The Lenten Season: Humiliation and Exultation

 The Season of Lent leads Christians to understand the moments , when the transformational Works of our Lord Jesus Christ, which change our lives forevermore,  carried out all that God's eternal decree of Grace, Forgiveness, Redemption and Salvation were made manifest into the world in which we live,  so that,  any who will but freely receive them might have eternal life.

"And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” Jhn: 12:32

For centuries in the Western church the focus has been,  in many ways,  fixed upon the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ and the salvation work which he wrought thereupon. This focus is called "Theologia Crucis" or "Theology of the Cross".

In the Eastern Church the focus is on the Resurrection and the Glorification of Jesus. This focus is called "Theologia Gloria" or "Theology of Glory".

 The Lenten Season gives us a time to reflect upon our Lord Jesus Christ and all that he is and has accomplished for each and all of us and we can experience this if we will but freely receive it.

Our whole salvation experience is dependent us the cross. The cross shows us the lengths which our God was willing to go through, in order that we might share eternal life with him. The Gospel message has been paraphrased by the Apostle St. Paul as "preaching Christ and him crucified”. 

The cross of Jesus is not directed toward God to somehow pacify God or satisfy him, but rather, it is directed to us to show us his love and mercy and his reaching out to humanity. The cross of Jesus is a real-world event which provided as the means to bring God's eternal decree into our lives here upon the Earth.

It is impossible for us to separate the cross from our salvation and the glorification of Jesus Christ, one cannot be without the other. Without the work of the cross our salvation would not have been accomplished and without the resurrection the cross would be absolutely meaningless. Jesus would have been just another Messiah want-a-be or a martyr of a movement attempting to bring reform to Judaism without the resurrection. The resurrection demonstrates the power of the cross and verifies that Jesus' divine identity as God's one and only Son.

 "the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord."Rm:1:2-4

 Jesus Lifted Up

Upon entering Jerusalem, the shouts of "Hosanna" rang out by the assembled crowd of citizens who had hoped that now would be the time that the kingdom of Israel would be restored.

"On the next day the large crowd who had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began to shout, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel.” Jhn:12:12-13

 Jesus began to speak regarding as to why he has come to Jerusalem, and that the hour of the cross drew near. Jesus began to speak his crucifixion and his glorification all in the same discourse, telling us that one cannot be separate from the other the suffering of the cross preceded the glory of the resurrection; the two cannot be separated.

     “Now My soul has become troubled; and what shall I say, ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven:  “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.”Jesus answered and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for your sakes. “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” But He was saying this to indicate the kind of death by which He was to die"(27-32)

Jesus knew and understood what he was to face but Jesus also knew what lay beyond and all that would be accomplished for all humanity.

The Crucifixion event and the Resurrection event are eternally bound up together, inseparable from one another. Both, Death and Resurrection are joined as one in Jesus.

 "For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”: Heb:12:2b

Jesus knew what the cross was all about, this place of deepest humiliation was also the way to the greatest glory for him and the drawing of all humanity to himself and the provision of salvation for all who will but freely receive it.

Exulted Humiliation

In speaking of his death upon the cross Jesus uses the phrase "lifted up”, in the Greek this phrase means the same thing as "to exult" or "to be exulted". This means far more than to just be place upon an erected stake or cross in public view. Jesus is telling us that as he is humiliated in the death of the cross and he is simultaneously exulted as the Messiah, the Christ, the Anointed one of God, for only his death could and would accomplish the ransom for all humanities' sins and sinfulness. 

The Cross, this place of humiliation would be transformed into a place of glorification in Jesus' death and Resurrection.

Jesus' Death

Jesus is the only one in all humanity or in all the history of salvation whose death could have accomplished this work of redemption for each and all of us. No other person's death could have this impact of salvation for the whole human race but Jesus'.

Jesus, in his conversation with the Pharisee Nicodemus alludes to his "lifting up" and the accomplished salvation for all humanity.

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son."Jhn:3:14-18

The writer of Hebrews speaks of Jesus' death for all of us, becoming like us and sharing our humanity in death, all so that we might share in his glorified humanity in eternal life. 

"But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone" Heb:2:9

The Apostle St. Paul addresses Jesus taking on our humanity, setting aside the "glory of deity", yet still in complete retention of his deity, in the Epistle to the Christians at Philippi, the Apostle quotes from an ancient creedal hymn sung in Christian worship to the glory of the Son of God.

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!" Philp: 2:5-8

This ancient creedal hymn displayed the very humility of Jesus, who is fully God yet, in the incarnation, he condescends to our lowly humanity to become not just "one of us", but all the more to be "one with us”. In this, and for this, the Father in Heaven exults Jesus above all others.

The ancient hymn continues in this praise of Jesus.

"Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father".(9-11)

As even Jesus himself quotes the ancient proverb that speaks to this very truth.

"And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted."Matt:23:12

None Greater has come lower, to be exulted higher than Jesus. For Us All

The Apostolic Church came to understand, that in the coming of Jesus, something had been changed in all humanities relationship with God. What did Jesus' life death and resurrection accomplish for humanity?

This was a subject that they prayed about, thought about, debated and discussed and then arrived at an understanding and a "Theology" which then informed the Apostolic Church view of all things and their relationship with God and humanity.

"For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." 2Cor:5:14-15

The early Church saw that Jesus dyed and was raised "for all". They understood "all" to be "all". That none need to be excluded from entering eternal life, if they will but freely receive it when they hear the word of the Gospel preached to them. By faith humanity might experience salvation.  

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand" Rm:5:1-2

Recapitulation; Jesus' Choice for Us

Jesus came to undo the choice of humanities' father Adam, which unleashed sin and death and all suffering upon humanity. St. Paul wrote to the Church at Rome about this very thing, that Adam's choice brought condemnation to all.

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned—"(12)

As Adam who was reckoned as the Head of the human race, and as such, choose sin and death for all humanity and all humanity has followed suit, so has Jesus, who Scripture calls the "Second Adam", is the New Head of the human race, chose righteousness and life for all humanity, this is what the ancient Church called Recapitulation, which means humanity has been given a New Head. Jesus as being one of us, even as Adam was one of us, could chose for all of us as did Adam. This understanding of Recapitulation was called by some theologians Federal Headism.

 "But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ! Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people.For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous." (15-19)

 Jesus has chosen life for each and all if we will but freely receive it none need be excluded, but for their own unwillingness.

The Lenten Season reminds us of this truth, that through Jesus alone humanities' salvation been accomplished, and that Jesus and Jesus alone, even in his death is gloried, and in his resurrection, Jesus is proclaimed as the Son of the Living God, that he has "drawn all men to himself" that we might share in the righteousness and life that is his alone. For this Jesus is eternally exulted, therefore Jesus is "lifted up".

Benediction: May we each and all join in the exultation of our Lord Jesus and my he be ever lifted up, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

The Season of Lent: The Healing for Sin

 The Lenten Season, that forty-day period of time which Christians of various backgrounds observe each year to consider the great work of salvation which the Great God has undertaken for, each and all who will but freely receive it in the person of Jesus Christ and the profound transformation of our lives through the incarnation and the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So, Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived" Num:21:8-9

When we read the Scriptures through the view as to who Jesus Christ is, we see Jesus and his saving acts symbolized and prefigured in all the Holy Bible.

We can also see in the lives of many Biblical personalities, and the struggles which they faced, facing many of the very things which each and all of us face in life. They, like all humanity face the great common enemies of sin and death.

The people of Israel, as God's Covenant people had a unique relationship with God. God had drawn them out of the slave pits of Egypt and led them forth, through Moses, to what they had longed hoped for, the Promised land which the Lord had promised to their Fathers , Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. 

Turned Against Moses 

As Israel sojourned through the wilderness, the way became long and the Promised land seemed afar off, the people of Israel began to focus on the difficulties of the  journey and became inpatient and began to complain and turn against God's servant Moses and even against the Lord God who had set them free. Moses became the object of Israel's anger.

"They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!”  Num: 21:4-5

They condescended to their base nature, that is , the adversities and hardships of the journey brought out the truth which was in Israel's hearts all along, and the people of Israel behaved accordingly. The people of Israel lifted their voice against Moses and put the blame upon him for the situation which they all shared in.

 Snakes in the Camp

God then responded to the ranker of the Israelites through an act of divine discipline by sending snakes throughout the camp of Israel which bit at the complaining Israelites resulting in the deaths of many.

"Then the Lord sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died".(6)

It became obvious to the people of Israel that God's hand was involved in the plague of venomous snakes among them brought on by their own bitter complaints stemming from their inpatients for God to work in their lives as he will. The people of Israel approached Moses and ask him to intercede with God on their behalf so that the plague might come to an end.

"So Moses prayed for the people." (7c)

  A Healing Provided

When Moses approached to God in prayer, the Lord answered by instructing Moses to make a Bronze Serpent and affix it to a pole, that whoever looks upon it will be miraculously healed of their snake bites. 

Those Israelites who looked upon the lifted-up serpent there in the wilderness were healed and lived.

"The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived”. (8-9)

We,  Like Them

In so many ways we, each and all of us, are like the people of Israel. God intervenes in our lives and we come to believe in Jesus; and he and sets us free from Egyptian slave pit of sin and fear and leads us out with promise of an whole new life awaiting us, yet , when our journey in the wilderness of this life to all that our God has for us becomes difficult or we find ourselves disappointed with how God is handling our lives, we like Israel can begin to complain at the adversity and the truth about us all comes to the surface; we are all sinners, bitten by the snakes of sin with its venomous effect upon our lives and those around us.  

 Jesus Lifted Up

But God has given us, each and all, the answer, and a healing, to the very issue of sin in our lives. This answer is his own Son Jesus Christ. Jesus himself likened his crucifixion to be like the lifting up of the Bronze Serpent fashioned by Moses for the healing of the bitten.

"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up", Jhn:3:14

Jesus is the answer to all human sin even when we believers stumble or fall into regression and find ourselves condescending to our basin natures. Even as the bronze serpent that was lifted up so that all the people could look to it for healing was the answer to the snake bites that the Israelites received; so is Jesus' death is for all our sins, to bring us to experience forgiveness and live for all eternity with our God.

This forgiveness is found in our God's eternal decree which he has ordained from eternity past and has made previsions through the eternal Son of God that we might be healed not only our sins, but also, we are forgiven of what we are and our very natures which spawn our sins.

"the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world". Rev: 13:8b

God has proclaimed this decreed and has made salvation a reality for us through the Son of God even before the creation of the material universe, all we need do is accept God's eternal decree of life which is offered to humanity through Jesus Christ, when we hear the Gospel. None need to be left out if they will but freely receive it and experience the healing from sin and death.

"the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth--to every nation, tribe, language and people."  Rev.: 14:6b

Jesus is the answer to the snakes which will on occasion slither their way through the camp of our lives bite at us.

When the people of Israel looked upon the bronze serpent healing came to them, there was nothing else that they had to do just look to it. This speaks to regarding the grace of God extended to each and all due to his love for us. That we might be healed of sin, Jesus has saved us all we need do is look to him even when we are bit by the temptation and pressures we face in our journey thru the wilderness.

"As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and: following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God"—Eph:2:1-8

The healing through Jesus by his cross was prophesied in the writings of Isaiah when he wrote of the suffering servant. In Isaiah's prophecy regarding the coming Messiah who would be lifted up for all.

The Apostle St. Peter address the Prophet's words regarding the healing that Jesus accomplished for us all on the cross.

"Jesus himself bore our sins" in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."1Pet:2:24

The context of this verse is our spiritual healing which the Messiah would accomplish

 "For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. (25)

 Jesus Intercedes for us

When we find ourselves going astray, bitten again by the snakes of our carnal nature, we need only look to Jesus who is there to intercedes for us as our High Priest as Moses did for the people of Israel.

 "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Heb: 7:25

Jesus, as the one who has saved us completely, has healed us of our need, even when we stumble, we can confess to him our need and thank him for the accomplished healing that is already ours in Jesus. We are healed, of sin.

The Lenten season reminds us of the finished work of Jesus upon the cross that heals us of all our sins.

Benediction: May we each and all ever look to the Cross of our Lord Jesus for the healing of all sin, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”  

 

The Season of Lent: Jesus Lifted Up

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." Jhn: 12:32

The Season of Lenten is situated in the Church’s Liturgical Calendar by intent, it is placed there to lead us all into the reality of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection and our own sharing in Jesus’ life and death. This is a purpose of the Lenten Season, to begin to see our new life in him and our own sharing in all that is Jesus’.

 The Season of Lent is far more than a season of legalistic performance based religious self-examination, it is rather a time of fully embracing the grace of God and the reality of the risen Christ and the Season of Easter.

 The Pharisee Nicodemus came at night under the cover of darkness to see Jesus. Nicodemus wanted to understand more regarding the teaching which he had been hearing. Jesus agreed to speak with him.

“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night” Jhn: 3:1

In the night time conversation with Nicodemus Jesus tells the Pharisee about the transformation of life which all who come to believe in Jesus can experience.

 “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (3)

Jesus Lifted Up

 Jesus speaks of his crucifixion using Moses’ brazen serpent, which when looked upon healed the people of the from the venomous snake bites which had befallen them due to their sin of speaking against God and Moses whom the Lord had used to lead Israel out of captivity to freedom.

 “And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,” Jhn:3:14

This is no random reference by Jesus, there is divine intent as to why he would allude to the brazen serpent which when looked upon brought healing to the Children of Israel after they were bitten by the serpents.

Jesus is telling Nicodemus, and all who hear through the pages of the Holy Word of God, that Jesus is the very sources of our healing from the fatal bite of the snake of sin. 

The cross of Jesus stands atop of Calvary at the very center of the salvation work God which was made manifest in Jesus as the outward evidence to convey to us the eternal  divine decree which God had purposed in eternity; which declares to humanity forgiveness, reconciliation, atonement, redemption and the grace of God which is being extended to each and all who will be freely receive.

" but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested (revealed) in these last times for you."  1Pet:1:19-20

"the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world." Rev: 13:8b

St. John records this holy truth in his Gospel account.

“And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." Jhn: 12:32

It is when we see Jesus lifted high upon the cross and accept what is freely offered us , that we can experience the healing for the painful snake bite of sin and have eternal life.

“that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” Jhn:3: 15

God’s Love

The Creator God sent Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Seconded person of the Holy Trinity , to come and show us the outworking of God’s divine love for all humanity.

“for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have eternal life” (16)

As the snake bite of sin would bring death to us, the salvation work of God in Jesus brings life and heals us . This healing is offered freely to all, who will “believe(s) in him”.

This “believing” in Jesus, is the acceptance of who Jesus is, it goes far beyond just seeing Jesus as a historical figure, but it is a recognition of his divine nature which leads us to come to the realization of what Jesus accomplished for us; eternal life, which we were helpless to earn or merit on our own, rather but is freely offered to us motivated only by God’s divine love for us.

Jesus Entered Death

This realization of God’s love, when grasped, transforms us, we experience, as Jesus told his night time visitor Nicodemus, being “born again”, that is, we have entered into the new life which Jesus has made possible and has bequeathed to us. We are with  Jesus lifted up, that is through his death on the cross, life is made possible, in that, we are able to be healed of death itself for Jesus entered into death and defeated death from within death. It had no power to hold Jesus, for all die, including Jesus.

Jesus dyed on the cross to rescue us all from sin, death and the grave and the way of death. In himself he gave us victory over death itself in the resurrection.

As St. Paul wrote.

“For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.”1Cor:15:21

Jesus’ death on the cross is the Apocalyptic moment of God’s love and the lengths which our God would go to secure our salvation. It is a revelation of the love of God toward and for us.

The cross itself shows us the perfect conformity to the will of God by Jesus on our behalf, showing that the cross stands for all time and eternity that Jesus would rather die than be found outside the will of God. The cross is the logical conclusion of a life in complete submission to the will of God. Jesus scarified his whole life his whole life, All his life all his life. Jesus is proclaiming  that he loves the Father and humanity to death.

The cross of Jesus shows us that God would join us in our suffering which is common among all humanity, he did not exempt himself from our suffering but joins us in it.

The Light Shined

As Jesus bore the suffering of the cross. Even as he was enveloped within the shroud of darkness his divine love shown at its most glorious radiance.

The Evangelist St. Mark in his account tells us of that moment of darkness.

“At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon” Mk:15:33

 In the midst of this darkness the light of God’s love was radiant in glory in the person of Jesus. Even in Jesus’ suffering there was glory, lifting him high for only his death could bring life.

This same light of the love of God is still seen in its brilliance when the Gospel is preached among the darkness of this world. The light of the Gospel shines forth with the power of God to illuminate in our understanding as to who Jesus is and what he has done for us so that we can live be healed of sin, if we will freely receive it.

light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.”2Cor:4:4b-6

In the lifting up of Jesus on the cross of Calvary we see the radiant glory of God and the boundless love of God on perfect display all that we might believe in Jesus and be healed of sin and live an all-new life in the glorious light of the Son of God. This why Jesus is lifted up. This is a lesson of the Season of Lent.

Benediction: May we each and all see the glorious light of God shining forth even in the darkness, that we might see Jesus and believe in him and experience the healing of from sin, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.

Rev. Todd Crouch, Pastor

Topinabee Community Church

Topinabee Michigan

If You Would Like to Know More About or to Support the Ministry of Topinabee Community Church You Can go to Our Web Site.

https://topinabeechurch.org/index.html

You Can Follow Topinabee Community Church on Face Book 

https://www.facebook.com/Topinabeecommunitychurch

                       “If Its Not About Jesus, Its Not About Anything!”