(This devotional is the culmination of mental meanderings based on a comment the preacher made last Sunday;
sorry it is outline form, but maybe could be a sermon outline?! Probably needs to be four lessons)
sorry it is outline form, but maybe could be a sermon outline?! Probably needs to be four lessons)
1. At the Cross, God’s wrath was …
1.1. Stirred/incited/enraged
1.1.1. “what are they doing to my son?!”
1.1.2. Finger was on the ultimate button!
1.1.3. “I could have called ten thousand angels…” (Mt.26.53)
1.1.4. The Temple-cleanser could have cleaned house!
1.2. Stayed/stopped/sandbagged
1.2.1. “Father, forgive them …” (Lk.23.34)
1.2.2. “not my will, but thine be done” (Lk.22.42)
1.2.3. Imagine God’s hand holding back the heavenly holy hordes!
1.2.4. He could have washed his hands, like Pilate, of the whole mess
1.3. Satisfied/paid-off/ransomed
1.3.1. “it is finished” (Jn.19.30)
1.3.2. Devil bought off
1.3.3. Aslin shorn and slain for Narnians
1.3.4. “he paid a debt he did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay…”
1.4. Shalom’d/calmed
1.4.1. “peace be still” (Mk.4.39)
1.4.2. Threshing floor of Araunah (1Sam.24.16)
1.4.3. Serpent lifted up in camp (Num.21.9; Jn.3.14)
1.4.4. God had “counted to ten” and relented
2. At the Cross, God’s holiness was …
2.1. Stretched/tested/ (He did it all!)
2.1.1. Priest (Heb.4.14;10.12)
2.1.2. Sacrifice (Heb.7.27;10.12); “Lamb of God”
2.1.3. Altar (Heb.13.10)
2.1.4. God, being appeased
2.2. Serious/somber
2.2.1. Sin is no joking matter
2.2.2. Many a lamb was bled-out making this point
2.2.3. The Lamb of God has died!
2.2.4. A healthy fear of falling into the hands of a Holy God would do us all good
2.3. Stern/solemn
2.3.1. “Not bood of bulls and goats…” (Heb.10.4)
2.3.2. “no angel his place could have taken…” (Heb.1)
2.3.3. If there is any other way (Gethsemane plea)
2.3.4. Sweat drops of blood?! (Lk.22.44)
2.4. Substituted
2.4.1. You need an A+; only way is to cheat!
2.4.2. “imputed righteousness” (Rom.4.11,22)
2.4.3. Unless your righteousness exceed Pharisees -> r. of Christ(Mt.5.20;Phil.3.9)
2.4.4. Abram believed – acct’d righteousness (Jas.2.23)
3. At the Cross, God’s love was …
3.1. Slain (my beloved son…) Love personified
3.1.1. “…this is my beloved Son…”
3.1.2. Except a seed die – mighty oak
3.1.3. Came back, even more passionate
3.1.4. Obi-Wan Kenobi killed “cannot imagine how powerful”
3.2. Shown/evidenced/proved
3.2.1. Jn.3.16 this is how much God love the world…
3.2.2. Farmer in winter trying to lure birds into barn…become a bird?! Jesus?!
3.2.3. “If while sinners, how much more…” Rom.5.8-9
3.2.4. “…no greater love…” (Jn.15.13)
3.3. Sealed/made sure/assured
3.3.1. The old, rugged cross is the ultimate Mizpah (Gen.31.48)
3.3.2. Redemption Rainbow! Not destroy the world
3.3.3. Ebenezer is raised. (1Sam.7.12)
3.3.4. “divorce is not an option” (counsel in side room before wedding)
3.4. Strutted/shown-off/swaggered/exalted
3.4.1. The best, ever July 4th has nothing on Good Friday!
3.4.2. Post-lent mardi gras parade?!
3.4.3. Imagine all the angels doing a fly-over making the Blue Angels blush!
3.4.4. Million-Dollar Band would stand in awe at this half-time show!
4. At the Cross, God’s power was …
4.1. Surrendered/susceptible’d/vulnerable’d
4.1.1. “bull in the ring, with hands tied and blind-folded!”
4.1.2. Armor was off; warrior down
4.1.3. Aslan on table with demons dancing on him
4.1.4. Wallace rode into camp with hands in air.
4.2. Stealthed/secret-ed/sneaked/Trojan-Horse’d
4.2.1. Ultimate double-reverse halfback-pass!
4.2.2. Greatest “Sting” of all eternity!
4.2.3. Aslan awoke and stormed onto the battlefield
4.2.4. On the third day, Satan surely roared, “he did what?!”
4.3. Shouted/Screamed
4.3.1. “death has died!”
4.3.2. Passover lamb slain and train leaving bondage, get on board.
4.3.3. Day of Atonement - annual ritual, imagine the excitement then
4.3.4. “we are the champions, my friends; you are the losers…” Queen
4.4. Showered/Spread/scattered/ strewn/sown to all who’d receive it
4.4.1. Imagine Disney’s gates opening crescendo-ing with Tinkerbell’s magic touch
4.4.2. Pyrotechnical angel set off the fireworks, with warheads attached! Demons retreating!
4.4.3. “To all who believe, God gave power to become… (Jn.1.12)
4.4.4. “God is not willing that any should perish…! (2Pet.3.9)
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