23 ... “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.
https://youtu.be/TqCMTkSqv4I
Gospel Rediscovered (Part 3)
In Weakness and folly ...
So we considered yesterday that Jesus was handed over to Satan and all evil without restriction. He was stripped naked, mocked, spat upon, a crown of thorns rammed upon his head, he was beaten, flogged and nailed to the cross which was lifted p and dropped in its stand, thereby dislocating his bones. Then began the slow, tortrous death, until he breathed his last. Even then they were not finished - a spear driven up under his rib cage. Jesus was dead! How weak is that?
Then, when He was as weak as could be, (for when are we weaker than in death?) it was then, that all the power of the evil one was broken. It was then that sin was rendered powerless. It was then that death itself was defeated.
Then, when He was as weak as could be, (for when are we weaker than in death?) it was then, that all the power of the evil one was broken. It was then that sin was rendered powerless. It was then that death itself was defeated.
Satan doubtless thought he hit the jackpot when God the Father handed Jesus over to him with no restrictions at all. “Very well Satan, take Him, my precious Son, and do your worst”. Satan must have thought, "at last, God is having a senior moment! A moment of weakness and folly".
Satan must have rubbed His hands in glee as he watched Jesus utterly humiliated and ultimately tortured to death in the most shameful way possible. But three days later when the earth quaked and the stone rolled away - Satan realized - his worst was no match for Jesus weakest! In that moment He knew he had nothing! He was utterly defeated by God’s great wisdom!
Such is the greatness of God! In weakness - he is strong beyond imagination! In foolishness, He is wise beyond comprehension.
Having accomplished everything in His utter weakness, He burst forth from the grave in power! He ascended to rule and reign.
He is our King, He is the one in whom we trust right? Often we lose faith and trust in this and that - hoping other things will meet our need - whatever that may be. How foolish we are. In His death he has proven His great love for us. In His resurrection victory He has proven, absolutely nothing is impossible with Him.
If in His weakness and foolishness He could accomplish so much, how foolish and irrational of us to trust in other things.
But often we are confused because we feel abandoned. We feel God is not doing anything! We perhaps think perhaps we need to try harder to win His favour, that we need to be holier etc, or that, in spite of all our talk of faith, really we are on our own - it is up to us.
I wonder if this state of affairs is because of one simple, fundamental mistake we easily make. Now that we are believers, loved by Jesus, forgiven, we think it means Jesus should be on our side.
Brothers and sisters, this is not so. He is not on our side, it is us who are to be on His side!
Let's pray, not that He help us do our will, but that He help us do His will.
Jesus be the center
Be my source be my light Jesus
Jesus be the center
Be my song Jesus
Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in my sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus Jesus
Jesus be my vision
Be my help
Be my guide Jesus
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