Our Savior was FEARLESS.
Yes, in the garden of Gethsemane the night before his death, he begged for another way to save the WORLD, but he wasn’t sweating drops of blood because he was afraid.
He was tempted.
But as with all of the other temptations Jesus faced, he prevailed against it, and he said, “Okay, Father. Let’s do it your way.”
And he got up, and you know the rest of the story. He walked straight into the arms of the Roman soldiers who would nail his hands and feet to a cross.
And because of that, now nothing can separate us from God. Nothing.
It’s the week before one of my favorite celebrations. I love Resurrection Sunday.
I’ve poured into the scriptures of his resurrection so many times–especially of his encounter with Mary Magdalene. I love that story. I love that she was looking for a dead body and found a living, breathing Jesus who gave her a job. Of all people to choose to declare that Jesus was alive, God chose a woman once insane.
It wasn’t her fame, brilliance, or good heart. It wasn’t her reputation. Jesus chose her because she was there. She was looking for him. (Read more in my article Why Jesus Chose Mary Magdalene to Proclaim His Resurrection over at CBN.com).
And she found him. “Seek me with all your heart, and I will be found by you,” declares the Lord. Jeremiah 29:13
Our God and our Savior are FEARLESS.
Their love, relentless.
Unwavering.
Unbreakable.
My husband and I always respond to one another’s “I love you,” with “That’s good, ’cause you’re stuck with me.”
God loves us. And that’s good, ’cause he’s stuck with us. (Smile.)
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31-32).
[I’m working on a new project, A Bite of Bread: Food for Your Hungry Soul. Each chapter has a scripture, a word study side bar, and a fresh understanding of the verse. Here’s an excerpt of a chapter on the verse above.]
. . . Only one so holy, so righteous, can judge men. The definition of Theos revealed this meaning of his name. When we realize the holy One is the creator and judge, we become aware of our sin and need to make things right with our Maker. And this draws us to Jesus.
My husband came to Christ this way. He couldn’t deny a creator’s hand in this world, so he began contemplating his eternity and seeking God. And he found him. (And a girlfriend too.)
He spent months listening to sermons and attending Bible studies. He heard the gospel for the first time in his twenty-something years of life, and he began to understand his need to say yes to Jesus, to believe in his sacrifice for our sins.
Though all creation demonstrates the love of God, nothing fully defines it as tangibly as the cross.
His undeserved torture and murder for the pardon of my sins and yours is more incomprehensible than calculus. It isn’t logical. It isn’t fair. It’s undisputable grace. Chesed (merciful acts of loving-kindness) as never before or ever again demonstrated. An unfair act of kindness ushering us into eternity with our Father-God.
Jesus was the Son of God, and God himself (John 1:1). Why would a God who invented spring rains and snowflakes, butterflies and sunsets, pour himself into a created body, climb up on the cross, die an undeserved death, and sacrifice himself for all mankind? Why would Theos, the God-Judge, choose not only himself, but his son, to take our punishment?
Because he loves you.
God chose his son to take our punishment.
His son.
I wouldn’t give any of my children for the world.
Maybe my life. But not my son’s.
But God did.
Because he loved the world (John 3:16).
Knowing this, makes it easier to envision a God who continually moves on our behalf in merciful and compassionate ways. It’s the little things that remind me of his goodness like a newborn’s toes, the taste of a ripe mango, and the way my hand fits perfectly into my husband’s.
It’s the small, daily blessings that remind me of the largest blessing of all . . . our eternity with Jesus.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God . . . . It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:18,30).
Christ is our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
You may think, I don’t look very holy or righteous. That’s okay. None of us do yet, but one day we will. God doesn’t go back on his word or his work. And though we live in the middle of the now and the not yet, we are changing a little every day as we accept his love and grace and walk it out in our daily lives.
Theos determined to make a way for us to one day stand before his throne and live. Surely, if he would let his Son die on our behalf, he loves us. Awakening to the kind and gracious nature of this holy, righteous judge helps us trust him every day. He really is for us.
Bible Reading Plan
Let’s spend time in the story of our fearless Savior. The Bite of Bread is more like a Meal everyday this week!
Sneak Peek and Printable:
The printable scriptures have been shortened.
Matthew 27: 13-14: Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” 14 But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. (v. 11-14)
- Write down Jesus’s brave actions. What does this teach us?
Matthew 27: 24-26: When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. (v. 15-26)
- Do you think Pilate was afraid?
Matthew 27: 37-40: A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” (27-31)
- If they only knew what they were saying . . . what can we learn from Jesus’s silence here? (v.32-44)
Matthew 27: 45-46: At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. 46 At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli,[a] lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”[
- Have you felt forsaken by God?
Matthew 27: 65-66: “Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.”
- But they couldn’t keep him. . . What hope does this give you?
Matthew 28:8-10: “The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”
- Don’t be afraid! Who will you tell?
Grab the printable!
Don’t Be Afraid
Our fearless Savior encourages us. Just as he told Mary to go tell the disciples, so we are given the job of eternal proportions to share the good news with everyone we know. What stops you?
What stops me is the fear that I will turn them off or away, but that’s a really silly reason to be afraid to share the most important event in history.
We can’t let fear stop us.
It didn’t stop Jesus.
No Broadcast This Week
I’m on my way to a girls trip with my daughter, and I’m hoping to broadcast live from Francisco at least once. Maybe from the Golden Gate Bridge. :) I’ll see you on FB hopefully!
Have a beautiful Holy Week my friends. Jesus loves you.
Digging Deep to Live Fully,
Andy
PS. If this was encouraging, and you don’t want to miss any Bite of Bread reading plans and posts, subscribe today! You’ll receive a 22-Day Devotion on Psalm 119 called Finding the Beauty {Full} in God’s Word.Just click here to dig deep to live fully. 🙂
[…] you know Jesus was a teacher? We think of Him as Savior, Redeemer, Good Shepherd, and Son of God, but He was a great teacher–the greatest. You […]
Good word Sis❤
Thank You Jesus, you paid it all for me😊