Editor’s note: This article was originally published on October 26, 2017 and is part four of a five-part series.

On October 31, 1517, the German monk, pastor and seminary professor, Martin Luther, published 95 complaints against the church practice of selling reductions to the penalty of sin. The iconic figure we cherish is of Luther nailing a paper with these 95 Theses to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, but historians aren’t completely confident that he did this.

We have no record of Martin Luther himself referring to the event.

Whether or not he actually nailed that paper to the church door, he certainly wrote it, sent it to some important leaders, and it was soon published and distributed widely across Germany and much of Europe.

There were many complaints against, and objections to, the theology and practice of the Roman Catholic Church in those days, but Luther’s complaint had an effect like none before it.

There were many reasons for that, but one important reason was because Luther put his finger on a point of great corruption: the practice of selling indulgences.

The Practice of Selling Indulgences

As mentioned before, the selling of indulgences was essentially giving something to the church (usually money) so the church (through its leader, the pope) would reduce the penalty one had to pay for their sins in purgatory. I strongly object to the idea of purgatory altogether and can’t find it anywhere in the Bible. But in the Roman Catholic idea, purgatory is the place where after death a person is cleansed from their spiritual and moral impurities by painful fires before they can be admitted into heaven.

What is more, in classic Roman Catholic thinking, the pope has the authority to release tormented souls enduring the cleansing fires of purgatory. In Martin Luther’s time slick, high-pressure salesmen sold these releases from purgatory. They promised people that for a generous donation to the church, the pope would grant them or a loved one release from some or all of purgatory’s fire.

Near where Martin Luther lived, there was a Dominican monk named Johann Tetzell, a successful salesman for indulgences. Tetzell’s slogan was, “As soon as the money in the basket rings, the soul from purgatory springs.” Tetzell used to say, “Listen to the voices of your dear dead relatives and friends, beseeching you and saying, ‘Pity us, pity us. We are in dire torment from which you can redeem us for a pittance.’ Do you not wish to?” Tetzell raised a lot of money for the church by selling these indulgences.

Luther’s protest against indulgences developed into the movement we know as the Protestant Reformation.

The ideas of the Reformation are often summarized in a series of statements called the five solas:

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)

The first three solas were discussed in previous articles, and this short piece looks at the fourth of the list: Solus Christus. That idea of Christ Alone is vitally connected to the original protest Martin Luther made on October 31, 1517.

The Fundamental Problem With Indulgences

As the ideas of the Reformation matured and deepened, it was understood that one of the fundamental problems with the whole idea of indulgences was that it put humanity’s rescue into the hands of the pope. The idea was something like this: “Men and women are not saved by Jesus, but through the pope and the institution of the Roman Catholic Church.”

Against this wrong and dangerous idea, it’s important that we emphasize the truth: Christ Alone. At the end of it all, we are not saved by a mere man, whether that be a pope or a pastor. We aren’t saved by an institution, whether it be Catholic or Protestant. We aren’t saved by our own good works or even our good faith. We are rescued by Christ alone and He alone gets the honor, glory and credit for rescuing us from sin and self. It’s true that what He gives by grace must be received by faith, but the work is done by His giving, not our receiving.

The principle of Christ Alone should remind us that Jesus is always the center of the Christian life. As the New Testament says, in Him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). The core of the Christian life is Jesus Christ, and Christ alone.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on August 4, 2017 and is part two of a five-part series.

More on the Five Sola Statements

Most historians mark the start of the Protestant Reformation to the 1517 publication of Martin Luther’s list of 95 complaints against a practice known as selling indulgences. This year (2017) marks the 500th anniversary of that great event. Tourists are flooding the great cities and sites where Luther’s reformation unfolded, and people are thinking and talking about the great ideas of the Reformation.

Those ideas are often expressed in a series of five statements called the five solas. The classic solastatements of the Reformation were and are:

Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Sola Christus (Christ Alone)
Sola Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)

A previous article discussed the idea of sola scriptura (scripture alone). Here are some thoughts on the second statement, sola fide – “faith alone.”

What is Faith?

Christians of every background understand the value of faith and know that in part, being a Christian means believing in Jesus Christ and what He did for us. Yet the cry of the Reformation was not faith, but more specifically, faith alone. The idea was that we receive forgiveness of sins and are made right with God on the basis of our faith alone.

This means that the only thing we contribute to the receiving of our rescue is faith.

Not faith and our good deeds. Not faith and our promises to do better in the future. Not faith and ceremonies, but faith alone. This was one of the things that set the preaching and writing of Martin Luther and the other reformers apart from the Roman Catholic Church and even the Eastern Orthodox Church. All Christians believe that faith is important and has a place in our salvation; not all believe in faith alone. Some believe in faith plus something.

It’s important to remember that faith is not some kind of great work that makes God in debt to us. We don’t deserve salvation because of our faith. In this sense, faith is simply believing what God said is true and trusting that He keeps His promises.

Think of it like this: Faith is not calling God a liar.

It means that when God says something or makes a promise, we believe He is true and can be relied on.
So, when God tells me that I am a sinner who needs a Savior (Romans 3:23), I believe Him. When God says that my sin will lead to eternal death (Romans 6:23), I believe Him.

When God says that Jesus died for me and for my sins while I was still a sinner (Romans 5:8), I believe Him. When God tells me that if I put my trust in who Jesus is and in what He did on the cross for me I can be saved (Romans 10:9-10), I believe Him. I regard God as true and worthy of trust in everything He says and promises. Because of all this, I don’t deserve any credit for my salvation. My faith doesn’t actually rescue me; it simply receives what God promised by His grace. Believing God is true and is not a liar doesn’t make me a wonderful person; that’s just common sense.

Good Works and Commitment to God

We may also add that this does not mean that good works and our commitment to God are not important. The Apostle Paul (in places like Titus 2:14 and 3:8) and the Apostle James (James 2:14-19) and others in the New Testament told us how important our good works are. This idea has been expressed by a famous phrase: “Faith alone saves; but the faith that saves is not alone.” When faith is real, it will have good works with it.

If faith doesn’t have good works with it, one can sincerely question if that faith is real.

One last thought regarding faith. In the Bible, faith usually carries the idea of much more than simply believing something to be true. It includes that, but goes much further. The Biblical idea of faith has the further idea of trusting love. It has the sense of to trust in, rely on and cling to. Faith is trust, and we trust God because He loves us and we love Him in response. That kind of faith alone receives what God so graciously gives us in Jesus Christ.

On September 11, 2001, I found myself near the bottom of the Twin Towers in New York City.

Back in 2001, I was a 19-year-old student attending New York University, who had walked away from the Lord. Despite my rebellion against God, the Lord mercifully saved me and called me back to Himself through the tragic events of September 11, 2001. That morning I found myself running from both towers and spending the day serving alongside New York City’s firemen. This personal testimony video was partially filmed on-site at the 9/11 Memorial in New York.

In God’s providence, it was directly because of what happened on September 11 that I met on the same day the only two pastors that I would serve under to date. At an outreach in Union Square Park, a few days after the towers fell, I met, for the first time, Pastor Lloyd Pulley of Calvary Chapel Old Bridge in New Jersey. After I graduated from NYU, I was invited to join CCOB’s staff and served there as the youth pastor for eight years. It was also at this same outreach that I met Brian Brodersen of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. I’ve had the privilege of serving under him as the director of Calvary Chapel Bible College in Murrieta, California. I love serving the Lord, and that God orchestrated for me to meet the two pastors I would eventually serve under on the same day, is a reminder to me that God is always working behind the scenes, even in terrible situations. He used this devastating event to call me back to Himself and into the ministry.

I couldn’t have gotten through that day without the Lord’s help. If you would like to know more about having a personal relationship with God, watch a video explaining the good news of Jesus Christ!

As I tell you my story of God’s mercy, I do not forget that there are still thousands of stories of pain and loss. Please join me in continuing to pray for God’s comfort on those who lost loved ones years ago.

“…God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain…” (Revelation 21:4). “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed” (Psalm 34:18). “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

-Andy Deane, Director of CCBC Murrieta

_{This article originally appeared on calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com on April 20, 2019.}

“I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)

Jesus’ claim to be the resurrection and the life is so radical that it does not allow the hearer to hold a neutral position concerning Him. As C.S. Lewis said, “There are only three possibilities with Jesus: He is a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord.” Any serious consideration of His words will almost certainly force one to admit, like it or not, that He is Lord.

Jesus made this statement in response to the death of His friend, Lazarus. Death is that dreaded reality that every human being hopes to avoid, but can never escape. Death is man’s perennial enemy and man’s greatest fear. In fact, the Bible says that men live all their lives in bondage to the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15).

Actually, death was never a part of God’s original plan for man.

It is something that came in because of sin. God had said to Adam, in the day that you eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden you shall surely die (Genesis 2:17). Our ongoing inability to accept death as just another part of the human experience is, to me, a strong indicator that the biblical explanation of it is the right one-death is abnormal.

Think about it: no matter how young or old the person, no matter how sick or disabled, no matter how far removed from a person we might have been, there is a pang in our hearts when we hear of their passing. Millions were stricken with grief over the untimely death of pop star and cultural icon, Michael Jackson. Yet how many actually knew him personally? Why do people react so passionately to death? Because death is not right. It never was right. It never will be right. Nevertheless, it is.

“The current death-rate is awesome. Three people die every second, 180 every minute, nearly 11,000 every hour, about 260,000 every day, 95,000,000 every year. Death comes to young and old, rich and poor, good and bad, educated and ignorant, king and commoner. … The dynamic young businessman, the glamorous actress, the great athlete, the brilliant scientist, the television personality, the powerful politician-none can resist the moment when death will lay its hand upon them and bring all their fame and achievements to nothing. … Death is no respecter of time or place; it has neither season nor parish. It can strike at any moment of the day or night, on land, on the sea or in the air. It comes to the hospital bed, the busy road, the comfortable armchair, the sports field and the office; there is not a single spot on the face of the planet where it is not able to strike.”

The philosopher Epicurus said, “It is possible to provide security against other ills, but as far as death is concerned, we men live in a city without walls.”

Are there any solutions? Is man destined to go on endlessly being defeated by death? Jesus answered those questions when He stood face to face with death and said, “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Just a few days later, Jesus would meet death head-on Himself in fulfillment of the prophecy:

“I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction!” (Hosea 13:14).

His destruction of death would come through His resurrection.

Paul the apostle would later write of Christ as the one who “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Timothy 1:10).

The word “abolish” means to put an end to. Some synonyms for “abolish” are: eradicate, rescind, repeal, obliterate, annihilate. Jesus Christ obliterated death! You might say, “Wait a minute, as you just stated, three people die every second. What do you mean Jesus Christ obliterated death?” There are two definitions of death: man’s and God’s. Man’s definition of death is essentially the separation of the soul and spirit from the body. God’s definition of death is the separation of the soul and spirit from God.

The Bible teaches that physical death is the result of spiritual death. Jesus obliterated spiritual death by bringing man’s soul and spirit back into conscious fellowship with God. But He also obliterated physical death by rising from the dead and becoming the first of a great multitude who will rise also. In the original order of things, spiritual death (which came through the sin of Adam) led ultimately to physical death. In the new order of things, spiritual life (which comes through faith in Jesus Christ) will lead ultimately to physical life without the possibility of death.

Again the apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 15, that great chapter on the resurrection:

“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written:

‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:51-55).

Of the eight studio records that Kanye West has previously released, seven have gone “platinum.” Over the course of his career, he has been nominated for 68 Grammy Awards, leading to 21 wins. From publicly criticizing President George W. Bush’s relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina, to interrupting Taylor Swift’s Grammy acceptance speech, to scores of controversial tweets and comments, Kanye West’s public life has been less-than-subtle, to say the least. True to form, a new development in his life has been announced with equal subtlety: This past Friday, Kanye West released his ninth studio album, titled “Jesus is King.” Note, there is no irony here, no sacrilegious double-entendre or mockery. The contents of the album support that simple, powerful, title statement: “Jesus is King.” By releasing this album, Kanye is presenting the most controversial subject ever to the world, the media and the culture: the preeminence of Jesus Christ. And by tapping into such explosively divisive and uncomfortable subject matter (to this secular age), he has exposed himself to the suspicion, contempt and rejection of the people that he needs most right now: the Church. The question we need to ask ourselves is, “Should the Church embrace Kanye West?”

What follows are a series of questions to develop a helpful framework as we consider our next move as “the Church.” Following that are key, objective evidences to consider, namely, verbatim excerpts of songs from “Jesus is King.” Finally, as we consider Kanye West’s blatant professions, thoughts and confessions, I present my conclusive thoughts. You may find yourself in total disagreement with my resulting thoughts on the matter. However, my desire isn’t to attack what I consider wrong-thinking or un-Christ-like perspectives with a corrective scriptural apologetic. My hope is to ask some basic questions, pressing into a deeper philosophy of love. I want to call the Church to prayerful thought and meditation about Kanye’s statements, and thereby, develop a healthy framework and a compassionate ethic that we could apply to similar “high profile conversions.”

The Questions We Should Ask

Can the Church embrace Kanye West? Should it? Should we keep him at “arm’s length?” How long do we have to keep him outside before we invite him into “the family?” Is “our family” of our own making? Did we establish it? Do we maintain it? Who is the one who invites outsiders into our intimate family fellowship? Who invited us in when we were outsiders? Do we have the right to exclude anyone from it? Or to deny their status before Jesus? On what grounds can we make judgments about their status?

Does Kanye need to prove his devotion to Christ any more than he has? Are we waiting for “time to tell” about his professions? Are we waiting for “time to tell” about ours?

Is it “time” that validates the legitimacy of a conversion? How long did Jesus wait before bringing Matthew “the tax collector” into the camp? What did Zacchaeus have to do to get Jesus, the Son of God, to validate his conversion?

What proofs are given in Scripture to test if one is genuinely saved? Are those verses good enough to satisfy ourselves in our own moments of doubt? Are those verses sufficient to meet our doubts about Kanye? What does it take to convince us that someone has fallen before the cross in repentance? Are their words enough? Will it also require actions? What would those actions need to look like? Are those actions enough to prove the changed condition of the heart? Is it valid for Christians to be suspicious of a person’s clear profession of faith in Jesus? Are those suspicions helpful? Or fruitful? Is suspicion of conversion something we’re called to? Is this how we cultivate disciples? Does it draw seekers in? Does it drive them away?

Do we misrepresent the common grace we’ve received by denying acceptance, fellowship or love to one who has confessed Jesus as Lord?

The Evidence to Consider

The following quotations are sections of lyrics taken directly from Kanye West’s new album, “Jesus is King.”

Excerpt from “Every Hour:”

“Sing every hour (Every hour, ’til the power)
Every minute (Every minute, of the Lord)
Every second (Every second, comes)
Sing each and every millisecond (Down)
We need you (We need you, sing ’til the power)
We need you (We need you, of the Lord)
We need you (Comes)
Oh, we need you (Down)”

Excerpt from “Selah:”

“Before the flood, people judge
They did the same thing to Noah
Everybody wanted Yandhi
Then Jesus Christ did the laundry
They say the week start on Monday
But the strong start on Sunday
Won’t be in bondage to any man
John 8:33
We the descendants of Abraham
We should be made free
John 8:36
To whom the son set free is free indeed
He saved a wretch like me
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah…”

Excerpt from “Follow God:”

“Tell me what your life like, turn it down, a bright light
Drivin’ with my dad, and he told me, ‘It ain’t Christ-like’ (Stretch my hands to you)
I’m just tryna find, l’ve been lookin’ for a new way
I’m just really tryin’ not to really do the fool way
I don’t have a cool way, bein’ on my best, though
Block ’em on the text though, nothin’ else next though
Not another word, letter, picture, or a decimal (Father, I stretch)
Wrestlin’ with God, I don’t really want to wrestle
Man, it’s really lifelike, everything in my life (Stretch my hands to you)
Arguing with my dad, and he said, ‘It ain’t Christ-like'”

Excerpt from “Closed on Sunday:”

“…Follow Jesus, listen and obey
No more livin’ for the culture, we nobody’s slave
Stand up for my home
Even if I take this walk alone
I bow down to the King upon the throne
My life is His, I’m no longer my own
I pray to God that He’ll strengthen my hand
They will think twice steppin’ onto my land
I draw the line, it’s written in the sand
Try me and you will see that I ain’t playin’
Now, back up off my family, move your hands
I got my weapons in the spirit’s land
I, Jezebel don’t even stand a chance
Jezebel don’t even stand a chance”

Complete lyrics from “God Is:”

“God is
My light in darkness, oh
God, God is
He, He is my all and all (And I’ll never turn back)
God is
Everything that I felt, praise the Lord
Worship Christ with the best of your portions
I know I won’t forget all He’s done
He’s the strength in this race that I run
Every time I look up, I see God’s faithfulness
And it shows just how much He is miraculous
I can’t keep it to myself, I can’t sit here and be still
Everybody, I will tell ’til the whole world is healed
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, all the things He has in store
From the rich to the poor, all are welcome through the door
You won’t ever be the same when you call on Jesus’ name
Listen to the words I’m sayin’, Jesus saved me, now I’m sane
And I know, I know God is the force that picked me up
I know Christ is the fountain that filled my cup
I know God is alive, yeah
He has opened up my vision
Giving me a revelation
This ain’t ’bout a damn religion
Jesus brought a revolution
All the captives are forgiven
Time to break down all the prisons
Every man, every woman
There is freedom from addiction
Jesus, You have my soul
Sunday Service on a roll
All my idols, let ’em go
All the demons, let ’em know
This a mission, not a show
This is my eternal soul
This my kids, this the crib
This my wife, this my life
This my God-given right
Thank you, Jesus, won the fight

Excerpt from “Hands On:”

“Told the devil that I’m going on a strike
I’ve been working for you my whole life
Nothing worse than a hypocrite
Change, he ain’t really different
He ain’t even try to get permission
Ask for advice and they dissed him
Said I’m finna do a gospel album
What have you been hearin’ from the Christians?
They’ll be the first one to judge me
Make it feel like nobody love me
They’ll be the first one to judge me
Feelin’ like nobody love me
Told people God was my mission…
…Make you feel alone in the dark and you’ll never see the light
Man, you’re never seein’ home and you never see the domes
I can feel it when I write, point of livin’ in the right.”

Complete lyrics from “Jesus Is Lord:”

“Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord
Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
Jesus is Lord
Jesus is Lord”

A Few Closing Questions

Many within “the Church” remain skeptical of the legitimacy of Kanye’s repentance and of genuine reconciliation with Jesus. Do Kanye’s songs reflect enough? Is it even possible for someone to make the declarations that he makes without having experienced spiritual rebirth and regeneration? Can we move forward and embrace Kanye West as a brother in Christ, as a fellow disciple and as a fellow seeker? Do these lyrics declare Jesus boldly enough for Jesus to declare Kanye? Do his lyrics declare enough for me to accept Kanye? Should the Church embrace Kanye West?

The Bible has an opinion on this matter:

“…If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.’ For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved'” (Romans 10:9-13, NKJV).

“…Whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).

“…No one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:3).

Has Kanye said enough? Scripture makes it simple: Yes, he has. The Church should embrace Kanye West. The Church MUST embrace Kanye West. At this point, with as much as has been declared, it would be sinful, even shameful, to do anything less than rejoice with the Angels of God that a sinner has repented, and as the Church, to extend our most heartfelt welcome to him. Will he make mistakes in his sanctification process? Sure. Will the road ahead be ugly at times? Absolutely. He is going to need the same patience, compassion and love that we all need as we progress through our own sanctification.

My Conclusion

I would be happy to fellowship with Kanye West. I would be grateful to be a part of his community of faith and would be happy to accept him into mine. I would be honored to spend time with him as a fellow disciple. I pray the Church gives him the welcome embrace that he needs to continue down this new path. I pray that the Church supports him in the same ways that I need support. I pray for a lifetime of growth, maturity, fruitfulness and joy, in and through Jesus, for him just as for myself. I invite him to warm himself by the same fire that warms me, which is nothing short of Jesus Christ Himself. I want to welcome him into my family, the family of Jesus.

Jesus said He would be crucified.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).

Psalm 22 predicted Jesus would be crucified. Isaiah 53 predicted that Jesus would be crucified. Zechariah 12:10 predicted that Jesus would be crucified. God was sovereign over the worst in humanity.

This whole scene is filled with voices and choices: Pontius Pilate and Barabbas the robber.

The voices and choices in this trial unveil how broken humanity is and how humble and majestic Jesus is.

“Jesus stands before Pilate” (Luke 23:1–25).

“Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate” (Luke 23:1).

The only reason the average person knows anything about Pontius Pilate is because of his relationship with Jesus Christ. If Pilate had not been the governor of Judea at the time of Jesus, he would have lived and died in obscurity. There were thousands of Roman officials commissioned throughout the Roman Empire, but I doubt that any of us know even one of them by name. But Pilate is known throughout history because of these moments he spent with Jesus.

Pilate possessed great power and position in the Empire. But he hated Judea — he hated the Jews — he had zero concern for them or for their religion — all of which led to decisions that resulted in horrific political setbacks with the Jews that put his entire career in jeopardy.

Pilate’s life was defined by his decisions concerning Jesus — and most importantly the consequences of his indecision concerning Jesus. Life is filled with decisions.

There are political decisions. As the voting results from presidential elections are reported, there are graphic banners running across screens that say “Decision 20_ _.” There are educational decisions. Purchase decisions (Buying a car, buying a house, school district, square footage, neighborhood). Relationship decisions — Is this the one? Each of those decisions has consequences — some small, some life-changing.

But there is one decision that has eternal consequence.

That is the decision that we make concerning Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit inspired the authors of all four accounts of the life and mission of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) to hold this man, Pontius Pilate, before us because his decision was made through the filters of a value system that could never supply the deepest need of his heart — a value system that has without exception failed everyone. He came down on the wrong side of the decision concerning Jesus — when all the while he tried everything in his power to make no decision.

In verse three, we find Pilate face to face with Jesus for the first time.

“And Pilate asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?'” (Luke 23:3).

No doubt Pilate had heard much about Him. He wouldn’t have failed to miss the way Jesus entered into Jerusalem on the first day of that week with the crowd shouting, “Hosanna, Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes.” Then there was a Cohort (600 Roman soldiers) involved in the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. The ranking officer would have had daily communications with Pilate. He had spies all through Judea and Galilee. In fact, Matthew and Mark tell us that Pilate knew exactly why the religious rulers had brought Jesus to him.

“For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered Him up” (Matthew 27:18; Mark 16:10).

Pilate didn’t ask, “Are you the Messiah? Are you bringing salvation? Are you from heaven?” Pilate had ZERO interest in such things. Pilate’s question had everything to do with the brief biographical sketch of this man. “Are you the King of the Jews?” “Do you have a political agenda?” “Are you out to oppose Caesar and me?”

All four Gospel accounts give us the answer of Jesus to this first question: “And He answered him, ‘You have said so.’”

In John 18:34 we read, “Jesus answered, ‘Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about Me?'”

This is radical! Suddenly, Pilate’s on trial! The beaten, disfigured and defenseless Jesus was holding court on Pilate; and by proxy, you and me.

So many people think that Jesus is on trial when someone shares the Gospel with them! REALITY — Jesus is judging them! THEY are the ones on trial!

We need to bear this in mind — Jesus loved Pilate. Jesus was after Pilate’s heart. Jesus was appealing to him — “As you stand here and look at Me, are you asking if I’m a king because you need to know for yourself? Do you have a conviction in your heart about Me? Or are you just saying this because it’s popular opinion, and other people told it to you?” Jesus wasn’t asking to obtain information. He was asking so Pilate could discover the truth about himself.

“Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?’” (John 18:35).

Without a doubt, Pilate did not expect the answer that he was about to hear from this bloodied, disfigured man standing before him.

“Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world'” (John 18:36).

At this moment, Jesus shows us how to deal with our post-everything world. Jesus loved this man. Jesus was probing Pilate and provoking Pilate to consider Him. Pilate could only come up with, “What IS truth?” That is the battle cry of our post-modern, post-Christian, post-Truth world!

We shouldn’t be shocked by post-modern man’s take on truth. We should be shocked at how Jesus — even after He had been brutally beaten and disfigured — loved this man and tried to draw him to the truth.

DON’T MISS THIS — Pilate was CONVINCED that Jesus was innocent. But he could see how volatile this situation was. Pilate had to make a decision between his CONSCIENCE — what he knew to be right about Jesus — and CONVENIENCE — a course of action that would bring him the least amount of grief.

We are always faced with the choice between conscience and convenience.

“You always said people don’t do what they believe in, they just do what’s most convenient, then they repent”– Bob Dylan

If Pilate had an ounce of integrity, it would have been, “I find no fault in this man” — PERIOD! But there was that ring he wore — that ring said that he was the “Friend of Caesar.” That relationship, and the prestige, the position and power it brought to him, was his idol. It was the very thing that defined him; the thing that he lived for. Pilate could not put a period at the end of his judgment because he knew that his decision was not the decision that was going to satisfy the Jews — and as a result, it was a threat to his idol — a threat to his status as governor and “Friend of Caesar.” So, Pilate immediately jumped on a potential escape route. By the way — in any and all wrong decisions concerning Jesus, the first course of action is to identify the idol.

That was Pilate’s official judgment — he made it on behalf of the Senate and the people of Rome. So, Pilate tried another potential escape route.

The Roman system of justice was unyielding. If you pronounced a man innocent, the authorities had no right to punish him after that. You were to let him go.

“But they all cried out together, ‘Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas’” (Luke 23:18).

Barabbas is mentioned in all four gospels — I believe — for very definite reasons. We don’t know a whole lot about him. “Bar-Abba” means “Son of the Father.” There are those who say that his name was actually Jesus Bar-abbas.

“In the hands of some first-century authors, however, the word depicts not simply a thief, but a terrorist”– D.A. Carson

Matthew tells us he was “a notorious prisoner” (Matthew 27:16). Luke and Mark tell us he was an insurrectionist and a murderer. He was scheduled to be crucified. In light of what transpired here, we can see that it was originally Barabbas who was going to be crucified on Golgotha between two other thieves.

Jesus died on the very cross Barabbas was going to die on.

If anyone could say, “Jesus died for me,” it was Barabbas. He knew that he was guilty. He knew that he was facing the death penalty. He knew that there was a piece of wood with his name on it waiting for him to carry outside of the city where they would nail him to it. He knew that he was released and that Jesus died in his place — the innocent for the guilty.

As brutal a man as he was, the shouts that he heard must have made him buckle. Then he heard the sound of the key unlocking his cell. He discovered that Jesus Christ was dying in his place. On a human level, try to imagine what that moment was like as he realized that the piece of wood that he was going to carry to his own death, was now going to be placed upon a substitute.

But we see it from an even more radical vantage point. Here is the best in the universe, God incarnate, and the worst in humanity, and whom do men choose? God incarnate dies in the place of the brutal Barabbas.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (2 Corinthians 5:21, KJV).

“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

Remember — The Gospel is not religious advice.

The Gospel is the startling proclamation of what God did for us!

The Gospel is the startling proclamation that because of what God did for us, anyone can be right with God. The Gospel proclaims that God offers to open the prison cell, release us from the bondage of sin, and have Jesus die in our place.

“Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him” (John 19:1).

We don’t want to miss how brutal Pilate was willing to be to maintain the privileged status of wearing that ring that said, “Friend of Caesar.” He essentially said — “I’m not going to kill Him all the way — I’ll half-kill Him. When this mob sees Jesus torn to shreds, they will leave me alone, and I can be rid of Jesus.”

The first blows caused bleeding from the capillaries and veins. But as the blows continued in frequency and intensity, the back was torn to shreds, and there would be arterial bleeding. Once the hooks were sunk deeply into the tenderized flesh, the executioner would rip the skin, muscle, tendons and even bones off the victim. Victims would shake violently and bleed profusely.

History records that upon occasion, the hooks would go so deep that a rib would literally come flying off the body of a living man. Eyewitness accounts tell us that by the end of the Roman scourging, the victim’s back was a mass of hanging, unidentifiable flesh — and you could actually see internal organs! The victim would go into shock. His body was covered in blood. The Lictor would then untie the hands of the victim, and he would collapse in a pool of his own blood and flesh.

Seven hundred years before the scourging of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah predicted the results of Jesus’ scourging:

“Many were astonished at you—his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind” (Isaiah 52:14).

In the most personal way — Barabbas, the guilty man was released — the innocent Son of God was crucified in his place. THAT is the Gospel.

Does it blow your mind how gracious God was to Pilate? Jesus spoke to Pilate in His first civil trial before Pilate. Jesus continued to speak to Pilate the second time He stood before him.

DON’T MISS THIS — Pilate teaches us that whatever it is you hope to gain by compromising concerning Jesus — you can NEVER keep it! Within 10 years, Pilate would lose his position as Prefect and Governor of Judea and be sent back to Rome. By the time he was sent back to Rome, Tiberius had died. Caligula was Caesar. Caligula banished Pilate to the region known as Gaul where he ended up committing suicide. Here he had compromised everything in regard to Jesus in order to secure his identity as the “Friend of Caesar” — and his place in the Roman Empire. He chose friend of Caesar over friend of Jesus — the King of kings and Lord of lords.

You’ll have to kill Jesus or crown Jesus.

Voices and Choices: Kill Jesus or Crown Jesus. That is the decision that everyone must make. This is the decision that determines forever for you. This isn’t like the choice someone makes to flee approaching peril.

This is a decision to flee from eternal loss, eternal darkness — to the light of Jesus Christ. This is the decision to choose life over death.

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit” (1 Peter 3:18).

Good Friday is a time when we remember the pain of the Lord on our behalf.

Indeed, Jesus suffered and died for us.

Have you ever tried to comprehend the feelings of the apostles and other followers of Jesus as they watched their Lord die on a cross so many years ago? Everything the followers of Christ had hoped for seemed to have been snatched from their hands in the space of a few hours. The apostles must have felt panic, fear, dismay, anger, hopelessness.

Perhaps they felt shame as they thought of going home and telling people that the Messiah, they gave up everything to follow, had just died on a cross—leaving them looking like hapless fools. I can only speculate how they felt. I doubt they were rejoicing though.

With all the pain they must have felt at watching their Lord die, I have often wondered what was so good about Good Friday.

Without the tragedy of the cross, there would be no hope for any of us.

The tragedy we remember on Good Friday is, in fact, the greatest victory in the history of mankind.

WHAT’S SO GOOD ABOUT GOOD FRIDAY?

When you think about it, the terminology we’ve used over the past centuries seems a little out of place. We are here to remember and to consider the death of Christ. Naturally, our minds wander back 2,000 years to another time and another place. Jerusalem. People gathered from all over the world to celebrate the Passover, and outside the walls of the city, the Passover Lamb hanging in public shame upon a cross.

All four Gospels are really rather matter of fact about the death of Christ. They each relate the historical events, and they each refrain from giving very much in the way of commentary as they describe those events. What commentary they do give comes from the lips of those who are present. The inscription over His cross proclaims Him to be the King of the Jews (John 19:19).

It points out that this Galilean rabbi was much more than just a King—- He was the one and future promised King who was, and who is, and who is to come—Alpha and Omega.

One of the thieves commented that “we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” (Luke 23:41). This points to the fact that Jesus died as an innocent sacrifice for the wrongs of others.

1. CHRIST DIED FOR SIN.

“For Christ also died for sins”(1 Peter 3:18)—He had none!

The death of Christ had both a very terrible, and at the same time, a very wonderful purpose. It was terrible in that it teaches us that our sin is quite terrible. It is wonderful in that it teaches us that God’s love is quite wonderful.

He died for sins in the sense that His death was PENAL. God’s law demanded punishment for sin. The death of Jesus was the answer to that demand—not on Him, on you and me! His death was a punishment for our sin—price paid–debt erased.

In the ancient world, it was customary that when a criminal was crucified, a list of his infractions that had led to his crucifixion would be nailed to his cross. The idea was that anyone who was contemplating committing the same crime would read this list and be warned. You know all about the inscription that Pilate had affixed to the cross of Jesus.

And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin and Hebrew (Luke 23:38).

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

But there was another inscription that day that was unseen by human eyes.

“And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:13-14).

Can you imagine what it would be like if someone were to follow you around and write down everything that you did, unbeknownst to you?

Every evil action, every improper thought, every wrong motive? It isn’t mere imagination.

There was a certificate of debt that we owed. It consisted of all the things that we had done wrong or that we would one day do wrong — after all, at the time of the cross, all of your actions and my actions were still future tense.

It consisted of our actions, our thoughts and our motivations. Everything that would cause us to hang our heads in shame before a holy and righteous God.

Nailed to the cross.

It isn’t that we weren’t guilty—We were and still are. But the penalty has been paid. The demands of the law have been met. He died for sins in the sense that His death was PRIESTLY. In Old Testament times, the people had to approach God on the basis of animal sacrifice. The regulations for worship were quite specific. For you to worship, death had to take place. And that was not all. Even after the sacrifice was offered, it did not mean that you could blissfully walk into the presence of God. You had to go through a mediator. You went to the priest, and he went into the presence of God.

2. CHRIST DIED FOR SIN ONCE–FOR ALL.

“For Christ also died for sins once for all” (1 Peter 3:18).

We come to the cross again and again, and that is perfectly appropriate. But the death of Christ was a once and for all event.

And as Jesus breathed His last, the veil in the Temple was torn in two– from heaven to earth—top to bottom—no man could make a way only God dying for our sin—heaven to earth (Mark 15:37-38).

That great veil, that had for so long a time stood for the separation that existed between God and men, was torn in two from top to bottom.

No more sacrifices. No more blood. No more animals to be slaughtered. The work was done. It was a once and for all event. It need never be repeated. In those times, when we’ve played the part of the lost sheep and have wandered away, we come to our senses and we wonder, “How can I ever make it right? How can I return and have the relationship I once enjoyed.”

It is at those times that He comes, and He says, “I died for sin once and for all. All anger has been satisfied once and for all. No other sacrifice is needed for you, Jeff.”

3. CHRIST’S DEATH INVOLVED THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST.

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust…”

Christ died our death. He who was innocent died in the place of we who were guilty. The death of Christ is a measure of our sinfulness. We have a tendency to downplay sin. It is a sign of our day and age that we don’t even like to talk about sin. Or else sin is relegated to the murderous actions of third world terrorists and since “I would never do a thing like that,” I can assuage my own brand of sins with the thought, “It really isn’t that bad.”

Now hear this—Your sin is really bad, and my sin is really bad. So bad that it took the death of the holy and righteous and just Son of God to put it away. He is the —–JUST ONE of our verse.

We read that He: “died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust” (1 Peter 3:18).

This is the same truth that Paul expresses when he says:

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus is the just one who took upon Himself your injustice. He became sin on your behalf.

We have been credited with the righteousness of Christ. He is infinitely righteous. He has not merely imputed a portion of His righteousness to our account. Rather, the very nature of His character of complete righteousness has been credited to us. We are regarded by God as having the very righteousness of Christ.

Remember——what He did that day.

The seven last sayings of Jesus from the Cross:

1. Luke 23:32-34 The Perfect Prayer:

“Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.”–Perfect forgiveness

2. Luke 23:32-43 Eternal Life Today:

“Today you shall be with Me in Paradise”–Eternal life

3. John 19:26-27 Substituting for the Substitute:

“Woman, behold, your son!”–A new family

4. Matthew 27:46:

My God! My God! Why? “My God, my God, why have you forsaken Me?”–Penalty paid

5. John 19:28-29:

“I Thirst; I Thirst.”–We’ll never be thirsty again

6. John 19:30 FINISHED!

“It is finished!”–Completed His mission

7. Luke 23:46:

“Father into Thy hands I commend my spirit.”–Made heaven our home!

Do you know Him?

“The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him. He came to his own people, and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:9-12).

Through this “Advent Adventure,” we’ve looked at the long-awaited, promised and anticipated birth of Jesus Christ the Messiah, from multiple angles, zooming in on all the “characters of Christmas.” Now, let’s make it personal. John’s gospel says plainly that Jesus gives light to every person born. John observed that many who should’ve received Jesus, didn’t, including both Jews and Gentiles. But others welcomed the newborn King. And to them, He gave new life.

Our last step, then, is to simply receive Jesus, moving from the heart-warming, sentimental view of Christmas, to the soul-saving reality that we all need His rescue. We must abandon the fruitless attempt to save ourselves by good works, identify our sin, turn from it, calling upon Jesus and receive Him as Lord and Savior. That’s where life in God’s family begins.

Have you done that? If not, why not take that step now? How? Pray! All who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. So pray something like this: “Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sin and then to rise from the dead. Please forgive me now as I open my heart to confess Him as my Lord and Savior. The rest of my life is Yours, in Jesus’ Strong Name. Amen.”

And now, welcome to the family of God…And have a Happy New Year!

“That day the Spirit led [Simeon] to the temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, ‘Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as You have promised. I have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of Your people Israel’” (Luke 2:27-32).

The day had come. Perhaps Simeon waited for decades or just a few days, but the “promise given” was now the “promise fulfilled.” He came “by the Spirit” that day, ascending the Temple Mount at just the right time. He saw all the typical, daily activity there: conversations and theological debates, prayers, songs and ceremonies, and sacrificial animals being led to the place of their execution to make things right between God and the worshiper. Then he saw them. A young Galilean couple carrying their first baby to be dedicated as God’s Word commanded. Perhaps God handed down that mandate knowing that THIS day, THIS couple would bring THIS Son who was being prepared for “all the people” as a future sacrifice.

Simeon not only saw this face in the crowd, he understood that to see the face of Jesus, was to see Salvation. What was true for Simeon is true for us. To see Jesus for who He is, and to embrace Him and worship, as Simeon did, is to be truly ready to “die in peace.”

That face in the crowd had come to die for the crowd, the whole crowded world. See Him. Embrace Him. Find peace in Him.

On October 27, 2018, during Sabbath worship services at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, a gunman entered the premises and opened fire indiscriminately at the congregation. In total, 11 worshipers were killed. Aside from the tragic loss of life and heartbreak that will follow, the Jewish community is once again left to ponder its place as a victim of this most pernicious form of hatred – antisemitism. The shooter’s motivations were clear, as he entered the synagogue, he declared, “All Jews must die.” Such vile statements have unfortunately become part and parcel of Jewish history and indeed present-day Jewish life.

No more than a week earlier we witnessed the shocking footage of a 62-year-old Jewish man being beaten in broad daylight on his way to synagogue by a 37-year-old assailant in Brooklyn, New York. A witness reported that the attacker was screaming that “he hates Jews, and he would like to kill all the Jews.”¹ Such incidents are on the rise across the western world. Such a worrying resurgence of antisemitism is not confined to the USA. In the UK, one of the major political parties has been embroiled in a summer long controversy revolving around charges of antisemitism. This same party currently has over 250 cases featuring alleged antisemitism that have been referred to their ethics panel for investigation. A recent poll conducted by The Jewish Chronicle in Britain revealed that almost 40% of British Jews said they would consider emigrating if this party gained power.

It is extremely important that we do not allow such instances to become “yesterday’s news” as the fast paced media move onto the next news cycle. We need to reflect long and hard on what this means for us as Christians. The inevitable conclusion we must draw is that Jew-Hatred is indeed alive and well. We need a clear and unified response to such a shocking reality.

Why the Jews?

As Christians we unequivocally denounce all forms of racism. At its core, racism is a fundamental denial of the ontological equality that all humans share because we are made in the image of God. Yet, at the same time, there seems to be something unique about Jew-hatred. The Late professor Robert Wistrich, head of the International Centre for Antisemitism at the Hebrew University, described antisemitism as “The Longest Hatred” and traced examples of it through from the inception of Jewish history till the present day. There is ultimately no reasonable “natural” explanation for why this is the case. The answer lies in the spiritual realm. The apostle Paul writes in the book of Romans about his Jewish kinsmen that to them:

“Belongs the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises, whose are the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed forever. Amen” (Romans 9:3-5).

In this passage, we are told that the covenants belong to the Jewish people. This is pivotal to understand. The biblical covenants are how God mediates His blessings to the world. The Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 12:1-3;15:18-21), the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7:8-14) and the new covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34) contain God’s promises to bless the children of Israel with a Land and a Royal seed, who would go on to bless the entire world with the forgiveness of sins. The covenants contain the promises of God, the promises of God represent His character and nature, and the covenants were given to the house of Israel.

Here is the connection that explains why such disproportionate (considering the actual Jewish population size) hatred is directed toward the Jews – They are God’s covenant people and continue to be to this day (Romans 11:1). These covenants affirm the continuing place and purpose for Israel in God’s redemptive kingdom program, even while being in a state of unbelief (Romans 11:25). The satanic onslaught against the Jewish people is reflective of the attempt by Satan to discredit God by showing that His promises can be broken. Satan being the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:1) and the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) mobilizes the masses in pursuit of his goal. Such ambitions are expressed by the ancient enemies of Israel in Psalm 83, and similar sentiments could be listed from world leaders today:

“They make shrewd plans against Your people, and conspire together against Your treasured ones. They have said, ‘Come, and let us wipe them out as a nation, that the name of Israel be remembered no more’” (Psalm 83:3-4).

Satan has tried to wipe out the Jews through the Egyptians, the Amalekites, the Babylonians, the Hittites, the Assyrians, the Romans, the Nazis, through religions, and through politics. Yet we can have full assurance that Satan will never succeed. In Jeremiah 31 God identifies Himself as the creator of the sun, moon and stars and states emphatically that, only if someone is able to remove these ordinances, will they be able to destroy the Jews. In other words, it is impossible – the existence of the Jewish people is a testimony to God’s enduring faithfulness to keep His promises:

“If this fixed order departs from before Me, declares the LORD, Then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever” (Jeremiah 31:36).

Our Response

How tragic it is that, within the lifetime of Holocaust survivors, we are once again witnessing the blatant outward expression of antisemitism in the western world. It requires a firm response from all those who understand the debt western civilization owes to its Judeo-Christian heritage. As Christians it means we must absolutely repudiate antisemitism in the strongest possible terms wherever and whenever it appears. Unfortunately, there is a sad legacy not only of virulent antisemitism within politics but also within the church. This means the church must be diligent to remove any last vestige of theological antisemitism that festers among various strands of replacement theology today. The church today must show solidarity with and assurance to the Jewish community by demonstrating to them that these charges will not go unnoticed and will not be left unanswered. In addition to this, we must continue to love the Jewish people as Christ does “with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3), minister to them with physical blessings (Romans 15:27), and ultimately, pray for the salvation of Israel (Romans 10:1).

Notes:

¹ Jacob Magid, et al. “Orthodox Jewish Man Attacked in Brooklyn, in 2nd Suspected Hate Crime in 2 Days.” The Times of Israel.

2018 CGN Pastors & Leaders Conference Archives

Though I’ve been a Calvary Chapel pastor for nearly five years, this year will be my first time attending the Pastors and Leaders Conference. So I’ve been thinking about the theme, “The Power of the Gospel.”

Power. Good News. These are culturally loaded ideas.

They are not technical terms with stable meanings across the globe. For most people, they are subjective.

When someone hears the word “power,” countless experiences spring into action that flavor the meaning. Wounds are opened, and bitterness comes out to play. Wounds that were given by people with “power.”

I’m not a world traveler, but these past seven years I’ve been doing life together with the Hungarian people. It’s given me a whole new perspective about power, and how for many people, maybe most people, it is not a good thing.

Maybe you’ve been a Christian for awhile and you know Romans 1:16:

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

But pause for a minute and try to consider what power likely means to the majority of the world, and even to many in America today.

The powerful use their influence, their might, their ability to their own advantage. Power is leveraged against the weak. Those who have it wield it to gain more of it. It’s feared. It’s harmful. And those who have it are distrusted because of it.

Power is distasteful to many people. We should realize this when we speak of the power of the gospel. This is to say nothing of historical abuses of power by those who claimed to represent the gospel. The message of Romans 1:16 is indeed glorious, but it is also an alien concept to most. Power and good news rarely walk together in our world.

And that is precisely where the beauty of the gospel blossoms.

A lot has been said and written about this word, “power.” The transliteration, dynamis, informs the English word “dynamite.” But we must not make the error of reading modern concepts backwards into first century Palestine. Paul knew nothing about dynamite when he wrote to the Christians in Rome.

The idea simply is power. Ability. Force. Might. It speaks of having the innate capacity to bring about change, to effect change by the actions taken.

But power doesn’t exist in a vacuum. In our world it is most often tied to people who use it in harmful, selfish ways. Physical abuse by those in power. Emotional abuse by those in power. Systemic abuse by those in power. Political corruption by those in power. Economic corruption by those in power.

But our God, the God of the Bible, wields His awesome power in a way that is very different than the human authorities who have given us such terrible examples.

God expresses His power in the form of good news. That also is an alien concept. It seems that the only “good” news we get is when we hear something positive from a friend or family member. Many are abandoning the world’s news outlets altogether as the crisis-for-cash industry is finally being seen for what it is.

Yet that is God’s message, good news. And it’s a message infused with His own might, authority and ability. The good news of Jesus goes with, and in, the power of God.

And it is a message for salvation.

In our english Bibles “salvation” isn’t always referring to spiritual salvation. Sometimes it means being kept or preserved from worldly harm. But here in Romans 1:16, it is in fact the “salvation” we as followers of Jesus rest our lives upon.

It’s the salvation that uproots us from the realm of darkness and plants anew into the kingdom of Jesus (Colossians 1:13). It’s the ultimate rescue, the way out everyone who has known fear and oppression longs for. It is the light of day at the end of the valley of the shadow of death. It is a person, and the message of Him is indeed good news, full of God’s power.

It turns out that the God of the Bible, who is said to have all authority, who declares the beginning from the end, and who is the only redeemer (Isaiah 44:6-8), has chosen to use His power for our good. This shatters our worldly experience which tells us that the interests of the powerful and the good of the many are mutually exclusive. God’s ways really are different than our ways! (Isaiah 55:8-9)

In a world where the powerful serve themselves, the God of the Bible, the most powerful of all, expresses His power through care for others. Others who can add nothing to Him and need everything from Him. His power frees the captive (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:18). His power uplifts the oppressed (Psalm 9:9-10). His power gives the orphan a family (2 Corinthians 6:18). His power is good news for the salvation of all who believe.

What seems unbelievable is exactly what must be believed.

I wonder if our enemy has intentionally corrupted the idea of power among humanity in order to drive people away from anyone powerful, including God Himself. If you want to keep people from the water of life, try to poison the well.

It seems too good to be true. But what we hope would be true turns out to be exactly the message we’ve received. The all-powerful God has acted in the person and work of Jesus. Forgiveness has been purchased through the Son’s offering of His own life for us all. New life is secured by the Son’s bodily resurrection from the dead.

Just as Abraham hoped against hope and believed that this God could do what He promised (Romans 4:18), we too can enter into what seems impossible, trusting someone in power, by believing the good news of Jesus. Because you are not trusting just anyone, but the One who in His power gave Himself for you, in His power, took His life back from grave (John 10:17-18), and in His power, sends this good news out to all, for anyone who will believe.

Register to the 2018 CGN Pastors & Leaders Conference to hear teachings, interactive workshops, resources, fellowship & more under the theme, “The Power of the Gospel,” on June 25-28.

Many times during the years of His earthly ministry, Jesus promised that He would rise from the dead (John 2:18-22; Matthew 12:39-40; 16:21). His enemies remembered those predictions (Matthew 27:62-64) and were worried that what Jesus said might actually happen.

So, those enemies came to Pilate, asking for a guard to be set at the tomb (Matthew 27:65-66). The Roman ruler granted their request, saying, “You have a guard,” giving them Roman soldiers to watch the tomb. Before the enemies of Jesus left, Pilate added one more thought, telling them, “Make it as secure as you know how” (Matthew 27:65).

Pilate probably wondered why these religious leaders were afraid of a dead man. He didn’t think of setting a guard himself because he didn’t care. Why would anyone care about the tomb of a convicted criminal? But the religious leaders were more interested in making the tomb secure than the Romans were. They took Pilate’s permission and made the tomb as secure as they could, because it was in their interest to do so.

We know how the story ended. They did their best to make the tomb secure, but it didn’t stop the resurrected Jesus.

They tried to make the tomb secure with a stone, which is a material obstacle. These stones were big and set in a slanted channel. It could not be rolled away from the inside. If enough of the disciples had the courage to come to the guarded tomb, maybe they could roll away the stone. But to do that, they would have to work together, and that didn’t seem likely knowing their history of bickering and competition.

The tomb was also secured by a seal, which was an obstacle of human authority. According to custom, the seal was a rope, overlapping the width of the stone covering the entrance to the tomb. On either side of the doorway, there was a glob of wax securing the rope over the stone. You could not move the rock without breaking the seal. The Roman seal carried legal authority. It was more than yellow tape barricading a crime scene; to break a Roman seal was to defy Roman authority. That stone was secured by the authority of the Roman Empire.

Finally, the tomb was secured by a guard, which was an obstacle of human strength. A typical Roman guard had four soldiers. Two watched while the others rested. The soldiers would be equipped with sword, shield, spear, dagger and full armor. Remember that these were Roman soldiers. They didn’t care about Jesus or Jewish laws or rituals. They were called to secure the tomb of a criminal. To them, the only sacred thing at this tomb was the Roman seal, because if that were broken, their careers were ruined; and they might be executed themselves.

None of these obstacles mattered. They made the tomb “as secure as they knew how,” but it wasn’t secure enough to stand against the glory of the resurrected Jesus:

. Material obstacles can’t stand against the resurrected Jesus.
. Human authority can’t stand against the resurrected Jesus.
. Human strength can’t stand against the resurrected Jesus.

All opposition falls away before our resurrected Lord.

The Gospel is the “good news” concerning who Christ is and what He has accomplished. It is the power of God to redeem sinful humanity, replace the sinner, remove the sin, release the bondage, reverse the curse and reconcile man to God. When we proclaim the Gospel, we are actually telling Christ’s personal testimony about His birth, life, death, burial, resurrection and ascension.

O, how glorious is this gospel…and yet, how easy it is to underestimate the full extent of its power!

Perhaps, we would do well to consider what actually happens in the spiritual realm when the Gospel is shared and lives are set free.

When Jesus preached His own Gospel to His disciples, Satan immediately overtook Peter in getting him to rebuke the Lord saying, “Far be it from You Lord; this shall not happen to you!” Then Jesus immediately came back with a firm response of His own, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:22-23, NKJV).

Do you see how quickly Satan reacted upon hearing Christ proclaim His own death and resurrection? Have you ever experienced this kind of opposition? Where do you put your trust today? Are you more focused on the temporal than the eternal and more mindful of human remedies over God’s remedy?

The idea of God coming down to sacrificially give His life for us in order to solve our deep spiritual condition by absorbing the punishment we deserve sounds too good to be true. However, if one’s Jewish expectation cannot grasp the idea that the Messiah needed to suffer for us before reigning over us, it can seem like nonsense.

Or if one’s secular worldview esteems man’s accomplishments over God’s accomplishments, the gospel can easily become an intellectual offense.

This is why Paul says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God… to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18,23-24).

According to the Gospel accounts in Mark and Luke, the first time Jesus casted out an evil spirit was not among unrighteous heathen or a company of sinners but within a religious synagogue in Capernaum where there was an affinity to God’s laws and ordinances. It was here that a man with an unclean spirit cried out, “Let us alone! What have we to do with you Jesus of Nazareth? Did you come to destroy us? I know who You are – the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24).

As I considered this passage recently, the Lord renewed my mind to see some powerful insights concerning the glorious gospel of Christ:

First of all, the Gospel engages the divide of two spiritual kingdoms and brings with it the power to deliver someone out of darkness, to loosen Satan’s grip on their life and to enable them to experience Christ’s love and forgiveness. Paul declares this in his letter to the church in Colosse: “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

Furthermore, evil spirits always see things as they really are even if they do not want to come under the authority of Christ. Unlike the religious crowd that was gathered together, the evil spirits knew exactly who Jesus was and what He was capable of doing. “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!” – seeing Him as a threat to their agenda.

We see a similar response when an evil spirit answered the seven sons of a chief priest who tried to exorcise demons in Christ’s name saying, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?” (Acts 19:15).

It was only when Paul was freed from the blindness of his own religious zeal and was graciously converted by the risen Christ that he became a threat to the kingdom of darkness and came to understand what the evil spirits already knew. His conversion story confirms that Jesus can change anyone “…From darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me” (Acts 26:17-18).

This begs the question: Are you a threat to the kingdom of darkness by the way you live and give the gospel?

Finally, let us consider what the evil spirits actually said to Jesus in the synagogue that day – “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth?” Is this not the same message often broadcasted today by various means of culture and media outlets that do not make room for the Christian message to be spoken in any public sphere under any circumstance, since it would rather promote atheism, relativism, humanism and hedonism before it gives any credence to the Gospel of Christ.

Why is this? Because the Gospel requires us to see sin as sin, so that we can repent and see Christ as the one perfect solution; so that we can believe.

The Gospel is the supernatural remedy for a spiritual condition that only God Himself can solve.

The Gospel opposes the ideologies and priorities of a world system that seeks to promote and celebrate self while rejecting any and all moral absolutes and responsibilities in order to excuse immoral behavior and suppress the truth.

“But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them” (2 Corinthians 4:3-4 NKJV).

Once the light of the Gospel shines on our hearts, we are forever changed and everything looks different. The view from Calvary changes the way we see the world because it makes Jesus Christ the focal point and not ourselves.

Maybe you’ve heard of CrossFit. I’m one of those crazy people who have bought into their way of using constantly varied, functional movements at a high intensity. Basically this just means you work really hard, never at the same things, in a way that will make your everyday life better. This isn’t an ad for CrossFit, but I wanted to share a parallel I found in regards to my walk with God. CrossFit is hard and walking with God is far from an easy road at times. One of the benefits of this type of workout is that you should be ready for anything life may throw at you. This can be described as a hopper, think a drum full of different workouts or movements. The idea is that you would turn the cranks, spin the hopper and then blindly choose a workout. Some movements you would excel at; others would be more challenging and make you want to run away screaming.

The goal is to accomplish the hard stuff, rather than sticking to the things you are already good at.

Otherwise your overall fitness will be stunted.

Doesn’t life feel like this hopper sometimes? There are seasons when things seem to run smoothly, falling into place like a storybook. Other times it’s as if someone is playing a series of practical jokes on you, because nothing seems easy and everything hurts. I understand. Greg Glassman, the creator of CrossFit, said it like this: “There is more traction, more advantage, more opportunity in pursuing headlong that event or skill that you do not want to see come out of the hopper than putting more time into the ones where you already excel.”

Paul, an apostle of Jesus, talked about facing hard things like this:
“I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it,[a] but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us” (Philippians 3:12-14).

The natural inclination is to try to run away from the hard things, but we can’t just wish the difficulties of life away.

We have to be grown ups, don’t we? We won’t get any stronger, wiser or better equipped for what is ahead unless we run straight into what we don’t always know how to accomplish. The cool part is that God gets it; He knows the road ahead and the way to navigate it. If we will let God into our hearts and our lives, He has promised that He will walk along with us, strengthening us when we are inches away from giving up.

Life is unpredictable, something I am learning more and more each day as my two daughters are now in high school. My list of “conversations I thought I’d never have” is getting longer and longer. But something else I am learning is that once we come through a difficult conversation or an intense situation, we end up being stronger than we were before. Just as I am getting stronger by practicing new ways of fitness, I am learning to not let myself be controlled by the fear of what might possibly come out of the “hopper” of life. I can trust that no matter what is coming next, God is already there, like the best fitness coach I’ve ever had. He will correct things I am lacking, encourage me when I’m faltering and will ultimately celebrate with me when I conquer what felt unconquerable.