The Logic of Calvary
The missionary J. Alexander Clark once saw a lion attacking an African. He grabbed his rifle, killed the animal, and took the wounded man to hospital. Two months later, Clark was sitting on his veranda, and he suddenly saw a large procession of cattle, poultry, and people with the rescued African on the head. The latter fell at Clark's feet and said: "Sir, according to the law of my tribe, the man who is rescued from a wild animal no longer belongs to himself. He belongs to his rescuer. Everything I have belongs to you." This is a total surrender out of gratitude.
It is the most logical thing for us as believers to give our lives to the Lord out of gratitude for Golgotha. Paul also explains this in Romans 12:1: "Present your bodies as a living sacrificeA sacrifice/offering to God (or deities in pagan religions) that differed in occasion, purpose, and form. The most important sacrifices required by the Old Testament law include burnt offerings, grain..., holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service". "Reasonable" here is the translation of the GreekUnlike Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews; Acts 6:1; 9:29), Greeks, in the narrow sense of the word, come from Greece and have at least one Greek parent (Acts 16:3 in connection with... term logikos, from which our term "logic" derives. Can anything else be more reasonable, more comprehensible, or more understandable than living for the Lord out of gratitude for Golgotha?
At the cross, we find the origin of every ministry and every decision for discipleshipDiscipleship is a commandment of the Lord Jesus for His own (Mk 2:14). In discipleship, we follow the Lord Jesus in obedience; He is our authority. It means sharing His.... There can be no neutrality in the shadow of the cross. Either the word of the cross is foolishness, or it is God's power (1 Cor 1:18). Either you are hostile to Jesus ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is..., or you are so overwhelmed by His unique, incomprehensible death that you surrender your life to Him completely. To believe in ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... and at the same time lead a lukewarm Christian life is unfortunately often the case with us – but it completely contradicts the logic of Calvary. A Bible teacher once said: "The people for whom Jesus Christ died cannot deny His righteous claim on them. Otherwise, they would succumb to hypocritical Christianity or live for selfish pleasures. Our salvation demands our total surrender."
The death of Golgotha often does not impress us as it should. If it did, earthly or even selfish desires would disappear, our thinking and being would be more filled with ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is..., and every saved person would turn away from shallow Sunday Christianity. And: the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... would be evangelized. Do we understand Calvary? Do we understand who ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... is, who we are – and what really happened on that cross?
Thanksgiving for Golgotha motivates devotion.
"And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." (2 Cor 5:15)
"For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Cor 6:20)
