Sunday 4 October
READ: Isa. 53: 7 - 12
MORE LESSON: Luke 23: 23 - 47
When Jesus was taken to be crucified, He had many lies and accusations thrown at Him but He refused to say a word in defense of Himself. He was led to the cross like a lamb to the slaughter, He had the power to deliver himself but He didn't. It was because of His love for mankind that He followed on without resistance as He was beaten and tormented. A time came when He was tired and would have fainted for lack of strength, then another person was apprehended to help Him carry the cross. Women were crying and wailing in pity after Him. He replied them that they should better cry for themselves and their children. He chose the cross because it was the way to our salvation. On the cross, the people taunted Him to save Himself and come down if He was truly the Son of God, He didn't say a word. At one stage, He cried, I thirst. He was not just thirsty for water; it was a spiritual agony He felt and He needed eternal ability to endure. He committed His spirit to God and gave up the ghost.
The cross is the path to glory. Jesus passed through the cross and God saw His surrender and sacrifice on the cross and God was impressed. Is 53: 11 says, He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied . . . God saw His travail on the cross and He was impressed in heaven. Then God responded to His cross experience with a reward of glory. When you impress heaven, it doesn't matter how many people you have not impressed. As you pass through situations that are challenging and demanding, your singular goal should be to impress heaven with your surrender, faith and joy in tribulation. When Heaven is touched by your action, Heaven will rise up and work on your behalf.
You can impress heaven by enduring the cross and glorifying God through the cross. God responds when He is touched. This was what He did for Jesus. Phil 2: 9 says, Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name. 'Therefore . . .' this means that as a result of what He did. So, Jesus' experience at the cross compelled a reciprocal action from God. The response from God is that He gave Jesus the glory that He has up to today. I want you to know that as you stay true to the cross of Christ, you get to a point where God begins to pay you back. He pays back with glory. As you cling to the cross, there is a glory and crown that awaits you.
Prayer/Action
* Pray that you will not loose sight of the glory beyond your cross.
* Pray that your labour of old will not be buried in fire but yield a victor’s triumph.
* Ask God to turn your pain to glory.
* Pray that in all situation of life you will laugh last and that you will never labour in vain.
PROPHETIC PRAYER
Father, this month, open my eyes to know things that I have never known since I was born and let it be a great beginning for me, in Jesus’ name.
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