-Strength for Today- "Confidence Before the Cross." - John 17:4

    In Jesus’ High Priestly prayer, He spoke not of Himself, but of His Father as He faced, with confidence, the cross with praise. What was once endowed by the tragedy of sin will shortly be enlighten by the triumph of His cross. The death of Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God’s intent for reconciling humankind back to Him. No place in history will you ever find a more profound display of love. Therefore, it is a fact that:  

·       His death was not something that just happened to Him,

·       Or something that might have been prevented.

·        His death was the very reason He came.

      For every reason, there is a cause. the cause and reason for Jesus’ coming to earth was to bring back to the Father, “that which was lost” – Like 19:10. And to look at forgiveness in any other way, makes the cross unnecessary, and there is no reason for redemption.

   But listen, God forgives sin only because of Jesus’ death. Apart from Him, there’s is no other way to be truly forgiven. And because of His death, He has crowned because of:

·       His identity with, and

·       His victory for humankind,

     So then, the grandest sound that ever echoed across the hills of the universe, was that sound on the Cross when Jesus said “It is finished!” –John 19:30. Those three words represents the final redemptive work for humankind. Anything less would void the holiness of God, and would throw a false light on His unconditional love; and would go against the truth, as revealed by Jesus Christ –John 8:32. The relevant meaning of His death is the conviction of sin. Conviction means that someone is guilty of a crime:

·       It’s a gift of shame and repentance, and

·        It’s the great mercy of God.

       Jesus Christ hates the sin in people, and Calvary is that measured degree of His hatred for sin!

Author: Plez Lovelady, Jr., PhD