Beyond The Cross
Sunday, April 12th, 2009When my dad died in 1992, one friend told me, “I know you’ll make it through because you live at the foot of the cross.” That sounded good. I’ve come to realize, though, that God doesn’t intend for us to live at the foot of the cross because Jesus isn’t there any more.
First, let me say I understand that the cross is critical to all we enjoy in Christ Jesus. We would not be saved, Holy Spirit filled children of God without the work Jesus did on the cross.
But Jesus didn’t stay on the cross. He didn’t stay in the tomb. He is seated at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places, far above all principality and power and mighit and dominion and every name, with all things under His feet. (Ephesians 1:20-22). And bless God, He raised us up together and made us to sit together in Jesus in heavenly places. (Ephesians 2:6).
Christians need to stop focusing just on the cross and begin focusing on the throne. Jesus was the sacrifice, but now He’s the conquering King. And 1 John 4:17 says as He is, so are we in this world. As the Holy Spirit spoke to my heart yesterday, “Most of the body of Christ has left resurrection power in the tomb.”
We do not need to be crying at the foot of the cross, even if we sin. No. Gratefully and in faith, we need to appropriate 1 John 1:9, and confess our sins, receive our cleansing, and go on to conquer. We should not be weeping at the cross in any circumstances. We are, instead, supposed to reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17).
Jesus isn’t still in the manger. He’s not on the cross. He’s not in the tomb. He’s on the throne. We need to take our eyes off the cross and fix them on the throne, then go and do the “greater works” He called us to do, bless God!