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| Day of Anticipation
1 Cor 15: 3-4
"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,"
As we look back some 2000 years and Paul sharing with the Corinthians the glorious good news, he was sharing an event that had already taken place. Today, we can view the events of Calvary as a joyous "day of anticipation." Prior to Calvary, the "people of God" looked with anticipation for their "coming Messiah." As a result of Calvary, the "people of God" now look with anticipation for the "coming again of Messiah." As we anticipate His coming again, I would like to discuss three things that were accomplished through the "Cross of Calvary."
When Christ in His dying words, said, "It is finished," we find in these words the completion of all that the Father sent Him to do. The Passover Lamb had been offered for sin. Man's treasonable offence had been paid. The requirements had been met. His death and resurrection provided us with:
- A Positional Possession
- have been delivered from the Penalty of Sin and placed IN CHRIST.
- Rom.5: 12, 6: 23 reveal to us the results of man's treason - death, eternal separation from God
- Rom.5:10 Through His death we have been reconciled to the Father and became His permanent possession
- I Thess.5: 9, Because we are "not appointed unto wrath, He delivered us from the ultimate penalty of sin.
- A Progressive Process
- are being delivered from the Practice of Sin through the work of CHRIST in us.
- Phil.1:6, Rom.5: 10 The cross and resurrection provide the process whereby God molds us into the image of His Son
- I Pet.2: 2 As His children we should desire His word in order to grow into Him.
- Ps.119: 11, Through His word He delivers us from the practice of sin.
- A Pending Promise
- will be delivered from the Presence of Sin when CHRIST gathers HIS own to Himself.
- Jo.3: 15-16, Because of the cross we incur a future promise of deliverance from the presence of sin
- Rev.20: 10, We live in the presence and possibility of sin because Satan is still here - he will not be there
- Rom.8: 23-24, Being delivered unto this hope, we wait patiently for it.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, when we view the cross and resurrection it is for us a "Day of Anticipation." Because the DEATH and BLOOD of Christ have purchased us we, who believe, have been delivered from the impending penalty of sin. This is a positional possession. His RESURRECTED LIFE provides us with a process (in Christ) that when we obey His word we are delivered from the practice of sin. We can fully appreciate the "Anticipation" of the fulfillment of His promise to completely deliver us from the presence and any possibility of sin. I am comforted with the fact that it not what I can or cannot do but that He accomplished it all for me beginning at the CROSS. Back|Home
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