April 21st, 2025
Last weekend, we focused our hearts on the power of the cross and the resurrection as we
celebrated Easter. However, the power of the resurrection is the central truth of the gospel and it’s the reality we are meant to live in every day. Jesus laid down His life so you could live. He was willing to suffer and die, for you. He chose to cross because your life was worth His sacrifice. Hebrews 12:2 says,
“…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. The joy set before Him was us. It was you and me. 1 Peter 1:18 says,
“Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God…”
Ephesians 5:2 says,
“Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
We look at the cross and see Jesus, but when He looked at the cross, He saw you. He saw your sin and imperfection. He saw your brokenness. He also saw everything He would suffer and chose to face it because of what He would gain. Romans 5:8 says,
“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
What Jesus did on the cross was enough to atone for the salvation of every human being who would ever live. Nothing can separate us from the love of the Father – from healing, hope and peace, and total freedom, because of the power of the blood of Jesus.
We must understand the intimacy of the cross. You must encounter the truth that the cross wasn’t just “for the world.” The cross wasn’t just for “sin.” It was for you. It was for your sin. Jesus saw you.
Jesus is your Savior and when you see that truth it will shape every area of your life.
How can we live with less than what Jesus gave everything for us to have? It’s not arrogance to expect all the things that Jesus died to give us – salvation, healing, freedom, abundance. Jesus came that we would have life, and life abundantly (John 10:10).
1 Peter 2:24 says,
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Just as Jesus saw you when He saw the cross, thousands of years before you were born, you must see Him.
Jesus is seated in heavenly places, but He will be coming back. The Bible says that “every eye will see Him – even those who pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7).
However, you can and must see Him now, with the eyes of your heart. John 6:40 records these words of Jesus:
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.”
You can look on the son of God even now.
Jesus said that He would be “lifted up” and draw all men to Himself. Every human heart feels the draw of the Son of God. We were created to know our creator. The book of Acts records Paul’s words to a group of people who worshipped all kinds of false gods. It was a pagan society full of sin and religious confusion. Acts 17:22-25 says,
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
How many on the earth today, still worship an “unknown God?”
How many, even Christians, are content to live with just an idea of God? It’s not enough to believe a story about a savior on a cross. It’s not enough to know that God sent a man, His only son, to die for sin. You have to see Him, just as He saw you 2,000 years ago. Jesus died so we could see Him, and in seeing Him, see the Father. John 14:6 say,
““I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.””
1 Corinthians 3:18 says,
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
We were made to behold Jesus. We were made to know our Creator. He’s not just the savior of the world. He’s your Savior. He died so you could come boldly to the throne of your Father. He died so you could cast every care you have on Him. He died so you could live free of bondage, sickness, and oppression. He died to set you free! It’s not just an Easter message. It’s the Gospel. This week, I encourage you to behold the Lamb who was slain. He died on a cross, but He’s seated in glory. He’s the One whose eyes burn like fire and whose face shines like the sun. He is light and peace and hope and joy for every human being on the earth. We were made to see Him. We were made to know Him. We were made to live for Him!
celebrated Easter. However, the power of the resurrection is the central truth of the gospel and it’s the reality we are meant to live in every day. Jesus laid down His life so you could live. He was willing to suffer and die, for you. He chose to cross because your life was worth His sacrifice. Hebrews 12:2 says,
“…looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. The joy set before Him was us. It was you and me. 1 Peter 1:18 says,
“Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God…”
Ephesians 5:2 says,
“Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”
We look at the cross and see Jesus, but when He looked at the cross, He saw you. He saw your sin and imperfection. He saw your brokenness. He also saw everything He would suffer and chose to face it because of what He would gain. Romans 5:8 says,
“God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
What Jesus did on the cross was enough to atone for the salvation of every human being who would ever live. Nothing can separate us from the love of the Father – from healing, hope and peace, and total freedom, because of the power of the blood of Jesus.
We must understand the intimacy of the cross. You must encounter the truth that the cross wasn’t just “for the world.” The cross wasn’t just for “sin.” It was for you. It was for your sin. Jesus saw you.
Jesus is your Savior and when you see that truth it will shape every area of your life.
How can we live with less than what Jesus gave everything for us to have? It’s not arrogance to expect all the things that Jesus died to give us – salvation, healing, freedom, abundance. Jesus came that we would have life, and life abundantly (John 10:10).
1 Peter 2:24 says,
“He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”
Just as Jesus saw you when He saw the cross, thousands of years before you were born, you must see Him.
Jesus is seated in heavenly places, but He will be coming back. The Bible says that “every eye will see Him – even those who pierced Him” (Revelation 1:7).
However, you can and must see Him now, with the eyes of your heart. John 6:40 records these words of Jesus:
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life.”
You can look on the son of God even now.
Jesus said that He would be “lifted up” and draw all men to Himself. Every human heart feels the draw of the Son of God. We were created to know our creator. The book of Acts records Paul’s words to a group of people who worshipped all kinds of false gods. It was a pagan society full of sin and religious confusion. Acts 17:22-25 says,
“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.”
How many on the earth today, still worship an “unknown God?”
How many, even Christians, are content to live with just an idea of God? It’s not enough to believe a story about a savior on a cross. It’s not enough to know that God sent a man, His only son, to die for sin. You have to see Him, just as He saw you 2,000 years ago. Jesus died so we could see Him, and in seeing Him, see the Father. John 14:6 say,
““I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.””
1 Corinthians 3:18 says,
“And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”
We were made to behold Jesus. We were made to know our Creator. He’s not just the savior of the world. He’s your Savior. He died so you could come boldly to the throne of your Father. He died so you could cast every care you have on Him. He died so you could live free of bondage, sickness, and oppression. He died to set you free! It’s not just an Easter message. It’s the Gospel. This week, I encourage you to behold the Lamb who was slain. He died on a cross, but He’s seated in glory. He’s the One whose eyes burn like fire and whose face shines like the sun. He is light and peace and hope and joy for every human being on the earth. We were made to see Him. We were made to know Him. We were made to live for Him!
No Comments