30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 23 26-43 THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS 03 Luke 23 26 Learning through the cross
📖 Luke 23:26-43
Mon 13 Dec 2021 – Learning through the cross - Luke 23:26-43 - THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS (03) - Bible reading: Romans 8:28-30
It is such an awesome privilege for us to be aligned with God’s call for us. We are able to face the challenges in life. These challenges are designed and allowed by God into our life for channelling and moulding us to accomplish His purpose.
Luke 23:26 Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.
The soldiers compelled Simon to bear the cross.
Yesterday, we saw that God has a purpose for us. He desires for us, to willingly and intentionally seek to know God’s purpose for us. Each of us, as we carry our particular cross, completes the overarching plan of God.
This situation happened to Simon, unexpectedly.
Life will throw up unexpected situations at us. These experiences are the moulding moments of our lives. It is important to welcome, embrace and learn from these challenges. These are our building blocks in life.
We see that the Israelites complained when they went through difficult experiences. The experience of carrying the cross for Jesus was not a comfortable one for Simon. The Lord is watching to see how we accept the challenges that life presents to us.
The Lord was angry with the Israelites for complaining because of the challenges that they encountered.
Numbers 14:26-31 And the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, (27) “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against Me? I have heard the complaints which the children of Israel make against Me. (28) Say to them, 'As I live,' says the LORD, 'just as you have spoken in My hearing, so I will do to you: (29) The carcasses of you who have complained against Me shall fall in this wilderness, all of you who were numbered, according to your entire number, from twenty years old and above. (30) Except for Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun, you shall by no means enter the land which I swore I would make you dwell in. (31) But your little ones, whom you said would be victims, I will bring in, and they shall know the land which you have despised.
How do we understand and deal with the rough experiences of life?
Romans 8:28-30 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. (29) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. (30) Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
The world will place a cross on us. This will happen repeatedly in life. We cannot run away just as Simon could not run away. When circumstances come heavily upon us, recognise that the Lord enables us to carry the cross.
We must ensure that we do not complain but we must cast our burdens on the Lord and tell Him all about our struggles, without complaining, but with thanksgiving.
It is important to be prepared for the cross experiences of life and to know that the strength for us to go through those tough experiences are already provided. The power is of God.
Ephesians 1:19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power
Are we prepared to accept what circumstances throw at us and accept it as the process through which we are purified for Him?
The core element in the call of God is that we are conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. This is common for all of us, though each of us is called differently. This is what the difficult experiences of life do to us. Those experiences shape us into the image of Jesus.
Malachi 3:2-4 “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire And like launderers' soap. (3) He will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver; He will purify the sons of Levi, And purge them as gold and silver, That they may offer to the LORD An offering in righteousness. (4) "Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem Will be pleasant to the LORD, As in the days of old, As in former years.
As we carry the cross our eyes are on Jesus for, He goes before us.
II Corinthians 12:9-10 And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
We can acknowledge and tell God about all the challenges that life gives to us. We know that when we are weak we are actually strong, because of His grace.
Thought to ponder
Are you in a crisis right now? Did you know that when you are weak, you are strong, in Jesus?