Personal Object Lessons - Judgement time

“For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.” 2 Corinthians 5 v 10

We don’t like to be judged – by anyone. Generally we tend to think that those people who pronounce their opinion on us do not understand anything about us and are therefore not in a position to stand in judgement. There is a proverb that says, “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.” Therefore the only person who is able to judge us in all matters is Jesus Christ because He has walked in our shoes; He became a man and experienced life just as we do. He alone is able and justified to judge anyone.

While we, as inhabitants of the earth are being judged, we are not alone. God is also being judged. He is being judged for making a plan of salvation for all those that believe in Jesus. The judgement of God is to vindicate His love for us, to ascertain if He has shown justice in His plans. God was accused of being unfair and unjust (Gen 3 v 1-5) when He set aside a tree in the Garden of Eden. God had already clearly stated to Adam “... of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Gen 2 v 17. The clear punishment for this crime was death. Both Eve and Adam knew what they were doing when they took of the fruit and ate it; they knew that a justifiable punishment would be meted out to them. And immediately they had consumed the fruit, they hid themselves from God.

It is usual practise to hide when a crime has been committed. The perpetrator wants to remain unmarked by the inevitable penalty of his deed. It is very rare that someone commits a crime and then publicises it. Whenever the deed is found out the criminal - the person who has broken some law - is brought to justice. He is usually tried before a judge and maybe a jury, and often has a defending lawyer on his side. This person acts as his advocate and begins a campaign on his behalf in front of the judge and jury. In our personal judgement we are in a very unusual and special position because our defending advocate is also our judge! (1 John 2 v 1-2)

Christ Jesus, as well as defending us, has already paid the price for our sinful lives. 1 John 2 v 2 says that He is our atoning sacrifice for our sins, “and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” When Jesus came to earth, and lived a blameless life as a man, He was without sin yet He accepted the punishment of all sins so that we could have the reward of eternal life. He walked more than a mile in our shoes, He walked a lifetime. And still He shouldered the penalty for sins that were not His.

It is at the cross that we see justification for God forgiving anyone. The same cross that is a revelation of the love of God is also a revelation of the wrath and integrity of God. Nowhere do we see the judgement of God against sin as vividly as on Calvary. The One who died on the cross to save us from our sin will one day judge us for our response to His salvation and the life we have lived. The investigative judgement, where the book of life and the book of remembrance are opened, will justify God for forgiving those who are forgiven. (1 Tim 5 v 24; 1 Peter 4 v 17) The review judgement will answer all questions the saved may have as to why others are condemned and lost. This is yet another chance to remove all doubt about God’s justice as the saved discover how earnestly and patiently God cared for those who are eternally lost (Rev 20 v 4; Rev 15 v 3 – 4).

Even the wicked, those who have chosen to reject God’s salvation plan, will see for themselves the extent of God’s justice. At the end of time everything will be judged “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.” Eccl 12 v 13 – 14.

As we are judged, so also will God be judged. Simultaneously His character will be vindicated and our lives will be rewarded with eternity as a result of our acceptance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We do not need to fear this judgement as long as we accept the advice of our advocate Jesus, who has covered our sins with the blood He shed on the cross and has taken us, without sin, to the judgement seat of God where His love for us if justified before the jury of all ages.

©MHMorgan 2010

Personal Object Lessons - Easter

“He is risen …” Matthew 28 v 7

Easter is a time for celebration. Its history is directly related to the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. However, many people just look forward this holiday as a symbol that spring has arrived; a sign of new life.

Christ rose from the grave after His crucifixion and the grieving disciples who made their way to His tomb were greeted with the news of Christ’s victory over death with the utterance of three simple words that fulfilled a promise… “He is risen…” (Matt 28 v 7).

When Christ was on the cross at Calvary He similarly spoke three profound words… “It is finished.” (John 19 v 30). He had been raised high like a banner so that all could see and remember His selfless act of sacrifice. The crucifixion and death of Christ was the final link in the plan salvation. His death and resurrection provided a way. A way of hope and confidence that there is life beyond the grave; that there is life eternal with the Creator of all worlds. Christ Jesus led the way – from His sinless life on earth, to His return to heaven – the path to restoration with the Father was made plain (Luke 24 v 31). The earthly life, the painful death, and the return to life of Christ shows His undeniable love for humanity. The glory of God was magnified through the suffering of Christ (Luke 24 v 26). It was because humanity was under the sentence of eternal death that Christ Jesus bore the separation from the Father by taking on the sins of the world. With His life Christ paid the ransom price for everyone. His death unlocked the gates of eternity for us to enter in. Through nearly 2,000 years people throughout the world have been drawn to this act of pure love that promises life to all who believe on Him (John 3 v 16).

The actual resurrection of the Son of Man means that “it has begun”: these three words encompass the completion of the promise that results in the fulfilment of the plan of salvation. The time of new life had begun when Christ rose from the grave; the time of life eternal for all who believe had arrived. Christ died and finished the preparation work that He came to earth to complete. Then He rose from the grave to complete the last phase of humanity’s rescue plan.

Easter therefore is really a celebration of the beginning of the journey of humanity back to life eternal. A journey made possible by Christ Jesus. He made the way.

He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14 v 6)

Easter is a time to remember new life: life eternal.

©MHMorgan 2010

Personal Object Lessons - Crucifixion

Crucifixion

“And Pilate answered and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.” Mark 15 v 12-15

Christ was condemned to die. The religious leaders of the time despised His popularity and accused Him of claiming to be a king: this was against Roman law and seen as an act of rebellion against the emperor. When Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews, Jesus’ only reply was “Thou sayest it” (Mark 15 v 2). During the heated trial Jesus was accused of many other crimes by the religious leaders and He did not answer or refute any of their accusations. The outcome of the trial was dictated by the mob gathered in front of Pilate. Pilate wanted to placate the people so he assented to their wishes.

Crucifixion is a form of death reserved for the most heinous of crimes. The reviled person is tied or nailed naked to the cross and left to hang there until they die. This public execution is designed to humiliate the condemned person as they are open and vulnerable to all who witness the event. The usual Jewish method of dispatching someone who fell outside of the rules, especially for blasphemy, was to stone them to death. The Jewish leaders tried to stone Jesus in the temple (John 8 v 59) but He passed through the crowds and left them there. Crucifixion was a Roman method of death. The two groups, the Romans and the Jews, worked together to eliminate Jesus from their lives.

Before the actual crucifixion came the betrayal by Judas and the denial by Peter: these men were amongst Jesus’ closest companions. Person alienation was swiftly followed by public hostility. After the one-sided trial Jesus was taken to be beaten. Scourging, mocking and humiliation were all part of the prelude to the crucifixion. Once He was beaten, bloodied and bowed Jesus bore the heavy cross and made His way to the site where He was to die. All the way there He was ridiculed and attacked on every side. Each painful step He chose to take because of love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3 v 16,17)

Jesus chose to suffer, to be the ultimate sacrifice for humanity. He took the pain of sin upon Himself. Our sin separates us from God; when we sin God hides His face and will not hear us. (Isaiah 59 v 2). Jesus paid the price, He endured the pain. By being stretched out on the cross He showed His total love for us. He, an innocent man, was separated from God by the sins of the world. The sense of hopelessness must have cause extreme agony at the reality of separation from God. Jesus lost contact with God, He cried “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Mark 15 v 34)

Is Jesus’ crucifixion relevant today? Many people remember the crucifixion by carrying a nail in their purse or wallet. Others replicate the suffering by scourging themselves. Jesus was crucified to save us from our sins. We can remember His sacrifice by rejecting sin and accepting His everlasting love.

©MHMorgan 2009