Truth For The Moment:
The Cries of Victory and of Submission:
I don’t know about you, but I have thoroughly enjoyed Erwin Lutzer’s study Cries From The Cross. This week as we complete the study, our lesson was entitled, The Cries of Victory and of Submission. This lesson takes a close look at the statement of Jesus from the cross: “It is finished.”
Lutzer does a great job of defining our salvation in terms of having a Savior that paid the price of our sin debt. “It is finished” literally means paid in full. The statement specifically describes what Christ accomplished through the cross. His suffering was finished, ceremonial sacrifice was finished, and Satan was finished.
How can we be sure it was finished? Because His (Christ’s) finished work was accepted by the Father. Often times growing up, I would receive a task from my father with specific instructions. I would busy myself with getting the job done as soon as possible so that I could move on to Saturday morning cartoons or fishing or bike riding with friend—anything other than chores. I would hurry through; go to my dad and say, “I’m done.” He would always inspect my work and most often say, “This job is not finished, I told you I wanted...” Then, he would proceed to repeat the instructions. How did I know when I was finished? I knew it when my father accepted my work. Our heavenly Father accepted the work of His Son Jesus Christ. He accepted it on our behalf. Like the old hymn proclaims, “What a Savior.”
This week’s title made quite a statement in itself. Christ victory that day was contingent on His submission to the will of the Father. We so often struggle to be victorious over certain sins in life. We must understand victory is inseparable from submission. Listen to the words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15:56-58: The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. Read it carefully and let it sink in. Yes, our lives are made victorious in and by Christ. However, the victorious life is steadfast in the word of Christ, immovable in his walk with Christ, and always doing the work of Christ. This sounds like submission to Christ that is inseparable from the victory that is ours in Christ.
For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. Ephesians 5:8-9
God Bless,
Pastor Barry
