Michael writes that in Luke 21, Jesus prepared his disciples for the events that would unfold before his second coming. He said his followers would be brought unjustly before unrighteousness men to be tried in their unjust courts and be unjustly accused and convicted by their unjust laws. He said Believers will suffer in the end times before my return. Jesus said, be prepared not to defend yourselves … though you will be unjustly convicted, the justice of your Heavenly Father will ultimately prevail. I did not come to bring a declaration of war against the kingdoms of this world; I have come to deliver a peace treaty from the Kingdom of heaven. When Jesus had commissioned the seventy to go into the villages in Judea to prepare the way for him, he said I give you power to cast out demons and to heal the sick. When they returned to Jesus, they were overjoyed and said to Jesus, “we saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Jesus said, don’t rejoice because you cast out devils with power over darkness, Instead rejoice because your names are written in heaven.
What is the greatest of all miracles? The greatest miracle is your redemption and mine. What’s good about Good Friday? In England, they call it Good Friday because the greatest good was done that day: He who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Before the day of the Passover, Jesus had said to his disciples, with yearning I have desired to eat the Passover feast with you before I suffer. Jesus knew that on that Passover day, he himself would be the Passover lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world. In the upper room, Jesus took the bread and said, take, eat, this is my body which is broken for you. Do in remembrance of me. Likewise also, he took the cup after supper saying, This cup is the New Testament of my blood which is shed for you for the remission of your sins. When you eat this bread and drink this cup, This do in remembrance of me. Jesus knew what was in the heart of man because his Father revealed it to him. He said, one who dips bread with me in the bowl will betray me. The disciples asked him one by one, Is it I? When Judas asked him the same question, Jesus said, you have said it.
The disciples didn’t realize the significance of the last supper. They argued among themselves who would be the greatest. Jesus had said, the first shall be last and the last shall be first. He who is chief among you shall be servant of all. Then he demonstrated this truth by assuming the role of the lowest household servant. He girded himself with a towel and washed their dirty feet. Peter said, Don’t stoop to wash my feet, I should wash your feet. Jesus knew Peter’s heart. He had said to him, satan is waiting to sift you like wheat. Unless I wash your feet you shall have no part of me.
The devil will confuse and deny our Lord and His word. He will cause us to rationalize our own will instead of subjecting our will to God’s will in meekness and humility. Before Peter could become the rock, he had to be crushed in order to come to understand that in my own flesh dwellers no good thing. Until we die to self, we cannot live unto the Lord. Until Peter was broken of himself, he could not relinquish his life to serve his Lord. After the Last Supper, Jesus took his disciples to the edge of the Garden of Gethsemane. Then he took Peter, James and John into the garden and said, watch and pray. Jesus prayed three times, If there be any other way, let this cup (of condemnation, guilt, sin of the world, death and separation from the Father) be taken away from me. Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done. Then the Roman soldiers came to arrest Jesus. Judas met them and kissed Jesus, the signal identifying Jesus as the one they came to came to arrest.
They took Jesus and brought him to the high priest. The leaders of the temple accused him of false charges. The ones who testified against him couldn’t get their stories straight. Usually the Romans would allow the Judeans to try their own citizens in their own local courts. However, the rulers of Judea couldn’t sentence him to death. They took him to Pilate, the Roman governor for trial in a Roman court. Crucifixion was known as death on the torture stake. The Romans were expert at excruciating torture and a slow agonizing, humiliating, shameful death, lifted up on a cross as a signal to all around that Rome was in command and that anyone who dared defy the power of Rome would suffer a humiliating death.
Many thousands of people were convicted of capital crimes and crucified by the Roman government. Why was Jesus’ crucifixion any different? The difference is that all men and women have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The wages of sin is death. Every man and woman is guilty as charged. Only Jesus lived a sinless life. As the innocent sinless lamb of God without spot or blemish, He alone was worthy to suffer and die for the sins of the world. We are all guilty of sin and justly deserve the wages we earned. Only Jesus shed innocent blood. Romans 5:17-18 says, For if by one man's (Adam’s) offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, (Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men and women to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
Again, the greatest miracle of all is the new birth …. being born again of the Spirit of life in Christ. Jesus Christ paid the price for our sin by shedding His innocent blood in exchange for our guilty blood. 1 Corinthians 15:42-45 says, So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Because of the price Jesus Christ paid on our behalf, we have been redeemed from the power of sin and death. When we confess Jesus is Lord and believe that God has raised him from the dead (that he is risen), we are saved, born again, redeemed and made righteous. Salvation is by God’s grace alone because God has raised him from the dead. This gift of salvation is the greatest of all miracles. That because God has raised Jesus Christ from the dead, we may live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ, Michael
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