesus” means that we are speaking for and wielding the power and authority of our King, King Jesus (Luke 9:1, 10:19)! In using the name of Jesus, we are identifying with Jesus Himself, that we belong to Him, and He belongs to us! We are not ashamed to name Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
We use that authority to further the Kingdom of God, not our own personal desires. Too often Believers will try to use the Name of Jesus to further their own kingdom. We are to use the Name of Jesus to seek His face not just His hands or provision. If you have Him, you have everything you will ever need!
While all power and authority have been given to you, that authority and power are only effective when you believe! Remember Hebrews 11:1 and 11:6
Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is needed when there is no physical evidence. If you can see it, you don’t need faith!
Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”
Someone once said, “Faith is impossible unless the will of God is known!” How do we know the will of God? We learn through His will through His Word, the Bible, and through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul’s proclamation of Jesus.
Philippians 2: 9, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name, which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
The demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit, in the Believer, is evident in the book of Acts. The book of Acts is a model of the early church which all Believers have available to them. Therefore, it makes sense that the phrase “the Name of Jesus” should be so prominent in this book.
Examples of the Name of Jesus being used in the book of Acts.
Remember the Book of Acts represents the beginning of the Christian Church, in Acts Jesus ascends to heaven and the Holy Spirit descends on the Believers. So, it is not surprising that the early Christians understood the significance of ministering in the Name of Jesus!
1. Peter preaches the Gospel for the first time, three thousand accepted Jesus Christ…
Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
2. Peter preaches the Gospel to an individual and heals the lame man…
Acts 3:6, “Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”
3. Peter preaches the Gospel to the Sanhedrin
Acts 4:10 10, “let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.”
4. The Name of Jesus Forbidden
Acts 4:13 & 18, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. So, they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.”
5. The Apostles are arrested for preaching the Gospel…
Acts 5:40, “And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus and let them go.”
6. Phillip preaches the Gospel to Simon the sorcerer and he comes to Christ.
Acts 8:12, “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.”
7. Barnabas testifies to Saul’s (Paul) preaching in the name of Jesus in Damascus.
Acts 9:27, “But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.”
8. Paul commands the spirit of divination out of the slave girl in the name of Jesus.
Acts 16:18, “And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.”
Conclusion:
What has been demonstrated for us in the Book of Acts is a model of how the Body of Christ should advance the Kingdom of God, with the power and authority that has been given to us by our Lord!
Let me remind you again of the great proclamation in Philippians 2: 9, “Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
We serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords, there is no other like Him. As the scripture testifies every knee shall bow and tongue confess that Jesus is Lord of all. Thankfully we have chosen to accept all that Jesus accomplished on the Cross and He now calls us friends.
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136 The Gospel: The Blood!
As we look at the issue of the blood of Jesus, we must be sure that we are not talking about traditions and practices found in many church denominations. In my last post, we looked at the Cross as a reality and also a symbol of God’s great love for us. It is so amazing that the Lord would give His beloved Son to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins.
In the same way, the blood of Jesus is also a reality and a symbol of something that many Christians miss and that is the New Covenant. Jesus said in Matthew 26:28, “For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the forgiveness of sins.” As believers and followers of Jesus, we are graced by a New Covenant purchased through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.Show More
The Cross and the Blood have forever transformed our relationship with the Lord. The evidence of that new relationship is the fact of the New Covenant. The New Covenant is an unconditional covenant of Grace established between Jesus and the Father and extended to anyone who would put their faith and trust in Jesus alone. We may fail but the covenant cannot fail, because neither the Lord nor Jesus can fail!
Because of the New Covenant the Old Covenant of the Law no longer applies to us! No longer is our heavenly relationship based upon obeying legalistic rules and regulations, but the focus on our relationship with our heavenly Father is based upon what Jesus has done for us.
The shedding of blood is a characteristic of all covenant relationships with the Lord. Even under the Covenant of the Law (the Mosaic Law or Torah), blood was essential to make atonement. Therefore, it says in Leviticus 17:1, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” And then again in Hebrews 9:22, “And according to the law, almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission(forgiveness).”
Under the Old Covenant, the blood of animals was shed to cover sin and renew a relationship with God. In the New Covenant, as was accurately said by John the Baptist in John 1:29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” Jesus became the sacrifice once and for all.
To fully understand the significance of the New Covenant I want to take something from my book about grace and the New Covenant, Seeing the Forest For the Trees, which by the way is available as a free download on my website.
New Covenant Grace (Chapter 21)
Grace is an attribute of God that is foreign to our natural experience because God’s grace is perfectly selfless and motivated by love. The trials and tribulations of life can make us wary of expressions of perfect love. We may not know how to react or respond to this expression of grace.
- Some people feel unworthy of God’s grace and try to run away and hide from God.
- Others try to understand God’s grace by attempting to intellectually comprehend Him; the result is a very small concept of God.
- Still others try to earn the right to “deserve” God’s grace by being “good”, but who can ever be good enough?
- Finally, there are those who set up rules and regulations, and make legalistic sacrifices, so that they might try to“earn” God’s grace. A true gift cannot be earned.
God’s grace is an unconditional promise.
It is His free-will gift motivated by pure love. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
The availability of this kind of grace depends entirely on the one who offers it. God offers His grace to all of mankind (the world), the just and the unjust alike. Grace is not offered on the basis of merit or deeds, but only upon God’s divine decision and invitation to love and bless His creation.
We cannot gain salvation or eternal life by our works (or the Law), or by a combination of works and grace. It is by grace alone that we receive eternal life and salvation (Acts 13:39; Rom 3:20; Gal 2:16; 3:21). Jesus did it all for us! The only thing we can do is to put our faith (belief and trust) in Jesus Christ: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph 2:8, 9). There is nothing and no one who can add to or replace what Jesus has already done and provided (Rom 4:1-5).
As has been stated, the New Covenant was ushered in by the finished work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary and His shed blood for the New Covenant: “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit” (John 19:30). Jesus fully completed what He was sent to earth to do (John3:16). As a result of His work, He accomplished the following for each of us:
- Jesus replaced the Old Covenant (Law) with a New Covenant (Grace); “In that He says, ‘A new covenant,’ Hehas made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away” (Heb 8:13).
- He provided a way to the Father who is holy and righteous. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6).
- Jesus cleansed us from our sins. Sin is what has kept us apart from God the Father. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).
- He has prepared an eternal place in Heaven for us. “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2).
- Jesus exchanged our old sinful nature for a new nature able to resist sin. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is anew creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Cor 5:17).
- He sent the Holy Spirit to empower us to live for Christ. “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantagethat I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you”(John 16:7).
- Jesus destroyed the works of the devil; “… For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8).
What Jesus accomplished on the Cross of Calvary, in obedience to the Father, was something totally new. He guaranteed salvation to all who would put their trust in Him (Rom 10:13). He also gave the Holy Spirit to every believer as a sign, or seal, of being born again (2 Cor 1:21, 22).
The Holy Spirit makes it possible for believers to live the life they are called to by God. The Holy Spirit gives power and help for a believer to be both willing and obedient (Phil 2:13). It is the person of the Holy Spirit that makes the difference in the life of a New Covenant believer (Acts 1:8).
The Holy Spirit is also given as a “guarantee” of God’s full redemption of our lives; spirit, soul, and body (2 Cor 5:1-5; Eph 1;13,14). Those who believe in Christ for salvation can be assured of that salvation and live with great faith. We can know that we are empowered to live the life here on earth and that we have a place reserved for us in Heaven.
No Condemnation
Sin always has consequences; sin always places obstacles in our relationship with God. A significant change between Law and Grace is that the condemnation for sin has been removed by the work of Jesus’ shed blood. When we, as believers, stumble and sin, we are not cast away or rejected by God. We are still His sons and daughters! “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, butaccording to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death”(Rom 8:1, 2).
Jesus’ shed blood has made us holy and righteous, but obedience is a process that will continue throughout our lifetime. When children are learning to walk, they stumble and fall. As parents, we do not reject or abandon our children because they fall down! In the same way, God will not abandon you if you fall as you are learning to walk with Him. God’s expectation is that you repent, learn from the experience, and endeavor to do better.
Grace is a wonderful gift from God, it is never to become an excuse to live a fleshly (carnal) life or ignore the teachings of Scripture. Our goal should always be to do our best to live in a manner that is obedient and pleasing to God. We might fall into a pit along the way, but we should not return to or stay in that sinful pit!
God expects us to mature as Christians. As we learn and grow in the Word of God, and mature in following Christ, we should no longer be stumbling or falling into temptations or sin. “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor 13:11). Immature children may stumble. However, the things we stumble over in our immaturity should not still cause us to stumble when we are more mature.
Now, as a Christian, if we sin, the Holy Spirit will convict us of our sin. We will feel “a godly sorrow” and a need to repent. If instead, we feel like running away from God and trying to hide our sin, that is “worldly sorrow” (2 Cor 7:8-10) and leads only to shame, guilt and condemnation. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Our confession and genuine repentance is the process to receive God’s forgiveness when we stumble. When we repent (turn around), and ask God to forgive us, three things happen:
- We face our sin and take responsibility for it, no excuses.
- The feelings of guilt, shame or fear are removed as we confess our sin to God.
- Our open relationship with God can continue, and the sin no longer creates a sense of separation from Him.
Repentance has the added benefit of helping us admit our weaknesses to ourselves and to God. This will teach us to ask for God’s help and to rely on the Holy Spirit for the strength to avoid that sin in the future.
Grace Is God’s Idea
If you have any ideas about what grace is (or is not), and those ideas are contrary to what is in God’s Word, you must abandon those ideas! Embrace God’s Word, embrace His grace: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth… For the Law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:14, 17).
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135 The Gospel: The Cross!
135 The Gospel: The Cross!
Over the years I’ve observed that many confuse the Gospel with the Christian lifestyle. While both Gospel and Christian lifestyles are important you must accept the Gospel before you can live a genuine Christian lifestyle. You see, it is the power of the Gospel that produces the Christian lifestyle and not the other way around. Show More
The Gospel is about what God has done through Jesus Christ for us. Terms like reconciliation, atonement, redemption, and sanctification are all a result of the Gospel and all these things Jesus accomplished on the cross of Calvary.
On the other hand, the Christian lifestyle is more about how a Christian should think, behave, and keys to successful living on earth. The fruit or benefits of a sincere Christian lifestyle are many however, it is the Gospel that produces a change from the inside out. It is the Gospel when accepted by a believer, that produces the change in the inner man or woman to become more like Jesus Christ. This is what it means to be born-again.
Many teach that it is how you behave that makes you a Christian and in a religious sense that may be true, but as Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3:3, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Then the Apostle Paul says in Romans 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”
The Gospel is best understood when we recognize that it is about the Kingdom of God on earth and heaven. The Cross is the most recognizable symbol of the Gospel. Every Believer should know the significance of the Cross is not in the cross itself, but the person who was crucified for our sakes on that cross. When we see the cross, we should see that it is a demonstration of God’s great love for us. John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”
The Cross is a sign or symbol of God’s great love.
Listen to what Jesus said in John 15:11. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. 17 These things I command you, that you love one another”.
A sign or symbol contains information that directs to somewhere or someone, for example, a traffic stop sign is telling you to stop and look for oncoming traffic to keep you and others safe. In the same way, the Cross of Jesus is a sign that points to our Savior and King, who will keep you and others safe too.
What the Cross is not:
The cross is often used as an ornament or piece of jewelry to help a Believer keep their eyes on Jesus. We often see a Cross in a Christian church and it is there to remind us of Jesus’ great sacrifice of love for us. The Cross is not a token, amulet, or charm to ward off evil or used for “good luck”! The power of the Cross is not in the symbol but in the One who made the sacrifice for all of us, and His name is Jesus! When we see the cross, we must learn to see our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember Jesus is not on the Cross anymore, but He sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us (Romans 8:33). Jesus now lives in us through His Holy Spirit.
Jesus accomplished on the cross the two things He was born to do.
- He became the bridge reconciling humankind back to the Father that is called the Atonement.
- He defeated Satan by destroying Satan’s power over sin and death.
It is Finished
The real importance of the Cross for us is in the words Jesus spoke as He was dying on the cross, Jesus said “It is Finished!” John 19: 28, “After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!” 29 Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30 So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.”
The Greek word for “It is Finished” is Tetelestai and it is in the Aorist Perfect tense. There is no English Aorist Perfect tense, but the idea is that the expression “It is finished” means that what happened on the Cross took place and continues to take place. What Jesus purchased at the Cross was not just a single event, but it continues to the present and goes on to the future. What this means for us is that we were forgiven and continue to be forgiven, we were delivered and continue to be delivered, we were reconciled and continue to be reconciled, we are saved and continue to be saved. That is why we say that sin and death were defeated by the cross of Jesus. We are truly free
First question, what is the Atonement?
Oxford Dictionary defines atonement as the “reconciliation of God and humankind through Jesus Christ.” In a religious context, atonement means reparation or expiation for sin. Other words like atonement are reparation compensation recompense payment repayment redress restitution indemnity expiation penance and redemption.
- Colossians 2:11, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
Second question, how was Satan defeated by Jesus at the Cross?
By exchanging forgiveness for sin and eternal life for death Jesus disarmed Satan by removing his power of sin and death from his arsenal. It was spiritual warfare at the Cross and Jesus had and has the final victory over Satan, sin, and death.
- Colossians 2:15 “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.”
- Luke 10:17,” Then the seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 And He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
The curse of sin has been broken and the fear of death has been removed if we keep our eyes and hearts on the Cross and remember that it was Jesus who died for us.
- John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”
- Romans 8:1, “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”
Close with Our Mission Statement:
The Cross of Jesus should constantly remind us of what the Apostle Paul said in Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
