According to the Scriptures

Paul wrote Galatians in response to a problem that was setting in within the church; a problem not unlike what we see happening all around us today. It seems the people were changing the gospel, watering it down in such a way as to render it powerless to change lives. Galatians 1:6-9 says, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

Apparently there were some who were distorting the gospel of Christ. They ignored Scripture and either denied Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross or His resurrection. People today do the same thing. They want to view Jesus only as a “good” man, an inspiration for good in your life, but nothing more. Of those who water down the gospel in such a way Paul says, “Let him be accursed” (Gal. 1:9).

It seems that this problem had not yet made its way to the church in Corinth, but with the way the winds of heresy were blowing, Paul wanted to take no chances, so in 1 Corinthians 15 he reasserted the truth of the gospel and the fact that they had believed. He wanted to strengthen their faith and make sure they understood and preached the unadulterated gospel of Jesus Christ.

According to this passage, there are two things in life that are important: that you understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and that you respond in faith to the gospel.

Paul begins by stating the gospel in a nutshell: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:3-4).

In verses 3-4, Paul makes a concise statement as to the core message of the gospel of Christ “according to the Scriptures” (vs. 3b, 4b). The phrase, “according to the Scriptures,” refers to Old Testament prophecy. The truth Paul “delivered” (v. 3) was the truth he “received” (v. 3) by direct revelation of Jesus Christ. As he had told the Galatians, “I neither received it from men, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal. 1:12). That gospel is the same as taught by Old Testament prophecy. “According to the Scriptures,” it involves three truths.

First, “Christ died for our sins” (v. 3b). Isaiah said, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isa. 53:5a), to which he adds in verse 8b, “He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken.” Jesus “was cut off from the land of the living.” He died! But He did not die in vain. He died for a purpose. He died “for our transgressions,” our sin.

Second, “He was buried” (v. 4a). Isaiah also tells us, “They made His grave with the wicked; but with the rich at His death, because He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth” (Isa. 53:9). To those asking for a sign, Jesus said, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth” (Matt. 12:39-40).

Third, “He rose again the third day” (v. 4b). Speaking of the Messiah, Psalm 16:10 tells us, “For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.” Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. That is the basic gospel message. The resurrection appearances listed in verses 5-8 bear witness to the truth of Scripture.

Each Sunday as we pay tribute to the resurrection, we must recognize that the resurrection of Christ is the center-piece of the gospel. It is the capstone, so to speak. It is the focal point of Scripture, as Paul has pointed out, and it is the focal point of our salvation. Christ’s death on the cross paid the penalty for our sin. His resurrection the third day brought our salvation to completion and gave us life in His name.

Paul wants you to understand the whole truth of the gospel: Jesus died for our sin, was buried, and rose again. Apart from this truth nothing else matters.

What does matter is that you understand the gospel of Jesus Christ and that you respond in faith. The fact that the Corinthian Christians had responded by faith to the gospel was yet another testimony as to its truth. You can see it in the lives that have been changed. “The proof is in the pudding,” so to speak. Paul begins, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain” (1 Cor. 15:1-2).

The Corinthian believers are living proof that the gospel of Christ is true. That is the point of the first two verses. The gospel was “preached” to them. They heard it clearly and they understood the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. They “received” the gospel and they “stand” firm in that truth. They had received Christ as their Savior and Lord, and now they remained steadfast in Him. By that gospel and their faith in Christ, they were “saved.” By Christ’s resurrection and their faith in it, they have been changed and are now evidence of the power of that resurrection.

“If you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain” (v. 2b), does not mean they are in jeopardy of losing their salvation. Rather, it is a warning against non-saving faith, a faith that amounts only to head knowledge, without the complete trust that comes from the heart. Those who lack true saving faith are those who do not continue to live by the Word. True believers, like these Corinthian believers, continue in the Word to the end. To “hold fast the word” is proof of your genuine saving faith in Christ. Obedience and constant faithfulness are the marks of the true believer.

The resurrection is the central focus of the gospel and of our salvation. When you understand the gospel and believe in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, your life will never be the same again. As Paul told the Corinthian believers, by that truth “you are saved” (v. 2a) and in that truth “you stand” (v. 1b). Amen. 

God's Final Word... Not Death, But Life!

Walter Martin said, “Science says if there is any such thing as infallible proof, it is the repetition of the same experiment. Jesus rose from the dead, and

     Mary Magdalene encountered him—experiment one.

     The women encountered him—experiment two.

     The disciples encountered him—experiment three.

     The apostles encountered him—experiment four.

     Five hundred people saw him after the Resurrection—experiment five.

“Each one of these is the repetition of the same experiment. They all encountered the same phenomenon. What was it? He was alive! That's what changed the history of the world.”

(“Proof of the Resurrection,” More Perfect Illustrations for Every Topic and Occasion, Compiled by the editors of PreachingToday.com, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois, 2003, 240)

These witnesses had first experienced the cross. They were there when Jesus was crucified. They all knew well the fact of His burial by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. Now they had all experienced His appearing after the resurrection!

The cross and the resurrection. Two sides of the same coin. Without both, the coin would not be whole or complete. Together, they give us victory over sin, along with the power to live as Jesus lived.

The cross: Jesus laid down His life for you. What a great truth! Jesus did for you, what you could never have done for yourself. He paid the penalty for your sin, to buy your pardon and give you eternal life.

Picture yourself at the garden of Gethsemane. After the last supper, you had followed Jesus and His disciples, curious as to what was happening. What a great week! From the triumphal entry into Jerusalem like a king, right up to this very moment. But suddenly things changed.

Judas arrived with the chief priests and Pharisees, along with a detachment of Roman soldiers. Jesus left the garden a man under arrest! “He was on His way to be falsely accused, falsely tried, falsely convicted and wrongly executed.” (Henry Blackaby, Experiencing the Cross, Multnomah Publishers, Sisters, Oregon, 2005, 53)

Yet, Jesus did not resist. He went willingly! While He was being tried, He remained strangely quiet. He refused to come to His own defense. Isaiah prophesied of just such a happening surrounding the Christ: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

Why did Jesus not respond? We find the answer when we look at this scene from God’s perspective. Henry Blackaby points out that “Jesus sought approval from One and One only: His Father in heaven. And He knew that before God, He was absolutely innocent. So why bother discussing or defending it with men? Why waste words? Why play their game? As long as God knows—that’s enough.” (Ibid., 54)

Jesus remained silent because He was confident in His relationship with the Father. He knew that everything He went through was the Father’s will. He knew the Scriptures and He lived by what it said. Do you do the same? Do you know the Scriptures and do you live by what it says?

Jesus grasped the full meaning and the promise of Scripture. He knew that His death was necessary. But He also knew that death, even the death of the cross, wasn’t the end of the story. He knew His horrible death would be followed by the glory of His promised resurrection and the final fulfillment of God’s plan and purpose for man’s redemption. Hebrews 12:2 says it was “for the joy that was set before Him” that He “endured the cross.”

Jesus said, “I lay down My life… no one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:17a, 18a). And He adds in verse 18b: “I have power to lay it down.” Jesus willingly went to the cross and, though He knew no sin, He took your sin upon Himself so that you might live—that you might have life abundant and life eternal in His name and by His power.

The resurrection: Jesus rose again from the dead for you. He completed the task of providing for your salvation by rising from the dead, defeating even death itself, to give you life in His name, eternal life in the heavenly kingdom with Him.

Pay special attention to the rest of John 10:17-18. Jesus said, “I lay down My life that I may take it again” (v. 17b). “I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (v. 18b). The cross and the resurrection are always connected. They always go together like two sides of a coin. This is true in God’s plan and purpose, and it must be a truth we never let go of. Always think of the cross and the resurrection together, because there is no victory without the resurrection of Christ. If there was no resurrection, it would mean that Satan won, because the cross would have defeated the purposes of God. There would be no salvation.

But we know the truth! On the cross, Jesus bore the sin of the world. He took your sin and my sin upon Himself, upon His body, and died for our forgiveness. He paid the penalty for us. But it wasn’t until three days later, when He rose bodily from the dead, that God’s plan of salvation was complete. The cross and the resurrection. Jesus had paid the penalty for our sin on the cross, and the resurrection proved that God had accepted the sacrifice. Sin had been dealt a decisive blow, and the evidence of that fact was the risen, living body of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The resurrection brought it all together and was the final fulfillment of the redemptive purpose of God. That is why the major theme of the apostles’ preaching in the book of Acts in the early days of the church, was not the crucifixion of Christ, but the resurrection. Oh, the crucifixion was certainly a part of their preaching. It was one side of the coin. It was necessary for our salvation. But the resurrection was the focal point, because it made everything complete. Without it there was no salvation. At Pentecost Peter preached to the crowds, “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses” (Acts 2:32).

The cross was the beginning of our Lord’s provision of salvation, while the resurrection was the conclusion. The cross was not the end, but a necessary means to the end. The resurrection is God’s final word… not death, but life!

Early on, Jesus understood the connection between the cross and the resurrection. In John 2:18, the Jewish leaders protested Jesus’ first cleansing of the Temple and asked for a sign. Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (v. 19). The Jews didn’t understand (v. 20), but John goes on to explain, “He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said” (vs. 21-22).

Let the chorus ring out: He is risen! Everyone join with me in proclaiming: He is risen! Amen.

They Could Not!

In Matthew 27, we meet the Roman centurion who oversaw the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus. This Centurion, a Roman soldier, was not particularly a religious man and certainly not of Jewish upbringing. He knew nothing about what was happening, yet he heard the things Jesus said, saw all that was going on around him as Jesus died on the cross, and he knew the truth. He could only respond, “Truly this was the Son of God!” (Matt. 27:54).

When you read these Scriptures and hear all that has been said about Jesus, do you respond as this man did? Do you believe the Word concerning Jesus? Do you understand that Jesus truly is the Son of God and that He died for you?

Forgiveness of sin was secured for you at the cross, but that isn’t the end of the story. Matthew goes on to tell us that Joseph of Arimathea, a Jewish leader who believed in Jesus, received permission from Pilate to take the body of Jesus and place Him in a tomb, a small cave for burial, “and he rolled a large stone against the door of the tomb” (Matt. 27:57-60).

The Jewish leaders also went to Pilate, receiving permission to secure the tomb. They sealed the tomb with the Roman seal, making it a crime to open the tomb. They set a guard of Roman soldiers about the tomb to make sure no one could take the body of Jesus and then falsely claim that He had risen from the dead as He had predicted He would (Matt. 27:62-66).

What follows, fulfills prophecy in a way that cannot be disputed. Matthew 28:1-15 tells the rest of the story in two parts: first, through the eyes of the guards; and second, through the eyes of the women.

“And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men” (Matt. 28:2-4).

There was “a great earthquake” (v. 2a). Why? Because “an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it” (v. 2b). Wow! What an experience! Who is going to arrest an angel sent from heaven for breaking the Roman seal? “Certainly, not I,” said each of the guards, one by one. (I’m kind of ad libbing a little bit and reading between the lines!)

I can just see the guards talking to each other in a panic. “Are you going to arrest this angel? I'm not! He broke the seal. How about you? Will you arrest him?” And back and forth the conversation would go! But in reality, there was no time for any such conversation, at least not until later. For now, they were actually all frozen in fear!

God set it all up so the resurrection was officially witnessed by some Roman soldiers, leaving no doubt as to its truth. Not the disciples; not the Jews—but a handful of Roman soldiers!

The guards witnessed the angel as he came down and moved the stone. We are told they “shook with fear” (v. 4a) when they saw the angel and they froze in their tracks “like dead men” (v. 4b). They shook and then they froze. They knew exactly what had happened and they didn’t like where they stood—in God’s way!

These guards were part of a great scheme devised by men to keep Jesus in the grave—but they could not! The guards told the truth (v. 11), but were then paid to lie (vs. 12-15), all to keep Jesus in the grave—but they could not!

Try as you might, you cannot keep Jesus in the grave. The soldiers tried—but they could not! He is not there. He is risen!

“Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb” (v. 1). As the women came, the earthquake occurred, and when they arrived at the tomb, they saw that, much to their delight, the stone had already been rolled away! Then they saw an angel sitting on the stone! What a sight to behold! And the guards? They were frozen in their tracks! Right where they stood! In fact, they looked like they were all dead! Still standing, but dead!

The women were afraid, so the angel spoke to them and said, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you” (vs. 5-7).

What a message! First the angel calmed their fears (v. 5), fears that were only natural. Then the angel told them the great news—Jesus is risen! In his own words, “He is not here; for He is risen” (v. 6a).

Then the angel gave the women a message from Jesus: “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you” (v. 7).

It is just as Jesus told them it would be! The tomb is empty! Jesus is risen! They will see Him again soon! So, they hurried off to tell His disciples the great news. They left “with fear and great joy” (v. 8). They had dual emotions that overwhelmed them, and understandably so. They were in great awe of God and all that had taken place, yet they were filled with joy, knowing they were about to see Jesus again! Yes, they were about to see Jesus!

And see Him they did! They didn’t have to wait long, either. “As they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them saying, ‘Rejoice!’ So, they came and held Him by the feet and worshipped Him” (v. 9). And Jesus told them to follow the message of the angel: “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me” (v. 10).

The Roman guards tried to keep Jesus in the grave, that was their job, the reason they were assigned to this duty—but they could not! It was the Roman guards (four of them, as they worked guard duty four at a time, changing shifts every two hours to stay fresh and awake) who witnessed the resurrection first hand. But what did they actually see?

They certainly saw the angel come and roll the stone away! But did they see Jesus rise and leave the tomb? Probably not. After the resurrection, Jesus could appear behind closed and locked doors. He had likely already risen and departed the tomb before the stone was rolled away.

The stone wasn't rolled away to let Jesus out. It was rolled away to let the guards, the women, and the disciples in. It was rolled away for us! The guards saw the angel and that the tomb was empty, though no one else had been there. There was no other explanation but that Jesus rose from the dead as He said He would. The women then confirmed that truth. As the angel said, “He is not here; for He is risen!” (v. 6a)

Jesus died on the cross for your forgiveness and He rose from the dead to provide you with new life. It is up to you to place your trust in Him. Put your faith in Jesus and trust Him. Amen.

Why Calvary?

Why Calvary? What is it about Calvary that made it such a crucial place? To help us better understand the reason for this specific place, I want to examine four words in Luke 23:33a. "And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him." Note the last four words: "There they crucified Him."

The first word: "There." Where? "The place called Calvary." It was outside the western gate of Jerusalem, along a busy thoroughfare. It was on top of a small hill with a rock formation on the side that was shaped like a skull. The place was called Golgotha, meaning "place of the skull." The Latin is Calvariæ Locus, from which the English word calvary is derived (en.wikipedia.org).

Calvary—Golgotha—the place of the skull. It symbolized the place of death. It was the place where criminals were executed by crucifixion. Death reigned on Calvary. Death was what the people of that day thought of at the mention of Calvary.

The crucifixion of Jesus did not happen just anywhere—it happened "there." It was God’s plan that He would die on a cross. It was at Calvary (Golgotha) that crucifixions took place. So, it was to Calvary that they took Jesus and the two thieves who were crucified alongside Him.

Luke 23:33 uses the Latin word "Calvary," meaning "The Skull." Matthew 27:33, Mark 15:22, and John 19:17 all use the Aramaic word "Golgotha," also meaning "The Skull." The crime for which Jesus was executed, as posted on the cross, said He was the King of the Jews. It was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The entire world knew where they crucified the Son of God. So, we are without excuse!

The second word: "They." Who? "They." "They" did it. "They" crucified the Lord Jesus. "They." That is all. No further explanation. The Romans were guilty. Pilate found no fault in Him, but had Him crucified anyway—a crucifixion carried out by Romans soldiers.

The Jews were also guilty. The Jewish leaders schemed against Jesus, tried and convicted Him illegally, and turned Him over to the Romans to be crucified. It was orchestrated by the Jewish leaders and carried out by the Romans.

But we are also guilty—you and me! It was because of our sin that Jesus died. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). He took our sin upon Himself and shed His blood on the cross to pay the penalty for us.

The third word: "Crucified." What? Crucifixion. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John never explained or described the crucifixion. The people in their day knew what the cross was about—it was an instrument of death! They understood. But Jesus suffered more ways than one on the cross.

He suffered rejection. "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). He was betrayed by His own people—rejected and crucified.

He suffered humiliation. He died between thieves. The Lord of all creation "humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:8).

Jesus suffered and died on the cross as our substitute! He took your place on the cross. He took my place on the cross. He died in our place to gain forgiveness for our sin and to bring us into fellowship with Himself. Crucified for our salvation! What a Savior!

The fourth word: "Him." Who? Jesus. When the Lord Jesus came to the river Jordan to be baptized, John the Baptist cried out, "Behold! the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). Jesus was our sacrificial lamb—perfect, without blemish.

Jesus is the Son of God who sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. He is the Lord of all creation who will return on the cloud of glory! There is no one greater, yet He came to die for us. He came to deliver us from our sin.

That was His sole purpose. Because He was blameless and without sin, only He could pay the price for our sin. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8). What a Savior! Trust Him for your salvation. Live by faith in Him every day. Amen.

Remember

As we move into Holy Week, arguably the most important week in the history of the church, the week Jesus suffered and died and rose again to provide for your salvation, I would like to look at two of the most important things for a believer to remember. Of course, if you are not a born again believer in Jesus Christ, this will all be meaningless to you.

As an unbeliever, the first thing you must do is get right with God. To do that you must confess that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9-10). In other words, you must first receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior: "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name" (John 1:12). Receive Christ first, then all that follows will make sense.

Paul wrote, "Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh... that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ" (Eph. 2:11a, 12-13). The message of these verses to the believers in the church at Ephesus is to always remember two things: (1) who you once were without Christ, and (2) who you now are in Christ.

The first thing to remember is who you were before coming to know Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior. You were "once Gentiles in the flesh" (v. 11a). As such, you were "without Christ" (v. 12a). You were alienated from Israel, not knowing the "covenants of promise" (v. 12b). In other words, you were lost in your sin, "having no hope and without God in the world" (v. 12c). You were destined for hellfire and brimstone, an eternity apart from God and Christ, because of your sin and lack of belief. You were in need of a Savior, but you didn't know it.

A long look at the history and experience of the Ephesian church reveals a great deal. At first, in fact through much of its early history, it was a very exciting and faithful church. On his way to Jerusalem, Paul stopped briefly at Miletus (Acts 20:15c). From there he "sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church" (v. 17), in order to encourage them in their work of ministry (vs. 18-27). Then, in verses 28-32, he warned them of false teachers to come! Paul was preparing the elders to lead the church into the future, to guard the truth, and to protect the church from false doctrine, keeping them spiritually pure.

Paul later sends Timothy to pastor the church in Ephesus, to build up the saints, and to keep them from false teaching: "As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine, nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith" (1 Tim. 1:3-4). The plan was for Timothy to lead the church into more great times of faithfulness and service. And to some extent, that is what he did.

Paul’s last letter before he was martyred, was sent to encourage a weary Timothy to keep up the good fight against the heresies of these false teachers that were rising up in the church. "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry" (2 Tim. 4:1-5).

In Revelation 2:1-7, John was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write a letter to the church in Ephesus. He begins with words of encouragement: "I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary" (vs. 2-3).

Yet there is something that is quite troubling. The Lord said, "Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love" (v. 4). They no longer faithfully walked with Jesus! They had a resemblance of orthodoxy, but no true, deep, abiding love for Christ.

Remember who you once were in Christ as a young, vibrant, deeply committed Christian. "Remember therefore from where you have fallen" (v. 5a). "Repent and do the first works" (v. 5b). Return again to what you first were in Christ. Do the same works you did when you first began to walk with Christ, so you can put yourself in a position to recapture that vibrant and deep first love you had for Jesus!

Then the Lord concluded on a good note: "But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate" (v. 6). The "Nicolaitans" were false teachers. It is good that you hate false teachers. It is a great start on returning to your first love!

So, the second thing to remember is who you now are in Christ. Remember who you once were without Christ, but also remember where you are now, how you have been changed and made righteous by Christ. It will help you avoid taking a fall spiritually, and it will keep you on the right plain with Jesus.

Never leave this deep, abiding love for Jesus. Put yourself continually in places to maintain, deepen, and build up that first love. You belong to Christ. You are His "workmanship" (Eph. 2:10). Let Him develop and use you for His purposes. Amen.

The Prayer of Great Power

It was November 13, 1971 (I'm dating myself a little bit). It was the day God first spoke to me and called me, saying, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Cor. 6:2). It was the day God called me, a sinner, out of the world and into the light of His glory. It was the day the Lord changed me from a sinner into a sinner saved by grace.

I was 17 and a senior in high school. Throughout that weekend, beginning Friday evening and continuing all day Saturday and on through Sunday morning, a series of revival meetings were being held at my church. The Holy Spirit was on the move and many people of all ages were being saved.

For a small farming community, we had a large church with a large youth group. The youth met separately in the youth hall. Saturday night about 120 junior and senior high youth had gathered for the meeting, many out of curiosity as to what was happening. There had been much excitement and talk about what the Lord was doing. It turned into the most unusual worship service I ever experienced.

It all started rather innocently. Guitars were played and we sang several familiar choruses. The service was led by some college students who came in from other towns, along with some of their junior and senior high youth. Several of them gave testimonies as to how they came to know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. They encouraged us to do the same. What influenced me most was the testimony of a friend and classmate.

Following the testimonies, the leader simply said that he was going to sit down and wait on God. He said we could play the guitars or sing or pray or testify—however the Lord led. He also said the altar at the front was open, should anyone want to pray and receive Christ.

So there we all sat, silent at first. But then someone began to play silently on the guitar. Then a few people began to sing softly. Some were praying. And then... it happened!

It was in some ways like the day of Pentecost in the upper room in Acts chapter 2. There were no “tongues as of fire” resting on anyone (Acts 2:3, NASB), and no one spoke in other languages or anything like that, but the power of the Spirit came upon us. Starting in the front and quickly moving to the back of the room, picking up speed as it went, the Spirit moved through us and over us like “a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house” (Acts 2:2).

First, a young eighth grader went to the altar to pray. Then another went forward; then yet another. Soon several youth were down at the altar praying. I just sat there quietly for a time. Then the Lord spoke to my heart and my mind as clearly as if He spoken aloud. “Come; come to me,” He seemed to say. God was calling me, a sinner, to Himself. I rose from my seat and went to the altar where all I could say was, “Lord, Lord.” But one thing was clear. I had given my life to Jesus that night, receiving Him as my Lord and Savior. I was now a sinner saved by grace.

I had a good friend in high school who was there the night I experienced that most unusual worship service and gave my life to Christ. He witnessed firsthand the salvation of so many young people that night, yet he did not respond to the call of God on his life. As he did after each service that weekend, he simply said nothing and walked out. He went to have a cigarette. He wanted to get away from it all.

That is how it was for a long time. He came to youth meetings at church, but left quickly, often long before the meeting had ended. We kept inviting him to Christian events and he kept coming, but he also kept leaving quickly. He never responded to the gospel, though God kept bringing His message to him.

That continued throughout our senior year and on into college. We attended the same small college, but lived in separate dorms. He played football and his future was promising, until he threw it all away. He got caught up in the drug scene and moved in with a girl, but never married. It wasn’t long before he dropped out of school and left it all behind. I would run into him from time to time and encourage him to come with me to Campus Crusade for Christ, but he never came. Other people witnessed to him as well when they saw him, but he never responded. Eventually, I lost all contact with him.

Jump forward about four years. I was in my first year of seminary when the Lord laid my friend's name on my heart. I prayed for him; I prayed that he might come to know Jesus that day. I wrote his name in the margin of my Bible in Matthew 22, a parable where the king gave a marriage feast for his son (v. 2), but the invited guests refused to come (vs. 3-5). “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests” (vs. 8-10). I continued to pray for my friend every day.

Three months later I attended a Francis Schaeffer seminar at a nearby church. It was a last minute decision to attend and there was nowhere to sit. As I was looking for a seat, someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around, and there he was! My long lost friend, who I had prayed for! The last person I ever expected to run into that night. The pack of cigarettes rolled up in his sleeve—gone! Instead there was a Bible under his arm and a smile on his face unlike any I had ever seen on him before.

Following the service, we went out for a soft drink and a chance to catch up. He told me how he ran into Christians all the time and how he tried to avoid them. He had married, and his wife came to know Christ about three months before, at about the time I claimed my friend for Jesus, maybe even that very day! She in turn introduced him to her pastor, who led him to Christ as well! Such is the “effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man” (James 5:16b).

In James 5:13-18, several commands are followed by four promises and an example. The commands are primarily given in answer to a series of questions. A rhetorical question is asked and a directive is given by James as to how you ought to respond.

First question: “Is anyone among you suffering?” (v. 13a). The assumed answer is, yes. The directive from James by way of command: “Let him pray” (v. 13b). When you are suffering in any way, the Lord wants you to pray and bring the matter before His throne. All of us suffer hardship in some way or another. The key is in how you handle suffering. Do you let it win and get you down, or do you take it to God and seek His help? God is the one who can get you through it. He is there for you, if you will but turn to Him.

Next question: “Is anyone cheerful?” (v. 13c). Again, the assumed answer is, yes. And the directive by command: “Let him sing psalms” (v. 13d). When there is joy in your heart, let it come out! Sing psalms and joyful songs. God put the joy in your heart, so give Him praise.

Third question: “Is anyone among you sick?” (v. 14a). The command: “Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord” (v. 14b). This verse contains an interesting use of words in the original New Testament Greek. “Sick” literally means “to be weak” (W. E. Vine, M.A., Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Unabridged Edition, MacDonald Publishing Company, McLean, Virginia, public domain, 1050). In this context, it refers not so much to an illness, but to physical injury or weakness, or even spiritual weakness, caused by the suffering of verse 13.

“Suffering” (v. 13a) refers to physical or spiritual injury or weakness from persecution. Literally it means “to be weak” or “to lack strength” (Ibid, 320). So, when you are weak or injured, “call for the elders of the church” (v. 14a) and they will pray for you and anoint you with oil “in the name of the Lord” (v. 14b). The Lord will take it from there. He has His best for you. He will meet your need. 

One last command: “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another” (v. 16a). One of the best things you can do for each other is to pray for one another. Share your prayer needs with your friends and spend time each day praying for each other, that the Lord Jesus will meet your needs and restore your faith and heal your body and spirit.

First promise: “And the prayer of faith will save the sick” (v. 15a). “Save” is the usual word for salvation, but in this context it refers more to our “being delivered from danger or suffering” (Ibid, 1003). The idea is that the elders’ prayers will deliver you from spiritual weakness and restore you to spiritual wholeness.

The next promise is closely related: “and the Lord will raise him up” (v. 15b). In answer to the prayers of godly men, the elders, God will raise you up when you are weak and He will restore your strength.

The Lord also promises forgiveness: “And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (v. 15c).  Spiritual defeat often is the result of sin. Confess your sins and He will forgive you and you will “be healed” (v. 16a).

The central promise is also the key thought of this passage: “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (v. 16b). When you walk with the Lord by faith, your prayers are powerful. The Lord accomplishes His will and His purposes in our lives through our prayers. Something you can do is pray. Be a prayer warrior for Christ.

The example: “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit” (vs. 17-18). Elijah is your example. He was a man just like us. He walked with the Lord and his prayers were answered. Walk with the Lord and God will answer your prayers, as He did for Elijah. Just trust Him and pray. Amen.