Three cries!

The Cry of the Fools

Matt. 27:25 And all the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!” 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.

The Cry of the Savior

John 19:30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

The Cry of the Sinner

Luke 23:42-43

43 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Today, we continue to find fools:

Those who deny God –

Psalm 14:1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

Those who have substituted themselves to God –

Romans 1:20-23

20 So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Those who think they need to add something to Christ’s work of the cross – 

Romans 10:3 

For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 

Men still have the same reactions that people had at the time of Jesus. Some defiantly look at the death of Jesus as irrelevant in their lives; at best, they look at it as a good example. Many ignore Him and willfully live as they want.

As men and women around the world lift up their fists in rebellion against God, what should our reaction be? First of all, with amazement at the grace of God, that He does not pour out His wrath upon them immediately. Secondly, with deep gratitude because we are not part of that group, only by the grace of God, Who opened our eyes and showed us His great mercy.

The Cry of our Savior should ring loud in our ears.

As Christ cried out, ”It is finished”, He was declaring His victory over Satan, sin, and death.

1 Corinthians 15:54-57

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

“O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ’s death on the cross was planned from eternity past, for our salvation was foreordained before the foundation of the world.

The cost should of it overwhelm us. The fact that Christ would die for us sinners, who often are discontent or ungrateful, should humble us. Because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we have hope. We have a new reason to live our lives in light of eternity. We can face the difficulties of life, knowing that our destiny is to be in the presence of God.

We remember our cry as sinners.

The amazing aspect of our salvation is that we did not do anything to invite it, to earn it, or to keep it. The sinner on the cross next to Jesus went to the cross deservedly, as his behavior had caused his capital punishment. He could not do anything to redeem himself, and he was minutes away from death. But God, in His grace, listened to his repentant prayer and promised a place for him in paradise.

How blessed we are, in knowing that our salvation does not rest on our disposition, goodness, or improvement, but on God’s immense grace.

Knowing that one can be saved until his last breath should give us hope and perseverance in witnessing, even to those who show no interest at this time. God calls us to be faithful. God is waiting to show His wrath because there are more souls He wants to save.

Today the Savior is inviting a Godly response. 

This comes only from men and women who recognize their inability to please God, who know that their human efforts are useless, who repent of their sins, who recognize that on the cross Jesus paid their penalty, and that His resurrection proves He defeated death and is now seated at the right hand of God, where He offers salvation to all those who come to Him in faith that He alone is their Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:4-9

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 

Easter is a holiday for many, but a HOLY DAY for few!