MY FRIENDS, IS HE ONLY “THIS MAN” TO US?

April 12, 2016

MY FRIENDS, IS HE ONLY “THIS MAN” TO US?

He “bore our sins…… and [my friends] His stripes we were healed.” 1 Peter 2:21-24 (NKJV) In John 19, the narrative begins. Pilate says to the Jews “I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation]. But you have a custom that I release someone for you at the Passover.  So shall I release for you the King of the Jews?” Then the rabble shouted back again, “Not this Man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

The heathen Pilate, mockingly called Him a King, But those who lived in His very presence who He “dwelt among daily, who had seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” He was referred to only as “this Man.” My friends how do you live in the very presence of the Son of God and all you can see is “this Man.” ”So then Pilate took “this Man” and scourged Him.

And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on [this Man’s] head, and [then on “this Man” they placed on] Him a purple robe. And then the rabble mocked [“this Man” as the heathen Pilate had done saying “Hail, King of the Jews [Good health! Peace! Long life to you, King of the Jews]!” And they slapped Him in the face. Then Pilate came out again and said to them, “Look, I am bringing “this Man” out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him [no crime, no cause for an accusation].”

So “this Man” came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, and Pilate said to them, “Look! This Man!” When the chief priests and officers saw Him, they shouted, “Crucify [Him]! Crucify [Him]!” My friends, are we like the rabble, Christ dwells among us through His Spirit and every day all we can see is “this Man” because the god of this world knows if he can get us to only see “this Man” and not the Son of God, “full of grace and truth,” then Calvary would have no real meaning, only a fable or a “story not founded on fact.”

But, it is only when we see Christ in His full glory, and look at the seriousness of where we are in history and prophecy and then surrender it all, is when He is no longer just “this man.” And it is at that point it becomes personal as we cry out, “All to Jesus I surrender, All to Him I freely give; I will ever love and trust Him, In His presence daily live. All to Jesus I surrender, humbly at His feet I bow, Worldly pleasures all forsaken; Take me, Jesus, take me now.”

My friends, surrender all, we then see Christ and not just “this Man.” Surrender all like James and John when “Christ called them, on their job “they immediately left it all, the boat, their father, and followed Him.” Matt 4:21-22 (NKJV) Surrender all means we lay it all at the feet of Christ our time talents and money.

Surrender all means nothing of this world not job, education, friends, family and love one’s, is more important than our relationship with Christ. Surrender all, the words of Christ “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves [now] and take up their cross daily and follow me,” [now means just that, we will deny self and the things of this world now “and take up our cross daily and follow Chris] Luke 9:23 (NIV)

Every excuse we may give as the reason we cannot serve Christ, was challenged and answered at Calvary.