Posted by: pastorapbell | April 1, 2010

As we think about the real benefits of the cross

When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God. God brought you alive—right along with Christ! Think of it! All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant cancelled and nailed to Christ’s cross. He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets (Colossians 2:13-15 The Message).

For the apostle Paul, what Jesus did on the cross was the most fantastic thing ever to be achieved by an individual.  So we are encouraged to trust in Christ for everything today.

Firstly, he gave every human being the ability to respond to God again. So sin is no longer in control if you choose Christ.  Secondly, he has wiped the slate clean. That is every thing you did in the past has been forgiven, EVERYTHING! Jesus nailed it to the cross and covered it with his blood.  And finally, all the spirits that held you captive and caused you to do the things you did not want to do, have been stripped of their power and authority and exposed by Jesus. This is what he was doing in the spiritual realm while his physical body was dead.

So today rejoice for Jesus has conquered all.

Pray with me: Dear Father thank you for the cross in Jesus’ name amen.

Read Colossians 2:6-19

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 31, 2010

As we remember the reason for the cross

“For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up,” Says the LORD of hosts, “That will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; And you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves (Malachi 4:1-2 NKJV).

On Good Friday we celebrate one of the most critical turning points in the history of humanity. As we look ahead to celebrate what Jesus did on the cross, let us look at the actual crucifixion and reflect on some of the events that took place on that momentous day.

At this point in history there had been silence for 400 years since the last prophet of the Old Testament, Malachi, spoke. He told us about the coming of the Lord and how Elijah would precede him. This mirrors the time when God sent Moses to physically deliver his people from oppression in Egypt. Now the spiritual deliverer was here and John the Baptist told his hearers to listen to him. This deliverance would not occur by the angel of death striking down those who were not covered by the blood of the lamb as in Exodus; but would occur by the son of God conquering death itself and offering up his own blood as a spiritual sacrifice for our salvation.  

The day arrived and some fantastic things happened.

  1. Pilate agreed to crucify Jesus and had the sign “This is Jesus king of the Jews” placed over his head (Matt 27:37). This was written in Latin, the language of the ruling class, in Hebrew, the language of God’s people and in Greek the language spoken by everyone, so that all could see. The religious people tried to get Pilate to change it but he refused.
  2. He was crucified between two thieves; one of them joined in with the crowd and mocked him whilst the other pleaded for mercy.
  3. When Jesus died, darkness fell on the land from midday until 3pm. This is opposite to what happened when Joshua prayed to God and the sun stood still (Joshua 10:13). Now the body of the Son was still whilst his spirit was doing war with Satan to get the keys of death and hell.
  4. There was an earthquake and the curtain in the temple on which blood was splashed for hundred of years, was torn in two, from top to bottom (Matt 27:51). The old covenant was ripped in two and the new one instituted.

This day changed the history of the world. Jesus fulfilled the prophecies spoken centuries before he was born and for us 21st century people he is coming back again soon and once again every eye will behold him.

Easter is not about Easter eggs, it is about the death of Jesus for the salvation of humanity.

Pray with me; Thank you father for sending your only son to die in my place so that I may live eternally, in Jesus’ name amen.

Read Malachi 4:1-6; Luke 23:26-43; Matthew 27:32-56.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 30, 2010

As we reap the benefits of death on the cross!

So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2Corinthians 5:16-18 NIV).

At the heart of the gospel is the message is reconciliation. Jesus came in the form of humanity so that he could feel what we felt, experience the pain of rejection and still fulfil the task for which he was sent. Some may argue that because he was God, that is why he could do this.  But scripture states that he was also fully human (Philippians 2:5-11) and hence he flinched at the thought of dying a painfully excruciating death. This is why he said ‘not my will but yours father be done’ in the garden of Gethsemane.

 Many of us go through life not fulfilling our purposes because we are afraid or reluctant to let go and let God! We want to be in control. Everything we do is about us. How much can I make, what’s in for me and how can I ensure that people notice me.

 It would have been easy for Jesus to become part of the ‘me too’ generation. He could have asked people to donate to his ministry so that he could go around the world in his private jet preaching the gospel or he would send them a prayer handkerchief or some holy water if they only sent in so much money or become partners with him. He could have built a big house on the top of a hill with swimming pool and all the mod-cons, remember he was a carpenter, so he could brad about it on ‘tele’.

However, he did none of those things and chose to humble himself, give up everything he had, his power, authority and dominion so that you and I can be reconciled to God the father once we put our faith, hope and trust in him.

There is nothing wrong in having things, just ensure that things don’t have you! Today ask Jesus to help you to be humble so that you can be reconciled with those who you are estranged from and that the pain of the past will slowly ebb away.

 Let us pray. Dear Father, Thank you for your example, please help me to be humble irrespective of what I have or own. It all belongs to you anyway since you gave it to me to look after, in Jesus’ name Amen.

 Read Matthew 25:14-30

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 29, 2010

As we ask the question, did Jesus have to shed his precious blood?

First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time (Hebrews 10:8-10 NLT).

Why did Jesus have to die? Could he not just show us how to live a godly life in the spirit and then return back to heaven? Why didn’t he just call down angels to defeat his accusers and wipe them out like the leaders of other faith groups would have done?

Let us look at some of the reason from a biblical perspective why Jesus had to die.  Firstly, he came to right the wrongs done by Adam and Eve.  All of humanity died because of Adam’s disobedience. To put this right Jesus Christ had to conquer the death that killed Adam and that would condemn his descendants [us] to eternal separation from God the father. Since death came through one human being, Adam, the resurrection from the dead came through one human being also, Christ; for as all die in Adam all are made alive through Christ (1corinthians 15:21-22 my emphasis).

Secondly, the principle of atonement is that one sacrifice was made for the sin of many. So Aaron was commanded by God to choose two goats and then cast lots to select one for the Lord. The one that the lot fell on had all the sin of the people placed on him whilst the other was released. The goat with all the sin of the people on him was slaughtered and his blood atoned for the sin of the people. The other goat became known as the scapegoat, who got off scot free (Leviticus 16:7-10).

Finally Jesus was hailed as prophet priest and king, therefore as the high priest he had to perform the ritual sacrifice of sprinkling the blood on the mercy seat. However he did not use the blood of an animal which was done annually, he used his own blood and did this as a one off sacrifice.  This instituted the new covenant and made it possible for all who put their faith in Jesus Christ to be reconciled with God the father.

Because of this, today we don’t have to go on long pilgrimages, beat ourselves until our backs are raw or walk on hot coals to get to God.  All we need to do is put our faith in Jesus, accept his as our saviour and confess with our mouths that he is lord.

Why did Jesus die? To save of from our sin!

Read Hebrews 10

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 28, 2010

Words to live by as we reflect on the agony leading up to Jesus shedding his precious blood!

He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood (Luke 22:41-44 NLT).

For those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour there is power in his blood to heal, deliver and restore. However, we often forget the real agony that he went through to obtain our salvation.  The writer of Hebrews calls it ‘a great salvation’ and asks the question, ‘how shall we escape if we ignore it?’ (Hebrew 2:3). Here the writer of Hebrews is telling us that the message of salvation was first told to us by angels, but it was practically demonstrated to us by one who is greater than the angels. And having gone through the pain and agony to achieve this salvation he is now seated at the right hand of the father on the throne in heaven.

From our passage, we see Jesus preparing to take on the greatest enemy we all face, death. He reveals his humanity in that he prays to the father to see if there is another way to deliver this great salvation to humanity.  But after praying fervently for hours until his sweat became like drops of blood, he declares that the will of the father is the overriding factor.

When we have to make important decisions it is imperative that we spend extended time in prayer. The agony of spirit that Jesus expressed prepared him for the beatings, the nine inch nails that were driven into his hands, the sword thrust into his side and the complete humiliation of hanging naked on a cross for all to see.

So today don’t neglect your salvation, it is great because a great price was paid for it!

Pray this prayer: Dear Father thank you for my salvation that was achieved on the cross, in Jesus’ name amen.

 Read Hebrews 2

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 27, 2010

Words to live by as we recognise the power of the blood of Jesus

For the life of the body is in its blood. I have given you the blood on the altar to purify you, making you right with the Lord.  It is the blood, given in exchange for a life, that makes purification possible (Leviticus 17:11 NLT).

We read in the Genesis narrative (3:20), that when Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, an innocent lamb was slain to cover their nakedness and protect them from the elements. We also saw yesterday that when God fulfilled his promise of delivering the Israelites from Egypt, an innocent lamb was slain and its blood placed on the doorpost of the houses of those who would be delivered, to protect them from the angel of death (Exodus 12).

 It can be seen then, that although the blood is composed of Plasma, Red Blood Cells, Platelets and so on, it has the power to protect and give life to the individual. We are told that the life of the body is in its blood. Therefore if there is no blood in the body the person is dead. 

We are told in scripture that Jesus is the Lamb of God who was slain for the sin of the world (St John 1:29). He alone took away our sin by taking the punishment that we should receive. This punishment is death. So by dying in our place like the Passover lamb, Jesus became our substitute and it is his blood that protects us, not from the angel of death now but from death itself. The shedding of his blood atoned for our sin. That is, his blood covers us like the skin of the animal that covered Adam and Eve, so his blood covers all our sin.  For this reason the apostle Paul when writing to his fellow believers uses the phrase, ‘in Christ’. Meaning those who are covered by his blood are in him.

Some people suggest that it is when Jesus died and rose again that he became the Christ that is, the anointed one. That argument is for another day. Suffice it to say that the shed blood of Jesus has spiritual power to cover all our sin and heal all our diseases.

So today, apply the powerful blood of Jesus to every area of your life by faith. And walk in wholeness.

Pray with me; Dear Jesus I plead the blood that was shed at Calvary over my illness (call out the illness) and I receive healing from you in your precious name, I apply your blood over my family, my possession and my fellowship. Thank you for your blood, amen.

Read Romans 3:21-31

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 26, 2010

Words to live by as we look to the body of Christ broken for you on the cross

For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1Corinthinas 11:23-26 NIV).

Throughout his life and ministry Jesus knew that his final destination as the perfect human being was the cross. This did not deter him from observing the customs which were in place.  For example he did not start his public ministry until he was 30 years old, to comply with the Jewish timescale of becoming a man. He celebrated the festivals instituted by Moses. It was at the celebration of the Passover that Jesus changed the nature and meaning of this feast. The Passover is an annual Jewish feast that celebrates the time when God delivered his people from the hand of a wicked Pharaoh so that they could go and worship him in the wilderness (See Exodus 12). There are several elements to the Passover celebrated today one of which is the shank bone of a lamb.  Back in the days of Moses a pure lamb was killed and its blood daubed on the door post of the house to protect that house from the angel of death.

With this in mind and knowing that he would be that paschal or pure lamb of God who would take away the sin of the world (St John 1:29), Jesus ate the Passover meal with his disciples.  However, having prepared all the elements of the meal; bitter herbs, an egg, parsley, lettuce, mixed spices, bread made without yeast and containing holes and four cups of wine; the cups of sanctification, deliverance, redemption and restoration. We notice that the lamb was missing. Jesus was the lamb and it would be his blood that would cleanse us from our sin. Indeed the writer of Hebrews puts it this way, ‘without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin (Hebrews 9:22 NRSV). 

Jesus went to the cross knowing that his blood would cleanse all those who put their hope and trust in him for salvation, redemption and restoration. So it was on the cross that his precious blood was shed so that those who believe in him with all their hearts would be released from the curse of sin, which is eternal death and separation from God.

 Today apply the blood of Jesus to the post of your heart by faith by saying and believing this prayer; Dear Jesus I know that you died for my sin, and I believe that your blood can cleanse me from all the wrongs and evil I have done. Today I ask you to come into my life by the power of your Spirit and save me from eternal damnation. I believe that you have done this and receive you as my Lord and Saviour, amen.

If you prayed this prayed and believed it, you are saved. Now start reading your bible and allowing the blood of Jesus to keep on cleansing you from all your sin.

 Read Matt 26:17-30; St John 13:1-30 and 1Corinthians 11:23-26.

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 25, 2010

Words to live by as we focus on the difference the cross has made

 But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength (1Corinthians 1:23-25 NIV).

From my understanding the cross predates the first century Romans and was widely used by many different cultures.  The Romans were the people who used it to punish their most dangerous criminals. They did this to make examples of them to prevent others from being subversive. So before the crucifixion of Jesus the cross was just another form of punishment used by the ruling authority against its enemies. It consisted of a straight pole secured in the ground and a cross beam on which the criminal would be either nailed or tied. This was the fate that Jesus would face when he was convicted of sedition (incitement to rebellion).

Since Jesus’ death, however the cross and words relating to the cross has found its way into our everyday language. So we use terms like: the crux of the matter; which indicates the most important part of the subject or point being discussed. Trials and crosses: which are the troubles and tribulation that an individual goes through! The cross road of life, a place where the decision you make can either make or break you. To Double cross: to dupe someone or cheat on them. To be Cross-eyed: where both eyes are looking in different directions. And the list goes on.

From an implement of ridicule, the cross has developed into one of the most recognisable symbols in western civilisation. There are many variations of crosses indicating a different take on the original one on which Jesus died.  The Pope and most historical church leaders wear crosses many of these crosses are supposed to have in them pieces of the original cross.

Today you may de double crossed, crossed-checked, cross-contaminated, cross-fertilised, cross-examined and so on.  So remember that since Jesus went on the cross at Calvary its original use as a means of humiliation and shame has been transformed. So now the cross is a symbol of victory, of triumph and about God using the base things of this earth to confound the wise. Remember the foolishness of God is wiser than any man’s wisdom.

We can all pray this: ‘Jesus I thank you for the cross and your shed blood which has brought and bought my salvation.’

Read 1Corinthians 1

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 24, 2010

Words to live by for Wednesday 24th March 2010 as we look beyond the cross from another angle

It was almost time for the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover Feast. The leading priests and teachers of the law were trying to find a way to kill Jesus, because they were afraid of the people. Satan entered Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. Judas went to the leading priests and some of the soldiers who guarded the Temple and talked to them about a way to hand Jesus over to them. They were pleased and agreed to give Judas money. He agreed and watched for the best time to hand Jesus over to them when he was away from the crowd (Luke 22:1-6).

From Luke’s perspective, Jesus’ journey towards the cross is definitely a conspiracy between the Jews (Pharisees, Sadducees and Zealots) and others to kill him. He is the servant king who was foretold by the prophet Isaiah in his writing about 800 years before his birth. Isaiah 53:3 tells us that he would be ‘despised and rejected by others, a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity; and as one from whom others hide their faces, he was despised and we held him of no account’ (NRSV).

So for Luke, Jesus’ journey towards the cross is punctuated with him demonstrating his authority, power and humility and preparing his followers for his impending departure. We are told in 22:3 that Satan entered into Judas who betrayed him. We are not told the reason for Judas’ betrayal, all we are told that he was part of the conspiracy.

 Jesus is presented not as someone who is aloof and going about his business as usual, but as someone with a limited amount of time to make the final preparations before the fulfilment of his destiny. Luke records Jesus as saying ‘I have eagerly desired to eat the Passover with you before I suffer’ v.15. and so in the final days of his life, he instituted what we call the Lord’s supper or the Eucharist, gave Peter a reality check (31-34), pointed his followers back to the prophecy of Isaiah (v.37) and demonstrated to them the power and necessity of prayer (v.39-46).

The hope we have in Jesus is presented fully in Luke’s second book, the Acts of the Apostles. Here he uses the foundation of the completed work of the cross described in his gospel to propel us as believers beyond the cross to the power that is in the name and the blood of Jesus.

Today, remember that whether the death of Jesus was as a result of a conspiracy or not, the fact is he died to conquer death so that all of us who accept him as our saviour and Lord can live.

If you have not met this Jesus of the cross, pray this simple prayer: Dear Jesus I believe that you died on the cross for my wrong doing, I also believe that you rose from the grave and that you are coming again someday. I commit my life to you from today, in your name Lord, amen.

Read Luke 22

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Posted by: pastorapbell | March 23, 2010

Words to live by for Tuesday 23rd March 2010 as we see beyond the cross and look to Jesus

 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
   “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
   “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
   “Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:6-9 NIV)

As we look towards the cross and the brutality that it represents, we thank God that we can now look beyond it because of what Jesus did. The New Testament writers give slightly differing views of how this happened.  For Matthew, who we are told was writing for a predominantly Jewish audience, Jesus is presented as a driven purposeful man on a mission. Most Jewish people believe they are special and they have a highly developed sense of what it is to be human. Although Jesus was a Jewish man, his task was to enable the whole of humanity to understand what to be fully human is. So rather than focus on his Jewishness, his focus was on the cross and on the rest of humanity, including you and me.

This mission would be perfected at the cross where the great transaction would be accomplished. Matthew’s perspective is wonderfully refreshing, consider the following; while Jesus is on his way to the cross Matthew records him still performing miracles, 20:29-34; still telling parables 21:38-46 and still confronting the hypocrisies of the Scribes and Pharisees, 21:15-22 & 23:1-36. At no time is he presented as someone who was unaware of his impending fate. Nor does he shrink away from the responsibility.  He knew he had the sin of the whole world on his shoulders and fulfilled his task. This was to bring the glory of God back to humanity so that the father’s will be done on Earth as it was done in heaven.

As we reflect on the hope that the cross brings lets us reflect on a the chorus from the song, crucified by Lenny LeBlanc: Crucified Laid behind a stone, You lived to die, Rejected and alone, Like a rose Trampled on the ground You took the fall And thought of me Above all.

He took the fall and thought of me above all so that today once I put my hope in Jesus, I too can live a purposeful and driven life. What sort of things or people do you put your hope in?

Pray with me, ‘dear Jesus thank you for dying in my place so that I can live, in your name, amen’.

Read the scriptures cited; Matthew 20:29-34; 21:15-22; 38-46; & 23:1-36.

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