Christ Was Crucified For Us

-July 24, 2022-

Good morning, happy Lord’s Day,

“Him, being delivered by the predestined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death” (Acts 2:23).

“For I have determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

The word crucified is found forty times in the NT. Jesus’ purpose in coming into this world was to be crucified for us on the cross. Even before man sinned, God had the plan of salvation ready. We see that from today’s text. It was carried out according to God’s predestined purpose and the foreknowledge of God. God told the serpent, who was the devil, in Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Though Christ’s death at Calvary was predestined, it did not absolve man of responsibility. Judas, the son of perdition betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver; the Jews condemned Him to death and vehemently demanded that He be crucified; Pilate ordered it to be done, and his soldiers carried it out. There are many times that people in the Bible did things that were of the Lord. God is always in control.

Not only was Jesus crucified for us, taking our place on the cross, but we have the message of the cross to share with the world. When Paul arrived at Corinth he preached Christ. He wrote, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” This message changed the world and turned it upside down.

The method of crucifixion was a long, slow, painful death. He hung on the cross six hours. He bore our sins and punishment. The cross has since become a symbol of God’s love and our deliverance. The hymn writer C. Austin Miles wrote, “They nailed my Lord upon the tree and left Him dying there; Thro’ love He suffered there for me; ‘Twas love beyond compare. Crucified! Crucified! And nailed upon the tree! With pierced hands and feet and side! For you! For me.”

May we cherish the old rugged cross until one day we exchange it for a crown. Thank God that He raised Him from the dead and He lives forever at the right hand of God. He will also one day raise us up to be with Him for all eternity. Let us like Paul to determine not know anything except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Have a blessed day of praise and worship to Jesus for the price that was paid for us on the cross. Stay safe and healthy.

In eternal joy and thankfulness,

Dean