Mighty Is the Power of the Cross

Why did Jesus have to die for my sins?

It’s a question I confess I spend little time thinking about, and probably even less time putting the answer into practice in my own life. From the earliest of early, we are taught in Bible class that Jesus was God’s answer to sin in the world. For, ever since the Fall, humankind has been in a quasi-relationship with God as mediated by a priest. However, at the ushering in of the Kingdom of God in Christ Jesus, everything was flipped on its ear. Suddenly, everyone has full, unfettered access to the Holy of Holies as mitigated by the blood of the Lamb. Moreover, a relationship with the Almighty comes in soft and even tender advancements, rather than the ritual of sacrifice and atonement. Forgiveness in its fullest sense – not a temporary appeasement or short-lived friendship, but a one-on-one relationship with the Creator of the World! That’s why Jesus died – and that’s why the cross has so much power.

Yet, if that much is true, what is the possession of that knowledge doing in us and for us and through us? Do we take advantage of this amazing opportunity to tread where only a few brave souls had walked before the issuance of Christ? As for me, I think not. I, rather, tend to busy myself with all that is God – insomuch as it keeps me at arm’s length from actually being in His presence. Yet as the great prophet Isaiah stood in the throne room and was “ruined,” so too, I know that I will be ruined if I enter into the place that the cross has paved for me to step. And so, I look longingly into the power of the cross in other people’s lives, knowing full well that to claim it for myself, I too must be ruined.

And yet, the Psalmist reminds us in poetic fashion that the Creator of the Universe, the immortal, invisible, God only wise, the Transcendent One knows us so well that “before even a word is on my lips, You know it completely, Oh Lord.” That kind of knowledge, the Psalmist continues, is too wonderful and too lofty to attain – in Chad’s words, it scares the poop out of me! And yet, that’s the good news, isn’t it? That even though God knows us so well that he still would love us and desire a relationship with us.

So what’s the answer? Has the suffering servant come to pay a ransom for many, while I allow myself to keep an appropriate distance from the many? Shall I continue to take advantage of my “heir’s status” with little thought or action to acting like an heir of something great? The church in Corinth was having a similar problem in their midst. The power of the cross, had indeed changed many, but the fleshly side of that power and freedom was causing both division and jealousy. As Paul put it, the cross was being emptied of its power because of the human power struggles within. As it was with Corinth, so it is with us today – do we need/want the power of the cross to change us from within, or will we forever hold the floodgates of that power at bay?

Mighty, Awesome, Wonderful! Is the Holy Cross

Where the Lamb laid down His life to lift us from the Fall

Mighty is the Power of the Cross!

Resounding Themes:
Power of the Cross
Kingship of Jesus
The Full Knowledge of God

Listening to Bad Advice

Have you ever gotten any bad advice?

I remember earlier this year, an awful noise began to develop in the engine compartment of our family van. The rattling sound began softly, and over the span of a few short days developed into what resembled an automatic .80 caliber cannon! The sound was so embarrassing, at stoplights, people would gaze in horror for their own lives in the direction of our van. My wife, who is the primary driver of the van, became insistent on it getting fixed. So, one Saturday morning, I set off to have it looked at. The first place I went told me it was definitely the flywheel. It would take a week to fix and cost me hundreds of dollars. Wanting a second estimate, I took it to the next shop down the road. They, too, looked at it and came to a different mechanical conclusion, which was going to be even more expensive. Defeated, I went to a third and final shop. The mechanic spent five minutes under car and emerged to the waiting room with my keys in hand. “It’s finished,” he proclaimed with pride. Astounded, I asked him how much it would cost and what was wrong with it? Apparently, a thin piece of metal designed to act as a heat shield had sheared a bolt and was banging, boisterously between the engine and the transmission. The cost was $25. Gladly, I handed him the money. As I did, he told me he wasn’t surprised that others had tried to charge me an arm and a leg and, in the end, give me horrible advice.

Have you ever listened to the wrong voice in a desperate moment when you needed to hear from someone who could help? What’s worse, have you been on the wrong side of advice-giving that, in the end, fueled your own lust for power and control rather than the interest of the receiver? Rehoboam found himself in a similar predicament. His Father Solomon had died and left him to be king. When the people came to submit themselves to his leadership, they asked that he be merciful to them. At that point, Rehoboam sought council with the wise men; they affirmed him to listen and become a servant to Israel. However, Rehoboam also consulted his cronies; their answer was to reject the people’s wants and to rule with an iron fist! Needless to say, the people rebelled against the would-be-king and the anger of the Lord burned against him. Rehoboam’s career went “south,” and the Egyptians were on his doorstep, ready to conquer. Yet the word of the Lord came to Rehoboam once again through a prophet. Finally, ready to hear good advice, Rehoboam humbled himself before God, and his kingdom was spared.

Ours, too, seems to be a listening problem. There rarely seems to be a shortage of advice and direction when we are faced with a fork in the road. Yet, our problems come when we tune out the advice that would bring the right outcome over that affirming news that plays to our own wants and selfish desires for power. In a crowd, it’s easy to hear someone talking, but it’s virtually impossible to listen to what they’re saying – unless you fix your gaze directly on them. May we also fix our gaze on God.

Our worship will continue to focus on the true nature of power as seen in a vertical relationship with the all-powerful Godhead. Our worship will also lead the worshipper to place himself in a posture that is open and willing to receive God’s direction. Finally, we will also present ourselves in humility before a God who never gives bad advice.

Resounding Themes:
Vertical Power
Humilty
Hearing God
Repentance and Contriteness

The Ministry of Power

The idea of power, in our day, comes loaded with many feelings and connotations. Either you have it, or you don’t. People don’t generally consider themselves “somewhat” powerful. Yet, no matter what station you occupy in life, there is always someone you are over and someone over you! From the CEO to the ditch-digger, we all have to embrace the concept of power in our own lives.

To that end, power is not a bad thing; yet, power must be understood as a placement or gift, albeit temporary, to accomplish a certain end. We see it all the time, a certain elected official is elevated to power for a time to accomplish his agendas. Different sporting teams win and lose championships year-in and year-out. A person is elevated to task-manager to accomplish a goal. Even in the Bible, we see persons and nations elevated for God’s divine appointments only to be lowered again.

The problem our culture has with power is our insatiable desire for more – and less! We desire more power for ourselves when it will help us accomplish our agendas and dreams. At the same time, we want much less power for those who have more than we do! Our view of power is both upside-down and unhealthy.

The early church dealt with such power struggles. Those who had a less prominent role in the Kingdom desired one with more noticeability – and those who were given places of leadership became objects of jealousy and given little esteem – or worse, abused that authority. In Ephesians, Paul outlines this angst by telling the church that it is indeed not they but Jesus who elevates and lowers. To some, he gives the authority to be apostles and leaders of the church that it might have direction and purpose. To others, he assigned the authority of teaching that the body might be prepared to grow and serve. And still, to others, Christ apportions works of service, advancing the mission of Christ’s body. This all, Paul reminds them, is for the mutual advancement and maturity of the community. No prophet becomes an island unto himself. At the same time, no floor sweeper in God’s house should be more proud than a teacher. In another instance, Paul asks rhetorically, “Where would the body be if all were eyes?” The point is, nowhere. Churches who find themselves constantly embroiled in authority wars have yet to grow out of the infancy that comes from selfishness and pride.

Ours is the ministry of power. Not a power that lords-over or belittles, but a power that seeks to prepare and equip others for Kingdom business. A mature church has much to say about the recognition of authority and a healthy understanding of power!

Resounding Themes:
Supremacy of Christ
Power of God
Empowerment of Others
Heart of A Servant
Community/Congregation

The Battle for Power

There are so many voices that ring in our ears when it comes to advice. I remember when Rhesa and I got engaged – and the onslaught of do-gooders that came knocking at our door, selling their ideas of how a marriage should work and what it should look like. Once again, when we had our first child, many of those same voices came calling again, each with their own understanding on how we should raise our child. In the end, our marriage and parenting styles is probably an amalgam of what some wise, trusted people had to say on the subjects; but along that journey, we had to sort through the mishmash of the ill-advised to the flat-out ridiculous! What stuck my wife and I is that, when it came to matters of experience, there was a power struggle at work in those who would seek to lead us.

And what about our spiritual lives? Could there possibly be power struggles amongst us? In the physical world, power is transferred and willed from one person to another horizontally. Certainly some persons are elevated above others by position, wealth, education, etc. – but in the end, we are all human. No person is truly more powerful than another. We all have the ability to hurt, to laugh, to grieve, to die. Fortunately, the spiritual hierarchy of power is different. For in this world, God is the power source for all humankind, and that power flows directly from him and for his purposes. For a time, God exalts one man, for another time, he humbles a nation – all the while, seeking an end through the means: his glorification.

Undoubtedly, we see wars for power among us – even in our churches. One person claims spiritual authority for his or her ministry, while another group manipulates fear in the hearts of would-be leaders, until the whole thing looks more like the pit of the Senate than the house of God. How do we stop the power struggles from within? We tap into the power source from above. How do we discern the true voice of God from among the noise? We fix our eyes on the moving lips of the author and perfector of our faith.

In our worship this Sunday, we will continue to elevate God as the supreme power source in the universe. As his power is fully understood, we have, but to stand in awe of that reality. Finally, we will ask that God to speak through the noise of horizontal power struggles for the purpose of hearing his will for our lives.

Resounding Themes:
Supreme Power of God
Awe of God
In-breaking of God
Hearing God
Discerning God’s Will