Dearly Beloved in Christ,
Greetings to you in the precious name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
We know from the Bible that Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross and He died and rose up on the third day. This day of resurrection is celebrated as Easter throughout the world. Jesus Christ came to this world with authority as the Son of God. Those who did not accept Him as the Son of God and were jealous of His miracles and signs, and did not believe in the authority He had from the Father crucified Him who came to redeem us on the cross.
The Lord has done great things in our lives. He has done for us eternal righteous things on the cross. Death on the cross was full of suffering and agony. This cross was used to punish criminals. This type of death penalty was endured by Jesus Christ and gave us a way to have victory over the devil. Because the Lord God gave His only Son for us to have life, He reveals His love for us. He came not to condemn the world but to redeem it. He was sent for that only. Jesus Christ who was crucified on the cross humbled Himself to fulfil the will of the Lord. Before crucifixion, at the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed with agony, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” We learn from Him that we should also do everything daily according to the will of God. He suffered reproach and afflictions on the cross. He could have been delivered by thousands of angels if only He uttered one word. But He prayed for their forgiveness saying, ”Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do” (Luke 23:34). Jesus Christ who went about doing good things and preached how to pray practised what He preached on the cross. On the cross He taught us how we should be according to His own teachings in the midst of afflictions. He also offered His spirit to the Father, which is also a model for us. It is important to know all that He accomplished on the cross.
Things Jesus Christ did on the Cross
1. End to Sins
“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness ...” (1 Peter 2:24).
Sin separates us from God. As the original man disobeyed God and transgressed against the word of God, he lost the image and glory of God. He who walked with God was sent out of His presence. Sin not only separates us from God but also puts us to several other afflictions and struggles. The wages of sin is death of the soul. Sin snaps all our relations with God and, as a result, we should bear sufferings. We were thus in sin separated from God, living under curse with the burden of afflictions. Because the Father God loved us, He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be a propitiation and sacrifice for us all. The Bible says, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).
Sin would take us to eternal punishment in hell. But Jesus Christ, according to the will of God, bore all our sins on the cross to cleanse us and to forgive us. The blood that He shed on the cross can cleanse us of all sins and can give us a new life of holiness. Dear Brother /Sister wallowing in sin, you may have lost your peace and joy in life because of sin and may be spending sleepless nights. He wants to cleanse and reconcile you to God for which He suffered on the cross. He is faithful to deliver you if you only repent, confess and commit to live for Him. Dangerous diseases erupt, which are related to our sins. Man is sinful at heart, in thought and action, in word and deed, and through his senses of hearing and sight. Jesus Christ has the authority to forgive sins.
A paralysed person was brought before Jesus Christ. Paralysis had crippled him completely. Jesus forgave his sins and so he was healed and took up his bed and walked away. The same is true of many persons today as well. Sin paralyses them that they are constrained to seek the help of others for everything. But when these sins are forgiven by Jesus Christ, you will be totally delivered from all your troubles. “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” (Romans 4:7-8). These are the words of David. When Jesus Christ forgives, there would spring up a redeemed life of no sin crowned with joy. We will not be drawn towards the carnal life of this world as we triumph over it. We would have a strong propensity to resist sin. There would be joy and exaltation as sin is wiped out. Jesus Christ bore the cross only to create in us this newness of life bereft of sin. According to the will of the Lord, Jesus Christ gave Himself to be crucified for our sins to deliver us from this wicked world.
2. Curses Nullified
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree)” (Galatians 3:13).
Curse rattles the lives of people filling them with bitterness. When Adam sinned, the earth was cursed. It would bring forth thorns and thistles. He had to eat the sweat of his labours. Thus curse entered the world in the effort of cultivating the fields, and in the pangs of birth. The curse cannot be measured. Some curses increase the gravity of suffering to the extent of questioning the very existence. Life becomes bitter. As the people voluntarily took upon themselves and their descendants the curse of crucifying Jesus on the cross, the country of the Jews, Israel, is constantly under suffering, war and troubles.
You should understand why curse comes
The head of the Syrian army, Naaman, was a leper. He was a good soldier. He had taken a small girl as a captive from Samariah. She suggested that if her master went to the prophet Elisha in Samariah, he would be healed. He also journeyed there hoping to meet the Prophet Elisha. Without meeting him, Elisha gave him instruction from the Lord that he should immerse in the water of the Jordan seven times to be healed. Naaman was upset at the suggestion as he had expected that the prophet would touch him and heal him. Only because his officials persuaded him, he yielded to their advice and dipped in the river seven times. The leprosy left him and his body became as the body of a little child. So he came back to the prophet to offer some gifts, but he did not accept them. Seeing this, the servant of Elisha, Gehazi went after him and told him that his master had received some guests and therefore he needed some of his gifts. Thus he told him a lie and Naaman gave him much more than he demanded. He placed all those gifts in his house and sent him away. After that he came and stood before his master who asked him from where he came. He replied that he had not gone anywhere. Because he lied, curse of leprosy came upon him and his descendants.
Is our life truthful before the Lord? Daniel was loyal and faithful to the king and he was saved even though he was thrown before lions in a den. The Lord protected him. When we are true before the Lord, the Lord exalts us. Moses was faithful in the house of God, and therefore he was exalted by the Lord. If we remain faithful in all our affairs, we will be saved from curses.
If we search the scriptures, we read in the Book of Joshua, seventh chapter, about Achan who took some of the accursed things and hid them in his house. And Achan answered Joshua and said, “Indeed I have sinned against the Lord God of Israel, and this is what I have done: When I saw among the spoils a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. And there they are, hidden in the earth in the midst of my tent, with the silver under it.” (Verses 20-21). Those things were taken from his tent and placed before the Lord. The Israelites stoned him and his family members to death and heaped stones upon them.
As they lusted after accursed things and took them, they came under curse and they were all stoned to death and set on fire. Lust leads to curse. Jesus Christ became curse for us on the cross and has rescued us from the curse of law. If today we have regard for what Christ has done for us on the cross, let us humble ourselves before Him. Let us commit to live for Him and be saved from the curses.
3. Afflictions Done Away
“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows...” (Isaiah 53:4)
Afflictions and grief paralyse the lives of many people today. We are put to great difficulty, we lose peace, and are tantalized as to what to do. In the midst of severe grief, people spend sleepless nights and this grief in turn leads to several complications in the body and soul. In the Bible, we read about Jabez who was thus named by his mother saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” “And Jabez called out to the God of Israel, “If only You would bless me and enlarge my territory! May Your hand be with me and keep me from harm, so that I will be free from pain.” And God granted the request of Jabez” (1 Chr. 4:9-10). The pain and grief caused by diseases hamper the lives of people endlessly. Death or separation is another cause of grief. Isaac was in grief when his mother died. Many have experiences of grief tormenting them in the midst of efforts to overcome them through various strategies. Only God can relieve us in those circumstances. When you forget the Lord of Hope and strength, you will be severely affected. When the spirit is broken, the mental agonies are overpowering.
David confesses his state of grief: “Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes fail from sorrow, my soul and body as well” (Psalm 31:9). Thus when we are confronted with loss and defeats, grief takes hold of us and life becomes bitter. We begin to hate this life. In some families, the misdeeds of the husband make the life of the family so very burdensome and weary. Even such deeds lead to separation. In some families, grief leads to suicides. In the lives of children too, disappointments make life miserable.
The Lord promises us: “Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, streaming to the goodness of the Lord — For wheat and new wine and oil, for the young of the flock and the herd; Their souls shall be like a well-watered garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all. Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old, together; for I will turn their mourning to joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice rather than sorrow.” (Jer. 31:12,13). In John 16:20, Jesus Christ says, “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy” (John 16:20). He alone can make things happen. He can transform things in our favour and make us happy. He can transform sorrows into joy and transform darkness into light in our lives. He has borne all our griefs and sorrows on the cross for our sake to enable us have this transformation.
Dear Brother/ Sister, you may be leading a life of bitterness because of griefs in various forms. Think of Jesus Christ who bore all your griefs and afflictions on the cross for your sake. He has the power to transform your life and make you rejoice. Just decide to accept the love of God on the cross for your sake. Your life will get transformed into one of joy.
4. Diseases to Healings
“...He Himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses.” (Matthew 8:17).
The Lord Jesus Christ offered His life on the cross for us to have a wholesome life. He is alive who said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the Lord who heals you” (Ex. 15:26). Only because we did not heed Him but fulfilled the desires of our hearts, today we have diseases that torment us. Disease is the biggest problem at the level of the world. Even though the number of hospitals and pharmacies has gone up, the number of patients keeps increasing.
Jesus Christ met a man who was afflicted with a disease for 38 years. He talked to him with the intention of healing him. He had the desire to get into that pond at the time an angel stirred it to get healed. He had a grudge that there was none to help him to get into the pond first. But Jesus Christ came seeking him. He healed him with His words and asked him to take up his bed and walk. He got healed and walked away.
Today diseases come because of sins, the devil, curses, natural climatic changes, and for the glory of God. God also sends diseases to chastise a person. He chastises those whom He loves. Many suffer without knowing the cause of the diseases that are inflicted by the devil. There is mention of a lady who was bound by the devil for 18 years and therefore she was bent all along. But Jesus Christ called her and released her from the spirit of infirmity. She immediately became straight and glorified God. As we get aged, we have certain weaknesses in the body. Isaac lost his eye-sight in his old age.
Some suffer severe illness because of curses. Miriam who accused Moses was afflicted with leprosy. Some diseases are for the glory of God. The disciples of Jesus Christ asked Him about a born-blind whether it was the sin of him or the sins of his parents. Jesus assured them that it was neither but only for the glory of God. Jesus answered, ”Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him” (John 9:1-3). Peter says, “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him” (Acts 10:38). According to the will of God, He offered Himself on the cross for delivering His people from diseases. He loved us so much that God gave His Son Jesus Christ to die for our sake on the cross so that we might have healing. He has become the propitiation for our sins. We are healed by His strips. He has paid the price to redeem us.
Jesus Christ bore our sins, our curses, afflictions, and diseases on the cross. Thus He loves us and has borne all our griefs and afflictions on the cross. Let us trust and believe in Him. Let us commit to live in His way. By that we would have peace, joy and exaltation.
May the Lord bless us all!
In the service of Christ,
Bro. C. Ebenezer Paul.