THE CROSS GIVES ME HOPE AND MAKES ME BETTER

The cross was an instrument of great suffering. It was an instrument of cruelty. There was nothing humanitarian about it. The intention was to make the punishment so horrible that men would abhor the thought and do anything to avoid it.

The most perfect man, Jesus Christ, was nailed to one for an agonizing 6 hours. He couldn't avoid it. To fulfill his redemption plan required going through the cross. The prophet David said a thousand years before, "16 For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me; They pierced my hands and my feet." - Psalm 22:16. Most men would compromise their greatest treasures if it would save them from the cross, but our Savior and God would not.

The words Jesus spoke while there do reinforce our respect and love for Him. He spoke of forgiveness and eternal life. "Father, forgive them..." and "Today you will be with me in paradise." The mockery and venom and spit did not keep Jesus from loving sinful man. Stunning, right? Not really because He was never off mission. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." A cross, a place of derision and shame, for the guilty, remains a place of grace and hope for those who Believe in Jesus. He died and laid down His own life in order to redeem all of us from ourselves, from the consequences of our sins. I look to it daily and I find forgiveness. Through Jesus on the cross I learn the meaning of selfless love so that I act for the betterment of others. Ironic isn't it that something so horrible could be such a blessing to us all.

WHEN LEADING THE LORD'S SUPPER

Scripture: Mt. 26:26-28; Mk. 14:22-25; 1 Cor. 11:23-32. Note that other passages of Scripture may be read. But these are ones specifically describing the Lord's Supper.

Things to do: Pray. Give thanks for the bread. Give thanks for the fruit of the vine. Give thanks for Jesus Christ. Without thanksgiving, the eating won't be blessed.

Focus: Partake of the bread and cup in a "worthy manner". Focus on what Jesus did in giving Himself for us. Proclaim His death. Proclaim the cross. It is a remembrance.
Do not forget to remind the church that this is about Jesus giving his body and blood for our salvation.

Be careful: The Lord's Supper is a time to focus on what Jesus said to focus on. It is never said that the Lord's Supper is a proclamation of the 2nd coming. It is not a proclamation of the 2nd coming of Jesus. We wouldn't tell people that Baptism is a reminder that God won't flood the earth again. Likewise, we don't change the meaning of God's memorial. What Jesus did for us at the cross is too important to forget. So please do not teach that the Lord's Supper is something that it is not.

TELL JESUS TO THE WORLD

The world is eternally lost and hardly knows it. Some people are aware, but most men don't care. It's a serious thing to leave this life unprepared to meet one's Maker, yet not enough folks are thinking of their existence after death when it's too late. Some openly flaunt the laws of God and others foolishly bow to idols to insult the Living God. Who is going to stand up for the Truth and tell the world about the True God? The Psalmist said,

"2 Sing to the Lord, bless His name; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. 3 Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. 4 For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. 5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, But the Lord made the heavens" (Psalm 96:2-5).

Are Christians personally convicted to tell the Gospel to the world? It's called "good news" for a reason. We sing in our worship a song called "Will you not tell it today?" The third verse asks,

"If the souls all around you are living in sin,
If the Master has told you to bid them come in,
If the sweet invitation they never have heard,
O will you not tell them the cheer-bringing word?"

Jesus said to His disciples to "preach the Gospel to all creation." Because of the blessings I have enjoyed as a Christian, I pray to see an opportunity today to do just that, to proclaim the glory of God to a lost soul.

STEPS TO JESUS

Lesson 4: Now That I'm a Christian

GOD'S PLAN OF SALVATION

Man's Need, Rom. 3:9,10,23

• Sin is disobedience to God, 1 Jn. 3:4
• Sin is not something you're born with, it is something you do. Eph. 2:1-4 shows that the Ephesian Christians were formerly separated from God because of the sinful things they did. They were "children of wrath" because their nature (something that is developed by habit) was sinful [the word here for 'children' is not speaking of little ones, but of mankind as the offspring of God].
• Sin is not passed on--though the temporal effects might be, Ezek. 18:20
• Sin separates us from God, Is. 59:1,2

God's Grace

• God's grace appeared in the form of Jesus Christ, Titus 2:11: "the grace of God appeared bringing salvation to all men..."
• God's grace is offered to all, Heb. 2:9; Tit. 2:11. God is not a respector of persons so that He only offers salvation to a select, elect few. He truly "desires all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth."
• God's grace came when man was helpless, Rom. 5:6-11; 1 Jn. 4:10
• God's grace is received by those who have an obedient faith, Eph. 2:9,10; Rom. 1:5; 10:16; 16:26; Mt. 7:21-23

Man's Response, Titus 2:12; Mt.16:24

• Hear and Listen to the Gospel, Rom. 10:17; Acts 18:8
• Believe It, John 3:16,36; Heb. 3:18,19 (note: mental acceptance isn't enough, saving belief is obedient)
• Repent and Turn to God, Acts 3:19; Lk. 13:3
• Confess Jesus is God's Son, Mt. 10:32,33
• Be Baptized for the Remission of Sins, Acts 22:16; 2:38,40,41; Rom. 6:3-5; Col. 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21

Once you have been cleansed of your sin, God places His Holy Spirit within you, Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:9-11; Eph. 1:13,14; and He adds you to Jesus' body, which is the church, Eph. 1:21,22; Acts 2:48.