As we’ve been looking at the Cross we have gone through how we can find God’s glory in the Cross, following God’s Will in light of the Cross, we’ve taken a look at the significance of the Cross and what it means to us, and we’ve looked at Jesus’ resurrection. This all brings us to a decision that each one of us must make.
Our Bible Journaling Scripture takes us to Mark 1:11, a time before the Cross, it goes to the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. “And a voice from heaven said, ‘You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.’” (NLT) Jesus had just been baptized by John the Baptist and was beginning His ministry on Earth. God, the Father, declared to those in attendance that Jesus was His Son and that He was well pleased with Jesus. God put His stamp of approval on everything Jesus did. All through Jesus’ ministry, God was pleased with Him. When Jesus took our place on the Cross for our sins, it was with the approval of God, the Father. It was part of His plan to save the world from sin. Even though God could not look upon Jesus as He took our sin upon Himself, God still approved. Because of what Jesus did for us on the Cross, God requires something from us…a decision.
Some people don’t believe that Jesus was, and is God; that He was only a man, a great teacher. They may agree with His teachings and even try to live by them, but they have never believed that Jesus was God and came to save them from sin. I have a friend who fits this description. He is very anti-Christian. I don’t know if this is because he was hurt by a church or if he just got turned off by Christians who didn’t line up with his idea of what a Christian should look like. Maybe the Christians he encountered didn’t show the values and attitudes of Christ. I don’t know, but he is very anti anything God. I have tried to minister to him here and there, but he is very resistant. I’ve tried to explain that sooner or later, he will have to come to the place where he acknowledges that God exists, that God loves him, and that Jesus died for his sins. The Bible says that every knee will bow, every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. (Romans 14:11 and Philippians 2:11)
Every person on the planet must come to that decision. When we look at the Cross, we have no choice but to acknowledge that Jesus is the sacrifice for our sins, that He paid the death penalty for sin that God requires, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and now lives in Heaven, seated at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us.
The Cross forces us to come to a decision about whether we will accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior or if we will reject Him. The Cross and the resurrection shows us that there is life after death…eternal life. It is up to us where we will spend that eternity. Will we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and spend eternity with Him in Heaven, or will we reject Him and spend an eternity in everlasting torment in Hell with Satan and his demons?
John 3:16 tells us the reason that God allowed His Son to suffer on a cruel Cross and die for all of us, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (KJV) Jesus, being God, also loved us, and because of that love, He willingly went to the Cross for us.
The Bible tells us that every person on the planet has sinned. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (KJV) Because of our sin, Jesus had to die. Why? Because God wants a relationship with us, and that relationship couldn’t happen because of our sin. Romans 6:23 tells us that, “The wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (NASB) All that God requires from us is that we invite Jesus into our heart and life, turn from our sin, and follow Him. Revelation 3:20, says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.” (NASB) When we do that, we begin a life of relationship with Him. We have fellowship with God. John 1:12 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name.” (NASB) We then become part of God’s family.
I encourage you today, if you have never asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior of your life, please do it. You will find it will be the best decision you ever made. The Bible says, “For He says, ‘At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.’ Behold, now is ‘the acceptable time,’ behold, now is ‘the day of salvation.’” (2 Corinthians 6:2) Now is the time!
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