30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 23 26-43 THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS 22 Luke 23 39-43 Exceedingly abundantly above all
📖 Luke 23:26-43
Tue 04 Jan 2022 – Exceedingly abundantly above all - Luke 23:26-43 - THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS (22) - Bible reading: Ephesians 3:14-21
“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are calling us to live in Your habitat. When we do, we experience abundance. Lord Jesus, You know our needs more than we can ever imagine. Teach us Lord, to trust You. We give You all the glory. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen.”
Luke 23:39-43 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." (40) But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? (41) And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." (42) Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." (43) And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."
Both the thieves, to begin with, were blaspheming Jesus by saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.". At a certain point, one of them was convicted, repented and he sought the Lord.
This is the philosophy of our world - it is all about self-preservation. We have made our relationship with God also, all about seeking God for our self-preservation. Whereas, God wants us to be those who lose our lives for Him and for the gospel. The Lord wants us to focus on His Kingdom and His righteousness.
Matthew 6:31-33 “Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' (32) For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. (33) But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
The responsibility for our needs to be met is that of our heavenly Father. He never denies our essentials in life. He knows our needs more than we can ever imagine and He provides for us out of His abundance.
He wants us to be totally abandoned on Him and say, “I’m here in this world to lose my life for Jesus and for the gospel.”. We are here to be totally spent for Jesus and for His kingdom, which are His purposes, not ours.
We are to be people of righteousness, in this world that is unrighteous. It is in such a context of unrighteousness that we are called to be people of God’s kingdom, which is a kingdom of righteousness.
When we seek to be people of righteousness, the world will threaten us and say, “You will lose your privileges, benefits, safety and security, if you will be righteous.”
What is it that most of us do in these circumstances?
We go along with the world of unrighteousness so that our safety is looked after. Simultaneously, we also involve ourselves in outward Christian activities thinking that we are serving God. We are not willing to lose our lives for Jesus and for His gospel.
This was the lesson that the Lord was teaching the Israelites.
Deuteronomy 8:2-3 And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. (3) So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.
The Lord longed for the Jews to understand that life is to be lived on the basis of righteousness, which is God’s word or His will. It is in God’s will or His habitat, where we have safety, security, protection and our wellbeing.
Did the Jews learn this lesson, which the Lord was teaching them? No. The majority of them did not learn this lesson and they perished.
Has the church learnt this lesson? No. The majority of us are still living for our safety and security. We are no different from the thieves on the cross who blasphemed and said, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us."
Let us migrate to be those who are seeking to lose our lives for Jesus and for the gospel.
Hebrews 11:35 Women received their dead raised to life again. Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.
The context here is that they were willing to suffer for Jesus and the gospel.
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Apostle Paul was focused on Jesus and the gospel. He was willing to lose everything else for this pursuit in life.
Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
It would be good to read this prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 In this passage we read, Ephesians 3:20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
When we are willing to lose our lives for Jesus and the gospel, His way of taking care of us is exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Thought to ponder
Will you pass off today’s study as impractical?