“Oh wondrous love that called me out by name
The one who made it all died to make a way
And every earthly gain I will count as loss
I am redeemed, that’s the beauty of the cross”
Beauty of the Cross, The Prestonwood Choir
“ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:18, NIV
Jesus came to die so that we might live.
It is easy for us to get sidetracked by the complexities of Scripture, End-Time thinking, promises of prosperity and the more mystical aspects of our Christian walk. While all of these things are important to consider it means absolutely nothing without a basic, foundational understanding of the Cross of Jesus Christ.
We were lost to sin. We were counted as casualties of our own transgressions. We were distant and far away from God our Creator.
Some of us still are. As much as we pray, prophesy or cast out demons – as much as we prosper in the Name of Jesus – many of us are still not truly rooted in Jesus.
Jesus said the following: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practise lawlessness!’
The fruit of our Christian walk is not measured by the practice of power – even heathens and unbelievers can cast out demons – but the one thing they cannot do is give you Jesus to fill the gap left behind.
Even unbelievers can ‘prophesy’ – but the Spirit of true prophecy is the Testimony of Jesus.
Even unbelievers can prosper – the Bible teaches us this – but only a proper understanding of Christ and His Cross can give you true prosperity: the shalom of God, contentment in every circumstance and situation.
We have in many ways been measuring our fruit according to the wisdom of this world – but the wisdom of this world is foolishness.
The Cross offers us a paradigm shift – a change of perspective. We now count the world and its wealth, earthly gain and esteem as loss.
The Cross of Christ offers us the opportunity to crucify the flesh, die to self and the world, sin and unrighteousness – and gives us new life as we stand up in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ.
You are called out by name! Called out of the grave of your transgressions – by name! Called out of the grave of spiritual loneliness and poverty – by name!
When you were in darkness God saw you. God loved you!
The fruit of our Christian walk is not measured in power, but in presence – the presence of God in your life. The presence of His peace, His love, His mercy, His grace, His capacity for forgiveness – the presence of the fruit of His Spirit in our lives – that is how we measure our spiritual growth.
We do not measure the fruit of our Christian walk by our capacity to own – but in our capacity to give away without expecting returns and without agenda – our finances, our resources, our time, our love – sacrifice is the operative word!
The grave is a solitary place – we put our dead in a coffin in the ground – there is no community. Jesus calls us out of the solitary and lonely graves of our selfishness into life – into community and fellowship – we measure the fruit of our Christian walk by looking at our selflessness. We do not measure our Christian walk by what or who we are but rather by what and who we are not – by what and who Christ is in and through us. The goal of the Christian life is to become less so that He might become more – so that we might be conformed in every way to Jesus.
We strive for righteousness and holiness. We avoid sin like the plague. We keep our garments clean. We tend to the garden of our Christian walk through prayer, meditation and study, fellowship and community. We reach out to others with the same Hand that Jesus extended – love and mercy, goodness and grace.
The Christian walk is not about the practice of power – but the power of Christ in us is the practice of His Presence in a world that does not know Him.
Let us die to self so that others might find life in Jesus.
Prayer: Lord, let me become less so that You might become more. Help me die to self so that You might reign and rule in me. Show me the areas of my life that need to be surrendered for You to increase. Help me pursue presence more than power – Your presence in and through me. In Jesus Name. Amen.