This Month in Faith Is Action

Why The Cross
"Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die" (John 12:31-33).. 

 

When I was a teen growing up in church, one of our choir songs was Lift Him Up. It had several parts: "I wonder who will help me Lift Jesus? Lift him higher, higher, higher, higher! He said, I'll draw all men unto me."

 

It was definitely a shouting song, and we were singing about lifting the name of Jesus up in praise. Another part said: "God said, if I walk right, God said if I talk right, God said if I live right, God said if I do right, I'll draw, I'll draw, I'll draw all men unto me."

 

It was a hand clapping, foot stomping, joyful song of praise. But that is not the meaning of this verse. As we see in verse 33, Jesus said this signifying His death. He was talking about being lifted up on the cross. Earlier in chapter 3, verses 14 and 15, Jesus told Nicodemus: "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." He was talking about being lifted up on the cross, dying by crucifixion. Continue to read the April edition of FIA.

Sharon's Blog

The 7 Dominoes of the Resurrection

 

The door of salvation and entrance into Heaven's gates swings on the hinges of the resurrection. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, He would be like any other great teacher. Yes, He would surpass them in the miracles He did and the sufferings He endured on the Cross. But if He did not rise from the dead, there would be no proof that His death on the cross actually paid for our sins. He would be just another martyr.

 

Paul wrote in Romans 4:24-25 that just as Abraham believed that God would raise his son Isaac from the dead if in obedience he sacrificed him, we also must believe that God raised His Son Jesus from the dead: "Who was delivered [to die] for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. He had to rise again to prove sin's debt was paid and the deal was done! This is why the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ is integral to our faith, and without it, our faith is worthless.

 

Apostle Paul did not come to faith in Christ until years after Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection. On his way to Damascus, Syria with authorization to hunt down Christians to be tried and executed for their faith in Christ, he was accosted by Jesus, when a blinding light knocked him to the ground, and a voice spoke out of heaven, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?"" Imagine Paul's terror when he said, "Who are you, Lord? Then imagine his shock when he heard: "I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. Continue on to Sharon's blog...

 

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