Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Imagine the intense excitement of the disciples as they tried to contemplate the future with Jesus. Peter had expressed their faith when he declared Jesus to be the Son of God and the Messiah (Matt. 16:16).
“He has promised that we will ‘sit upon thrones and judge Israel!’ they recounted over and over; He will fulfill all the wonderful things that the Messiah is to do,” they exclaimed; “and we will share all this glory!”
True, He had made several veiled allusions to a “cross,” (for example, Matt. 16:21; Luke 9:22, 23). But the horrific events of the crucifixion came as a painful surprise to them all.
The more convinced they were that Peter’s confession of faith in Jesus being the Messiah and the son of God, was true, the more confounded they were by His talk about crucifixion.
“Crucifixion is something cruel reserved for runaway slaves,” they thought; “something unthinkable; this is wholly impossible for our Master!”
But they watched in horror as the unthinkable became cruel reality.
Crucifixion was the most horrible degradation of a human being anyone could invent. Not only was the pain horrific but so was the shame of being strung up naked on a pole; the simple sight declared, “Here is a man rejected and abhorred by God!”
The great Moses was no help in this terrible ordeal for he had declared that for any man to die on a tree proved that he was “accursed of God” (Deut. 21:22, 23). Moses, why did you have to say that?
Doubtless the scribes and Pharisees who put Jesus thus to death danced in joy, “Moses proves that Jesus of Nazareth cannot be the Servant of God!”
The very story is abhorrent; and then His disciples are to fan out throughout the world with the news that they “gloried in Christ crucified”! The message was sheer foolishness to Greeks and a stumblingblock to the orthodox, pious ones in Israel.
You don’t tell the world that you “glory in the cross of Christ” unless you are “crucified with Him.” “I am crucified with Christ,” declares Paul (Gal. 2:20); and the apostle stays there with Him throughout his ministry, until he dies for Him.
Will you join Paul in that consecration?
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
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