A young man squatted in a dingy prison cell. His features were hidden by the deep shadows of his dark imprisonment. Only a thin plane of sunlight penetrated the darkness, revealing countless dust particles floating around rows of disheartened men. The man was seated, away from the light, staring, motionless, into the darkness.
Outside the prison, upon a hill, stood the place of execution, where condemned men were put to death. Today would be this man’s turn. In a way, death was a welcome ending to his pain. However, more strongly, the condemned man felt the fear of death’s mysteries. His soul, it seems, had died long ago, but the fear of physical death consumed every fiber of his being.
As he waited in the cruel anticipation of a violent death, his mind raced across the span of his life. What would have made a difference? What could have changed his inclinations towards evil? The answers to these questions could only be tossed out into his universe of despair. Like always, he knew no answers would come. There was no hope, never had there been hope.
Slowly and ever more increasingly, the young man became aware of the sounds of a great number of voices. There were shouts and roars, but none of the words could be recognized. The sounds increased and erupted past him like a huge ocean wave. An enormous mass of shouting people had passed just outside his cell and were proceeding toward execution hill. The time was near. The man could not remember so great a crowd ever gathered to witness a death before.
Just then, the outside door of the prison was slammed open hard against the wall. Keys jiggled and the main security door was unlocked. Prison guards streamed towards his cell. The hopeless man trembled and recoiled in fear. Death was pouncing upon him.
The guards unlocked his cell and converged upon him like many wild tigers. They seized him, and drug him out into the morning sunlight outside the prison. When they had cleared the outside door of the prison, he was slammed face down hard on the ground. The impact knocked him into a daze. In a semi unconscious state, he waited for the first slapping sting of the lashing whip.
After a while, he senses quickened and he slowly opened his eyes, spitting dust from his mouth. He tilted his head slowly, expecting his flesh to be ripped open at any moment.
Amazingly, he was alone.
People were flowing in masses towards execution hill, but he was left unattended on the ground.
Slowly at first, but with increasing urgency, the freed man got up and made his way into an old warehouse, across the block from the prison. Looking around as he fled, he expected his fantasy to end at any moment. He made it to the abandoned building and flung himself sobbing to the ground.
After a long while, the man’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. He left the building and circled around the back of execution hill. He came up upon the crowd and mixed himself safely among the masses. With much effort, he fought his way through until he could see what the commotion was all about.
Three men hung dying on crosses, the pain etched across their faces. Two of the men he knew from his time in prison, but he didn’t recognize the man in the middle. This man seemed much weaker and closer to death than the others. He stood watching the dying man with blood gushing down the wood of the middle tree. A strange magnetism drew his soul, locking him in on the suffering criminal.
Their eyes met. Though he was among a mass of people, the man on the middle cross was looking directly at him. The dying man’s eyes were not desperate and frantic, but peaceful and loving.
After a few moments the freed man turned and walked away. As he fought his way back through the crowd, he overheard someone asking about the man on the middle cross, “Why are they killing him, what has he done?”
“He’s done nothing wrong,” the answer came. “He’s dying in place of a man set free.”
Exchanged Life
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him Second Corinthians 5:21
What would it feel like to find yourself in a prison cell, sentenced to die? Yet, being released at the last hour for another to die in your place. A man free of wrong, willing to die for you. This is our story.
Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
A young man squatted in a dingy prison cell. His features were hidden by the deep shadows of his dark imprisonment. Only a thin plane of sunlight penetrated the darkness, revealing countless dust particles floating around rows of disheartened men. The man was seated, away from the light, staring, motionless, into the darkness.
Outside the prison, upon a hill, stood the place of execution, where condemned men were put to death. Today would be this man’s turn. In a way, death was a welcome ending to his pain. However, more strongly, the condemned man felt the fear of death’s mysteries. His soul, it seems, had died long ago, but the fear of physical death consumed every fiber of his being.
As he waited in the cruel anticipation of a violent death, his mind raced across the span of his life. What would have made a difference? What could have changed his inclinations towards evil? The answers to these questions could only be tossed out into his universe of despair. Like always, he knew no answers would come. There was no hope, never had there been hope.
Slowly and ever more increasingly, the young man became aware of the sounds of a great number of voices. There were shouts and roars, but none of the words could be recognized. The sounds increased and erupted past him like a huge ocean wave. An enormous mass of shouting people had passed just outside his cell and were proceeding toward execution hill. The time was near. The man could not remember so great a crowd ever gathered to witness a death before.
Just then, the outside door of the prison was slammed open hard against the wall. Keys jiggled and the main security door was unlocked. Prison guards streamed towards his cell. The hopeless man trembled and recoiled in fear. Death was pouncing upon him.
The guards unlocked his cell and converged upon him like many wild tigers. They seized him, and drug him out into the morning sunlight outside the prison. When they had cleared the outside door of the prison, he was slammed face down hard on the ground. The impact knocked him into a daze. In a semi unconscious state, he waited for the first slapping sting of the lashing whip.
After a while, he senses quickened and he slowly opened his eyes, spitting dust from his mouth. He tilted his head slowly, expecting his flesh to be ripped open at any moment.
Amazingly, he was alone.
People were flowing in masses towards execution hill, but he was left unattended on the ground.
Slowly at first, but with increasing urgency, the freed man got up and made his way into an old warehouse, across the block from the prison. Looking around as he fled, he expected his fantasy to end at any moment. He made it to the abandoned building and flung himself sobbing to the ground.
After a long while, the man’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. He left the building and circled around the back of execution hill. He came up upon the crowd and mixed himself safely among the masses. With much effort, he fought his way through until he could see what the commotion was all about.
Three men hung dying on crosses, the pain etched across their faces. Two of the men he knew from his time in prison, but he didn’t recognize the man in the middle. This man seemed much weaker and closer to death than the others. He stood watching the dying man with blood gushing down the wood of the middle tree. A strange magnetism drew his soul, locking him in on the suffering criminal.
Their eyes met. Though he was among a mass of people, the man on the middle cross was looking directly at him. The dying man’s eyes were not desperate and frantic, but peaceful and loving.
After a few moments the freed man turned and walked away. As he fought his way back through the crowd, he overheard someone asking about the man on the middle cross, “Why are they killing him, what has he done?”
“He’s done nothing wrong,” the answer came. “He’s dying in place of a man set free.”
Exchanged Life
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him Second Corinthians 5:21
What would it feel like to find yourself in a prison cell, sentenced to die? Yet, being released at the last hour for another to die in your place. A man free of wrong, willing to die for you. This is our story.
Please Check out the Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child in a city.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
Watchmen Nee wrote that his mentor, Margaret Barber, cared more about life than work. She focused on loving the people God brought her way rather than the work she needed to get done.
What a beautiful focus. This is my desire as well, but too often loving people gets lost behind the pressure to get things done.
Story
A while ago, I needed to get the name of diabetic test strips which would be covered under our new insurance plan. My pharmacy told me to call my doctor. My doctor told me to call my insurance company. My insurance company referred me to a third party, which handled pharmacy issues.
After navigating a labyrinth of computer generated voices, I finally spoke to a person. His name was John. His voice was slow and shaky. I had the call on speaker and my wife and I could tell John was elderly.
John didn’t know the answer to my question and suggested I call my pharmacy. When I told him I had, he suggested I call my insurance company. I tried to calmly explain that my insurance company was who told me to call him.
By this point, I had no compassion for John. I really just wanted to mark this nagging to-do off my list. I didn’t care what John might have been going through. I’d lost sight of any opportunity to love him.
I did not have a love first mentality.
John put me on hold so he could try and get an answer. While we waited, my wife helped me see the situation differently. She could tell he was having a difficult time. She felt bad for him.
When John got back on the line, he had an answer. As he explained it, my wife made a signal for me to pray with him. This wasn’t on my radar, but when he was done, I said, “John, is there anything I can pray for you about?”
“Yes,” John answered quickly.
Then there was a silence.
“What can I pray for you about?” I repeated.
“My salvation,” John cried out.
Wow.
I prayed with John right there on the phone, though I’m sure the call was being monitored. I prayed he would recognize God’s tremendous love for him. I let him know God was willing to allow His Son, Jesus, to die in his place to rescue him and give him salvation.
When I finished and said goodbye, we could hear what seemed to be sobs from John before we hung up.
What a wonderful interaction. But I almost missed it. I was so focused on getting things done, loving John had dropped from any consideration. I’d lost sight of the most important thing.
The Great Command
Jesus, on the night before his crucifixion, gave his disciples a single great command. He told them that as they followed this one thing, they would stay connected to his love and their joy would be made complete.[1]
“This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” John 15:12
Earlier in the evening, in John 13, Jesus had washed their stinky, dirty feet. The next day, He would endure a cruel death on a cross to save them. This is how He’d loved them. This is how He’s loved us.
Jesus’ new command to them, and to us, is to love others in the same sacrificial way He’s loved us.
It’s not the work. It’s the people. The things we do are not an end but a means to bring us to the people God wants us to love.
As we yield to God’s Indwelling Spirit, He will accomplish the work He wants done through us. But the Lord wants our focus to be on loving.
But what about everything else?
Having a love first mentality is absolutely what I’ve been called to do, but how do I keep my duties from becoming my primary focus, especially when to-dos mount and time is crunched?
I’m learning that, in God’s greater plan, tasks and even the problems I face, can be aids to my loving, not deterrents. It all depends on my overall intensions. Am I doing to love or just plan doing?
Looking back at my conversation with John, I was frustrated even before I talked to him. I felt like I was getting the runaround trying to get a simple answer. Finding the right test strips was one of many nagging to-dos on my every growing task list.
I ask myself what could have made a difference and given me a love first mentality with John?
Trusting God that His love for me has nothing to do with me completing my task list, but is based purely on what Christ has done.
Remembering that Christ’s new command, to love others as He’s loved me, should supersede all other concerns.
Seeing duties and problems, not as purely negative, but as ways to bring me people like John to love.
Yielding to the Holy Spirit within as my source of patience, kindness, gentleness and love.
Trusting God with every task and problem, realizing they are not surprises to Him.
Conclusion
God has created a path of love. Trusting everything else to Him and His higher ways, He’s calling us to love as our primary focus.
When we do, our duties stop being the end goal and become a means to a greater purpose.
And, as we see in John 15:9-12, loving others as Christ has loved us. keeps us in the flow of His love and gives us His full and complete joy.
This sounds too good to be true, but God says it is.
Prayer
Most gracious, heavenly Father. I’m sorry I so easily get caught up in the swirl of duties that I lose focus on loving. I see You all around me in Your creation and in the people You bring my way. Please help me trust You that the work will get done. Please change the paradigm of my day to care less about accomplishments and more about loving every person You bring my way.
.Please Check out the new Cola City Podcast . Discussions that impact the vision of reaching every man, woman, and child with the gospel.
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6 NASB)
A central thread of the Bible is God’s desire to be WITH us. As believers, the Holy Spirit indwells us. Christ, not our own striving, is our source of Life.
In addition to Christ being in us, there’s another amazing dimension to our union with Him. When Christ was raised into newness of life, we believers were raised up with Him. Not only is Christ in us, but we are also in Him.
In his book, Union with Christ, Rankin Wilbourne writes that the word “Christian” is only used three times in the New Testament letters. However, Paul uses ” in Christ” 165 times to describe those who follow Christ. [1]
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are inChrist Jesus (Romans 8:1 NASB).
But by His doing you are inChrist Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption (I Corinthians 1:30 NASB),
Therefore if anyone is inChrist, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come (II Corinthians 5:17 NASB).
Being raised up in Christ is essential to who we are. Paul puts in this way in Colossians 3:3-4, “For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
Being dead, and now hidden in Christ, adds far-reaching, glorious implications to our daily lives which we don’t want to miss. Let’s look at a few.
In Christ, We have a New Self
..in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4:22b-24 NASB)
We know our lives are now hidden in Christ. We’ve been raised with Him in newness of life. However, as mentioned before, we can still choose to walk in our old manner of life.
Paul gives a command to lay aside our old self, reminding us that it’s steeped in corruption. Lay aside – put off, put away.
So when we’re tempted to walk in our old ways, and we certainly will be, we’re to make a choice based on our renewed minds. Seeing clearly that our former way of living leads only to death, we can now choose life.
In this divine realization, we’re to put on our new self, turning away from the corruption of the old. “Put on” has the connotation of sinking into as with clothing. It literally means to clothe ourselves. So, since our lives are hidden in Christ, we’re to walk in our new selves, created in righteousness and holiness.
What possible benefit, other than coddling fleeting, empty pleasures can come from engaging our old ways of living? It’s exactly what our enemy wants us to do, but we are not unaware of his lies. Our minds have been renewed.
and do not give the devil an opportunity (Ephesians 4:27 NASB)
Story: Wilborne writes of a friend who was the person inside the Mickey Mouse costume at Disney Land. Reflecting on her time “in Mickey” she felt safe and loved, hidden in a different identity. “She recalled praying, ‘Lord, is this what it’s like to have masses of people run towards you with joy, excitement, and eagerness?'” [2]
Rankin’s friend’s identity changed every time she took the Mickey costume off. Our identify in Christ does not change. The question for us is clear. Do we choose to put off our old self, steeped in corruption, and put on our new identify in Christ?
For me, it’s a moment by moment choice to put off the lies of the enemy and trust that in Christ I walk in newness of life.
In Christ, We Have a New View
Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth (Colossians 3:1-2 NASB).
In the above verses, Paul tells us how the truth of our position with Christ should change our perspective.
Even though we physically live on earth, our view is to be from above where we’re spiritually seated with Christ. This means we’re to focus on what God cares about, even in the midst of our daily activities. We’re to keep seeking (require, be about, aim at) the things above. As our days unfolds, our higher desires should be on what God wants, not just a happy life.
What are God’s higher desires for us? Among other things, He’s at work conforming His children into the image of Christ [3]. He wants us to love others as Christ loves us. He desires for our words to be His words and our deeds to be in His strength, that He would be glorified in all we do. [4]
Focusing on what God desires for us, above our personal desires, doesn’t mean a joyless life. In fact, it means just the opposite. Orienting our lives from above means God Himself is our delight, not the trappings of the world. [5] Christ, the Source of all Joy, is our life, no matter what we face.
Story: Like many others, hard circumstances have occurred in my life which I can’t change. And believe me, I’ve tried!
Sad circumstances have threaten to discourage me and steal my joy. But I have a growing trust in what God is doing from His eternal throne. I don’t want to ignore my grief, so I try and invite Him into it, but I don’t walk around in sadness. Over time, and through the difficulties, God is skillfully and lovingly, uncovering the lie that I need happy circumstances to be okay.
From my new view with Christ, I’m more an d more seeing my life from what God is doing to conform me into His image. With this is in mind, joy is growing, even in the midst of pain.
In Christ, We are Complete
For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority (Colossians 2:9-10 NASB);
In the 1600s Bliase Pascal wrote that man’s cravings for true happiness can only be filled with an infinite, immutable object. He wrote that man tries in vain to fill this void with everything around him, seeking in (what is not) only what God Himself can give us. [6] This came to be known as our God shaped void.
To summarize, we were created with an incompleteness that only God can fill .
Incomplete: not having all the necessary or appropriate parts, not full or finished. [7]
Our problem is that, in our nagging sense of need, we attempt all manner of temporal ways to fill the void and feel complete.
Being loved by people
Our success in our different roles
Accumulating possessions
Happiness from smooth circumstances
Overloading our senses by living an epicurean lifestyle
These and other pursuits may partially fill the vastness of our souls, but each leads only to longings for more. We simply can not satisfy the deep longings of our soul with anything temporal.
The word “complete” in the above verse also means to make full, render perfect, fill to the brim, to receive fulfillment.
So, in Christ we’ve received the fulfillment our hearts have longed for. We are filled to the brim with Christ, lacking nothing.
But we must believe it and walk in it.
in Him (Christ) you have been made complete
Story: One evening, a few years ago I felt utterly undone. My heart was filled with failure, disappointment and relational pain. It was close to midnight and I decided to take a walk up our road and across the two lane highway at the top. On the way “out” I surrendered my burdens to God the best I knew how.
When I got to the end of the cul-de-sac across the highway and circled around to head back home, a deep peace invaded my soul. The problems seemed to be overshadowed by the Lord’s nearness. I pondered the truth of my completeness in Christ. I thought of being filled to the brim and overflowing with Christ. In those moments, all the burdens and pains were swept away in the awareness of this marvelous truth.
I’m complete in Christ, in need of nothing, no matter what I face.
Since that time, I’ve sometimes felt the same feelings of discouragement and incompleteness. But, I go back to the truth etched in my heart those years ago.
In Christ Jesus, I’m complete, lacking nothing.
Conclusion
As believers, though we walk on this earth, we’ve been raised WITH Christ into heavenly places. Being “in Christ” is the best description of who we now are.
Though, as long as live on earth, we fight our fleshly tendencies, in Christ we’ve been made new creations. We can now choose to put off our old ways, laced in death, and put on our new selves, in Christ.
In Christ, we’ve been raised above the temporal view. We can see things from God’s greater purposes. As we orient our lives from God’s eternal perspective, what He desires becomes more and more what we want. The sufferings of this world, though very real and painful, do not define us or remain our focus. Setting our minds on God and His Kingdom, fills our hearts with joy, no matter what we face.
In Christ we’ve been made complete. Our deep inner longings, placed in our hearts by Father God, are completely satisfied in Christ. In Christ Jesus, we are completely forgiven, completely loved, completely valued and completely satisfied. In Him, we lack nothing.
Prayer
Lord, Wow! When I ponder these amazing truths about me being in You, it’s beyond belief. But You say it’s true and I trust You. Please help me not to loose sight of these facts as my days get busy and hard. When I’m tempted to try and make life work out for me in my own flesh, please remind me to put off my old self and walk in You, my Life. When I get caught up with the smaller story of how circumstances work out for me, please remind me there’s a greater, much more important story going on; Your story.
When a feel the nagging emptiness of measuring my life by temporal values, please remind me that in You I’m complete. When I’m tempted to live life apart from You, please remind me quickly that I’m in You. Thank you Lord. Amen.
Personal Study
Highlight II Corinthians 5:17-21
Explain it in your own words
Apply it to your life
Respond to God in prayer
[1] Union with Christ, Rankin Wilborne, David Cooke 2016, p. 13
[2] Union with Christ, ibid p. 53
[3] Romans 8:29
[4] I Peter 4:11
[5] Psalm 37:4
[6] Pensées, Blaise Pascal (Published in 1670 after his death)
It could be argued that the main thread of the Bible is God’s desire to be WITH us.
The Creator of the Universe gave up His only Son to have Eternal fellowship with us. But we don’t have to wait until we die. He wants to be with us now.
Ongoing, intimate fellowship with God can begin at the point of our salvation.
Jesus promised it: “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23b NASB)
Paul confirmed it: “having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory” (Ephesians 1:13b-14 NASB)
What a pledge of our inheritance! GOD HIMSELF, in the form of the Holy Spirit given to us!
Sealed in Him – marked, for security from Satan, concealed and hidden, stamped in order to confirm, to authenticate.
As believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit of Jesus indwells us.
In light of this, how do we live?
In what some consider a summary of the Christian life, Galatians 2:20, Paul answers the above question: I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
We died. Christ lives in us now. Our new normal is to live a life of depending on Him to live His life through us.
Our lives are to be marked by the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control exemplified by Jesus’ life on earth.
But how does “Christ lives in me” work out in our everyday lives?
Treasuring God Above all Else
As with other aspects of our Christian lives, living WITH God starts with us realizing, trusting and walking in His love..
God’s love is the reason He rescued us to begin with. Our greatest command is to love Him back. Delighting in God accentuates our longing to be WITH Him.
Skye Jethani, in his book With, writes, “the life with God posture is predicated on treasuring God above all else.” [1] He goes onto say that treasuring the world and a long comfortable life is not a life of living with God.
Our pathway to living out our union with Christ must begin with love for God above all earthly gains: our possessions, success, popularity, comfort, etc.
Our love for God must be absolute. Jesus told his disciples that coming to Him and deeply loving Him, makes human love seem like hate in comparison. [2] Our love for God must be extreme and the more we love Him, the easier it will be to delight in His nearness.
Story: In my human weakness, I sometimes forget that God Himself is my highest delight, especially when I don’t feel love from people who are important to me. During these times, I can easily shift from enjoying the experience of God’s abiding love, to chasing human love to fill my heart cup.
However, more and more an awareness of God’s great love for me is growing. I’m understanding that the love of people are like sprinkles on top of a decadent hot fudge sundae, complete with the dark chocolate sauce, nuts, whip cream and the cherry on top.
God’s love completes me. May I love others out of the abundance of His love, not to try and satisfy my need for love.
Draw near to the One who indwells you and invites you to revel in His love.
Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth (Psalm 73:25 NASB)
I No Longer Live
Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;for he who has died is freed from sin (Romans 6:4-6 NASB).
For me, our crucifixion with Christ has always been hard to comprehend.
How can a person who lives and breathes be dead? To understand, we must seek deeper truths, beyond the temporal.
In the above verse, Paul says our old self has been crucified. Before our flesh reigned, but having been crucified with Christ, it’s been rendered powerless.
However, until we physically die, we can still choose to walk in the old ways of death. This is why Paul warns us, “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace (Romans 6:12-14 NASB).”
So, on a Wednesday afternoon, in the midst of duties and temptations, how do we live out “I’ve been crucified with Christ and I no longer live?”
Our old fleshly choices have worn paths not easily broken. Even in the splendor of God’s love and His life within, idols and addictions chain our souls. Carnal pleasures, seeped in death, can seem more real and viable than God’s loving presence.
Imagine you were in the Marines and you had a sergeant who was constantly picking on you. Eventually you serve your time and are honorably discharged. As a civilian, you come face to face with your old nemesis on a street corner. Assuming a familiar position of authority, he orders you give him 25 pushups.
Out of habit, you drop and begin churning them out. But then it hits you; you’re free from his reign. He’s lost all authority over you. You stop and walk away. Being a marine is in your past, but that life is behind you. You’re dead to it’s authority and power.
When we’re tempted to walk in our flesh, it’s like meeting that old sergeant. We can still choose to follow Him, but why should we? Now, we can refuse and “present ourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and our members as instruments of righteousness to God.For sin shall not be master over us”.
Story: One of my strongest temptations to operating in my “old self” has to do with trying to handle problems in my own strength. Historically, when challenges come I try harder rather than recognizing my weakness and walking in newness of life.
Recently, I fell and severed my quad tendon. I was down the hill from our house at our barn when it happened. When I heard the pop, I knew something had happened, but my first response was to try and stand up and walk. Impossible! Helpless on the ground, all I could do was crawl like a crab and scream for my wife.
During the time of recovery after the surgery, I was helpless. My wife even had to put on my socks. It was a forced time to slow down and realize how little I have to offer. A real life experience of true weakness. What a blessing!
I Live by Faith in the Son of God
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing (John 15:5 NASB).
After promising to send us the Holy Spirit, in John 14, Jesus gives us an earthly example of what life WITH Him is like.
A wine branch, connected to the sap enriched vine, is able to produce luscious fruit. But, a branch detached from the vine of life, yields nothing but death.
Our lives are like that. Sure, we can busy ourselves with all manner of seemingly good things, but any activity detached from the source of life is life-less, no matter how good it looks.
We’re familiar with a bowl of plastic fruit. Painted up and shinny, it can look so real, so delicious! But try tasting it. There is no life.
Our souls are to be governed by the Holy Spirit, not our flesh.
Jesus commands us to “abide” in Him, His Holy Spirit. Over many years I’ve had two wrong understandings about what this means.
First: that abiding is a level to get to in our maturing process as Christians. Wrong. Abiding is not a level. It’s not a “nice to get to.” Abiding is the process. Abiding is the way Christ is formed in us.
Second: I assumed abiding took great effort. With great strain and discipline I sought to tap into Christ’s life within. Actually, it’s just the opposite. The Greek word translated as “abide” also means to remain, stay, stop, tarry, live or dwell.
We did nothing to be placed in the love of Jesus. God did it. [3] So, abiding is not an effort to get somewhere, its a command to stay where we’ve already been placed. Dwell there, remain there, stay there, tarry there, abide where you’ve been placed. Don’t move.
Story: My wife recently bought us a small plaque which we placed on the window seal above the kitchen sink, where we’ll often see it.
I need Thee every hour.
The longer I live the more I believe these words. Not only do I need to depend on Jesus to know the Father’s will, to speak His words and love in His strength, but I also need Him every second to fill to overflowing my longing heart. I so easily forget and begin to look around me at the world to love me, to deem me successful and to value me.
Lord, show me quickly when I stray.
Conclusion
Living out our new life of total dependence upon God is not an option. The New Testament is saturated with the truth of God being WITH us now. The Holy Spirit of Jesus indwells us. We’re to enjoy His nearness every moment of our lives. Jesus is the source of all joy and life, but we must continually chose life over death.
We’ve been crucified with Christ. We’ve been raised with Him in newness of life. But, we can still be influenced by our old, worn out fleshly patterns. We must recognize our death in Christ and choose to depend upon Him.
By faith, we rest in Christ’s finished work and remain in His love. We yield to His life within us that His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control might be displayed in our lives.
Prayer
Lord, I’m seeing it now. My life with You is not about me following a bunch of rules and trying to pattern my life after Your example in my own strength. I died because You died in my stead. Thank You. You love me so much You want to be with me forever. Please give me a moment by moment dependence upon Your Spirit within me, that I might speak with Your words, serve in Your strength and love with Your love. Please stop me in my tracks when I move ahead of You and try to do anything apart from Your abiding Spirit Amen.
the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints,to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Colossians 1:26b-27 NASB).
Personal Study
Highlight Romans 6:4-14
Explain it in your own words
Apply it to your life
Respond to God in prayer
[1] With, Skye Jethani, Thomas Nelson 2011, p. 131
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures.
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Novels by the Author:
Rob Buck
What happens when a professor figures out how to send messages to his younger self to try and avoid the suicide of his best friend? Did he change more than he bargained for? Beyond Time
By finding two undelivered letters in a old shack deep in the woods, Cassie and Daniel unknowing set off a series of events which uncover a plot to wipe out a whole family Hope Remains
A friend ended his job last year, but he didn’t retire. He called it repurposing. Being an extremely successful executive, he’s shifted his experiences and resources to helping the homeless. This current pandemic has disrupted daily routines and shaken our purposes. One man exclaimed, “No sports! What am supposed to do now?” Many have been forced to shift from the well-worn paths of familiar agendas. But while lesser purposes are crumbling an unshakable all satisfying purpose emerges.
Hours before Jesus would be crucified on our behalf, He said: “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.”[1]
He demonstrated this uncommon love earlier when he washed the disciples’ feet. Completely secure in His Father’s love, Jesus needed no affirmation from men. This allowed Him to feely wash Peter and Juda’s feet, whom He knew would soon deny and betray Him.
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are loved in this same complete way. He’s inviting us to settle in and remain in His great love: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.” [2]
As we prepare to love like Jesus, we must start with resting in and feasting upon His love for us. “We love, because He first loved us.” [3]
A dear lady took this opportunity to write notes to older folks in our church. She included a verse (Psalm 34:4) and comforting words of encouragement. God gave her the words to write. She offered her time and pen.
After she mailed them, folks began to contact her, sometimes in tears. Joy reigned. A friendship began.
Gladness continues to fill her heart, even though she had to be tested for the virus herself a few days later.
Her having such joy in loving others makes perfect sense. See what Jesus said about us to sacrificially love others: “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”[4]
What if loving others is what life is really all about? What if we get a clearer vision of this greater purpose in these dire days? What if loving becomes our main daily agenda? What if “normal” activities are not the main thing, but the opportunity to bring us folks to love? What if we now understand we can have complete joy in spite of any circumstance?
God can and is using this virus for good in folk’s lives. Perhaps what seems like repurposing is really just leading us to our main purpose all along – knowing God’s love and giving it away?
Lord, the path ahead is unclear, yet You’re near. Even in uncertain times, You comfort, You guide, You gladden our hearts. Thank you for the joy I’m experiencing because of my union with You. Who do you want to love through me today?
[1] John 15:12 NASB
[2] John 15 9 NIV
[3] I John 4:19
[4] John 15:11 NASB
Joy in the Journey is about the gladness of God’s nearness in the midst of life’s adventures. Subscribe below to get email notifications of new posts. We post a few times a month. Thank you for reading.
A young man squatted in a dingy prison cell. His features were hidden by the deep shadows of his dark imprisonment. Only a thin plane of sunlight penetrated the darkness, revealing countless dust particles floating around rows of disheartened men. The man was seated, away from the light, staring, motionless, into the darkness.
Outside the prison, upon a hill, stood the place of execution, where condemned men were put to death. Today would be this man’s turn. In a way, death was a welcome ending to his pain. However, more strongly, the condemned man felt the fear of death’s mysteries. His soul, it seems, had died long ago, but the fear of physical death consumed every fiber of his being.
As he waited in the cruel anticipation of a violent death, his mind raced across the span of his life. What would have made a difference? What could have changed his inclinations towards evil? The answers to these questions could only be tossed out into his universe of despair. Like always, he knew no answers would come. There was no hope, never had there been hope.
Slowly and ever more increasingly, the young man became aware of the sounds of a great number of voices. There were shouts and roars, but none of the words could be recognized. The sounds increased and erupted past him like a huge ocean wave. An enormous mass of shouting people had passed just outside his cell and were proceeding toward execution hill. The time was near. The man could not remember so great a crowd ever gathered to witness a death before.
Just then, the outside door of the prison was slammed open hard against the wall. Keys jiggled and the main security door was unlocked. Prison guards streamed towards his cell. The hopeless man trembled and recoiled in fear. Death was pouncing upon him.
The guards unlocked his cell and converged upon him like many wild tigers. They seized him, and drug him out into the morning sunlight outside the prison. When they had cleared the outside door of the prison, he was slammed face down hard on the ground. The impact knocked him into a daze. In a semi unconscious state, he waited for the first slapping sting of the lashing whip.
After a while, he senses quickened and he slowly opened his eyes, spitting dust from his mouth. He tilted his head slowly, expecting his flesh to be ripped open at any moment.
Amazingly, he was alone.
People were flowing in masses towards execution hill, but he was left unattended on the ground.
Slowly at first, but with increasing urgency, the freed man got up and made his way into an old warehouse, across the block from the prison. Looking around as he fled, he expected his fantasy to end at any moment. He made it to the abandoned building and flung himself sobbing to the ground.
After a long while, the man’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. He left the building and circled around the back of execution hill. He came up upon the crowd and mixed himself safely among the masses. With much effort, he fought his way through until he could see what the commotion was all about.
Three men hung dying on crosses, the pain etched across their faces. Two of the men he knew from his time in prison, but he didn’t recognize the man in the middle. This man seemed much weaker and closer to death than the others. He stood watching the dying man with blood gushing down the wood of the middle tree. A strange magnetism drew his soul, locking him in on the suffering criminal.
Their eyes met. Though he was among a mass of people, the man on the middle cross was looking directly at him. The dying man’s eyes were not desperate and frantic, but peaceful and loving.
After a few moments the freed man turned and walked away. As he fought his way back through the crowd, he overheard someone asking about the man on the middle cross, “Why are they killing him, what has he done?”
“He’s done nothing wrong,” the answer came. “He’s dying in place of a man set free.”
Exchanged Life
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him Second Corinthians 5:21
What would it feel like to find yourself in a prison cell, sentenced to die? Yet, being released at the last hour for another to die in your place. A man free of wrong, willing to die for you. This is our story.
A young man squatted in a dingy prison cell. His features were hidden by the deep shadows of his dark imprisonment. Only a thin plane of sunlight penetrated the darkness, revealing countless dust particles floating around rows of disheartened men. The man was seated, away from the light, staring, motionless, into the darkness.
Outside the prison, upon a hill, stood the place of execution, where condemned men were put to death. Today would be this man’s turn. In a way, death was a welcome ending to his pain. However, more strongly, the condemned man felt the fear of death’s mysteries. His soul, it seems, had died long ago, but the fear of physical death consumed every fiber of his being.
As he waited in the cruel anticipation of a violent death, his mind raced across the span of his life. What would have made a difference? What could have changed his inclinations towards evil? The answers to these questions could only be tossed out into his universe of despair. Like always, he knew no answers would come. There was no hope, never had there been hope.
Slowly and ever more increasingly, the young man became aware of the sounds of a great number of voices. There were shouts and roars, but none of the words could be recognized. The sounds increased and erupted past him like a huge ocean wave. An enormous mass of shouting people had passed just outside his cell and were proceeding toward execution hill. The time was near. The man could not remember so great a crowd ever gathered to witness a death before.
Just then, the outside door of the prison was slammed open hard against the wall. Keys jiggled and the main security door was unlocked. Prison guards streamed towards his cell. The hopeless man trembled and recoiled in fear. Death was pouncing upon him.
The guards unlocked his cell and converged upon him like many wild tigers. They seized him, and drug him out into the bright sunlight outside the prison. When they had cleared the outside door of the prison, he was slammed face down hard on the ground. The impact knocked him into a daze. In a semi unconscious state, he waited for the first slapping sting of the lashing whip.
After a while, he senses quickened and he slowly opened his eyes, spitting dust from his mouth. He tilted his head slowly, expecting his flesh to be ripped open at any moment.
Amazingly, he was alone.
People were flowing in masses towards execution hill, but he was left unattended on the ground.
Slowly at first, but with increasing urgency, the freed man got up and made his way into an old warehouse, across the block from the prison. Looking around as he fled, he expected his fantasy to end at any moment. He made it to the abandoned building and flung himself sobbing to the ground.
After a long while, the man’s curiosity couldn’t be contained. He left the building and circled around the back of execution hill. He came up upon the crowd and mixed himself safely among the masses. With much effort, he fought his way through until he could see what the commotion was all about.
Three men hung dying on crosses, the pain etched across their faces. Two of the men he knew from his time in prison, but he didn’t recognize the man in the middle. This man seemed much weaker and closer to death than the others. He stood watching the dying man with blood gushing down the wood of the middle tree. A strange magnetism drew his soul, locking him in on the suffering criminal.
Their eyes met. Though he was among a mass of people, the man on the middle cross was looking directly at him. The dying man’s eyes were not desperate and frantic, but peaceful and loving.
After a few moments the freed man turned and walked away. As he fought his way back through the crowd, he overheard someone asking about the man on the middle cross, “Why are they killing him, what has he done?”
“He’s done nothing wrong,” the answer came. “He’s dying in place of a man set free.”
Exchanged Life
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him Second Corinthians 5:21
What would it feel like to find yourself in a prison cell, sentenced to die? Yet, being released at the last hour for another to die in your place. A man free of wrong, willing to die for you. This is our story.
Watchmen Nee wrote that his mentor, Margaret Barber, cared more about life than work. She focused on loving the people God brought her way rather than the work she needed to get done.
What a beautiful focus.This is my desire as well, but too often loving people gets lost behind the pressure to get things done.
A few months ago, I needed to get the name of diabetic test strips which would be covered under our new insurance plan. My pharmacy told me to call my doctor. My doctor told me to call my insurance company. My insurance company referred me to a third party, which handled pharmacy issues.
After navigating a labyrinth of computer generated voices, I finally spoke to a person. His name was John. His voice was slow and shaky. I had the call on speaker and my wife and I could tell John was elderly, probably in his seventies.
John didn’t know the answer to my question and suggested I call my pharmacy. When I told I had, he suggested I call my insurance company. I tried to calmly explain that my insurance company was who told me to call him.
By this point, I had no compassion for John. I really just wanted to mark this nagging to-do off my list. I didn’t care what John might have been going through. I’d lost sight of any opportunity to love him.
John put me on hold so he could try and get an answer. While we waited, my wife helped me see the situation differently. She could tell he was having a difficult time. She felt bad for him.
When John got back on the line, he had an answer. As he explained it, my wife made a signal for me to pray with him. This wasn’t on my radar, but when he was done, I said, “John, is there anything I could pray for you about?”
“Yes,” John answered quickly. Then a silence.
“What can I pray for you about?” I repeated.
“My salvation,” John cried out.
Wow.
I prayed with John right there on the phone, though I’m sure the call was monitored. I prayed he would recognize God’s tremendous love for him. I let him know God was willing to allow His Son, Jesus, to die in his place to rescue him and to give him eternal life.
When I finished and said goodbye, we could hear what seemed to be sobs from John before we hung up.
What a wonderful interaction. But I almost missed it. I was so focused on getting things done, loving John had dropped from consideration. I’d lost sight of the most important thing.
Jesus, on the night before his crucifixion, gave his disciples a single great command. He told them that as they followed this one thing, they would stay connected to his love and their joy would be made complete.[1]
“This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” John 15:12
Earlier in the evening, in John 13, he’d washed their stinky, dirty feet. The next day, he would endure a cruel death on a cross to save them.
This is how he’d loved them. This is how he’s loved us.
His one charge to them, and to us, is to love others in the same sacrificial way he has loved us.
It’s not the work. It’s the people. The things we do are not an end but a means to bring us to the people God wants us to love.
As we yield to God’s Indwelling Spirit, he will accomplish the work he wants done through us. The work will get done as we focus on loving people.
Our job is to love first. It’s really all we need. Maybe the Beatles had it right after all. (8^>
Prayer: Most gracious, heavenly Father. I’m sorry I so easily get caught up in the swirl of duties that love becomes secondary. I see you all around me in your creation and in the people you bring my way. Please help me trust you that the work will get done. I’m asking you to change the paradigm of my day to care less about accomplishments and more about loving every person you bring my way.
Victory, from the Old French word victor, means to triumph or overcome in a struggle. A personal victory might be losing weight, breaking a bad habit or making the dean’s list. There are team victories, political victories and victories in war. Most victories require tremendous strain and effort, but are extremely rewarding.
In Christian circles you hear of a “victorious Christian life,” a time when sin is conquered, fear is overthrown and love for God and other’s flows freely.
Our natural tendency is to think a “victorious Christian life,” is gained in the same pains taking efforts other victories have been won, giving it our all, trying as hard as we can to win. This could not be farther from the truth.
It is true, Jesus desires for us a life free from fear and sin, loving God and others in the same sacrificial way He has loved us, but He is not asking us to change.
God is not looking for a changed life. He is offering an exchanged life.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2nd Corinthians 5:21
Christ has exchanged His life for ours. Not only did He die in our place to rescue us from eternal separation from God, but He also imputed His righteousness to us. We have become the righteousness of God.
There is not trying hard to be righteous. In Christ we are righteousness.
But you say, “That might be true, but how is victory realized in my own life? How is sin defeated, fear banished, love unleashed and joy experienced?”
The answer is still the same. With His exchanged Life.
Consider the great summary verse Paul wrote about the Christian life:
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20
The victory is not in trying harder. The victory is in embracing the death of our old nature on the cross and depending upon the newness of our life in Christ. Christ did not die so that we could be changed. He died so that we might die with Him and be raised with Him in newness of life.
Victory is in realizing our crucifixion with Christ and depending upon Christ in all we do. Yielding to His abiding Spirit, we bear fruit for the glory of God. Apart from His work in us, we can do nothing. ( See John 15:5)
We need to stop trying so hard to pattern our lives after what we read about Jesus in the Bible. There’s only one person who can truly live the victorious Christian life and it’s not us. It’s Jesus in us.
We have been made new. In Christ we have all the love, joy, peace, patience and hope we will ever need. Ours is to realize our newness in Him (counting as fact the death of our old self (See Romans 6:11) ) and yielding to Christ in us to love whoever get’s in our way.
Victory is not in trying harder. I’m pretty sure we’ve all tried that.
Victory is in remaining in the love of Christ and yielding to His Spirit.
The old has gone the new has come.
Challenge: Consider an area of your life in which you feel defeated. Trust that Jesus wants you to have victory in this area even more than you do.
Bring this area before the Lord right now:
Lord, you know how discouraged I am in this area. I’ve tried so hard to be like you, but have failed miserably. I know now that victory is not in trying harder, but in resting in You. Open the eyes of my heart that I might know your great love for me. Teach me to remain in your love and yield to your Spirit in me as I allow you to become my victory in this area.
