The Cross of Christ

Love Beyond Degree
Was it for crimes that I have done, He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, Grace unknown! And love beyond degree!
At the Cross, At the Cross …
Isaac Watts
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But God forbid that I should glory,
Save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ …
Galatians 6:14a

 

My how the years fly! Was it yesterday we were preparing to celebrate Good Friday and the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus? Celebrate? Absolutely! These should be the most celebrated days of the year. We must add to those celebrations the birth of our Savior and the Coming Again of the King in Glory. Each of these historical events hinges upon the Resurrection of Christ.

But here we are in the early days of springtime 2014, a time in our history when the skeptics are out in number, denying Christ in every aspect of His wonderful, sinless and perfect life, but a time in the Christian realm when we will once again focus on His Resurrection. Let me go on to say, and you’ve heard me say it before, every Lord’s Day, in fact, every day of our lives is a celebration of the Resurrection of our dear Savior. We must hold fast to our Profession of Faith!

So many events had to take place before the death of Christ. Space does not allow us to elaborate on them all. But in a nutshell, from the time of the introduction of the King, the gospels systematically bring us all the truths concerning the One who would be born into this sinful world. So in our list, we will start with the announcement of His birth to Joseph and the virgin Mary; His boyhood and growth “in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man”; His authentication and acceptance in certain cities; His authority to preach; His rejection; His authority to heal; His rejection; controversy; His disciples; more reception and more rejection; opposition to the King; His invitation to “whosoever will”; His instructions concerning the Kingdom to His disciples; the official presentation of the King—the triumphal entry; His authority; His invitation; preparation for His death, the death of the Cross; Rejection of the King—His betrayal, arrest, trial, the procession to Calvary, the crucifixion of the Son of God; His burial and the sealing of the tomb. Notice how many times I listed “rejection” and that was a partial list. “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief…”

And finally, the Resurrection!

Using the method of calculating time among the Jews, Greeks, and Romans, Christ was in the tomb one whole central day and any part of each of the two other days. Hence, if he arose on the third day as the Scripture teaches, and He did, He was buried shortly before sunset on Friday afternoon. His body lay in the grave through Saturday, and He rose from the dead sometime before sunrise on Sunday morning. Seven times the gospels state that He rose on the third day.  Praise God! And because he arose, “death no longer has a hold on me”!

(Never let it be said that Jesus was not busy doing more of His redemptive work while He was three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. That is an important study that we will save for a future time.)

Mark 28:1-2 gives us the account of the arrival of the women at the tomb. “And when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun.”

They were expecting to need help to roll the stone away, but when they arrived, they saw it had been moved. They, without fear, went inside and saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side. Luke’s account in 24:4 says “two men stood by them in shining garments” indicating they were angels. Of course, the women were terrified when they saw the men. Can you imagine having two angels in shining white garments come alongside you? The angels immediately dispelled their fears and told them, “He is not here, but is risen; remember how he spoke to you when he was in Galilee, saying, the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

I don’t know about you, but I need no more explanation. In fact, here we are centuries later and I still need no further explanation. Someone once said, “If God said it, I believe it, and that settles. Someone even more brilliant and spiritual said it this way, “If God said it, that settles it, whether you believe it or not!” I like that, and I have no trouble believing the Word of God and the wonderful biblical account of His Resurrection. Hallelujah!

So we who believe do not search for the living among the dead. Our Savior is risen, indeed. Yet there are millions today who have difficulty or downright disdain for the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ. We must help them!

The Gospels, if the skeptic would only believe the Word of God, reveal much concerning the reports after the women knew Christ had risen. They ran with fear to the apostles. Peter and John ran for the tomb in excitement. They had to see for themselves. In fact, John outran Peter. These experiences give us a broad look at the fact that the disciples had trouble believing the Resurrection would take place. But not any longer.

Next there was His appearance to Mary Magdalene who had returned to the tomb and stood weeping. This, too, was a moment in human experience that gives us pause to understand the deep love Mary had for Christ. Jesus gave her instructions to tell the “brothers” that He was resurrected.

He appeared to some other women who had previously been to the tomb. They recognized Him immediately, fell to His feet and began to worship Him (Matthew 28:9). Jesus calmed them and gave them instructions to go also and tell the disciples to go to Galilee where He would meet them.

Further, there was the report of the Guard at the tomb, which created a stir among the Sanhedrin.

And we can never forget His appearance to the two men on the Emmaus Road, who said “… did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?”

There were many other such appearances of Jesus before He commissioned the disciples in Matthew 28 before His ascension.

After His final word to them, He led them out of Jerusalem toward Bethany. He blessed them on the hillsides of the Mt. of Olives, and according to Luke 24:51, “…it came to pass that while he was blessing them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.”

The story does not end with His ascension back to the Father. It is only just beginning for us, the work of the Cross having been finished, the price having been paid. Our sins can now not only be forgiven, but taken as far as the East is from the West to be remembered no more. That is up to us. We do not find the death, burial and resurrection of Christ to be unbelievable or offensive, neither are we ashamed and afraid to profess it. We find it to be “Love Beyond Degree”!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ;
for it is the power of God unto salvation
to everyone that believeth;
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God
revealed from faith to faith:
as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
Romans 1:16-17

 

 

Serving Him,

Victor W. Baugh, Sr., Th.D., Ph.D.
Pastor, St. Luke AME Church
Havana, AL

 
Author of The Anchor Holds, Victor’s Story