Posted on in Kingdom Life

Keeping A Tender Heart

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to share a message with our church entitled “Leprosy of the Heart” from 2 Kings 5, and I asked the Lord to expose and cleanse us from a pervasive spiritual condition common among believers today that is fed by legalism, bitterness and pride. We observed how Jesus referred to this account of Naaman’s leprosy when confronting the skeptical and calloused religious crowd from His hometown of Nazareth who rejected Him because of over-familiarity and arrogance (Lk. 4:27) which He later describes to the church in Laodecia as being lukewarm (Rev. 3:16). After many years of serving in ministry, He has made it abundantly clear to me how quickly I can let the painful sores of life turn into rough callouses that I work hard to cover up with material success, prestige and performance. These sores often come from recurring disappointment, personal failure, betrayal, loss, insecurity and from laboring hard without seeing meaningful results. For this reason, I turn to God and rend my heart and not my garments.

27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian. (Lk. 4:27 NKJV)

The most dangerous thing about leprosy of the heart is that it silently keeps us numb and unresponsive to the Spirit of God, but the new covenant promise is that He would cleanse us of our sin and put His Spirit within us—that He would give us a heart of flesh that is tender and responsive to Him (Ezek. 36:25-27).

14 “So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.” (2 Kings 5:14 NKJV)

I believe that it is clear from Scripture that God desires for us to have the “flesh” of a little child, which refers not to our maturity, but our faith, humility, innocence, and tenderness before Him (Matt. 18:3-4). Think of a child’s genuine excitement when they discover the simple wonders of life like the taste of sweet food, the sight of a rainbow across the sky, the sound of a flowing river and so forth. The result of having a tender heart and child-like faith is that we can worship, trust and obey God with an untamed purity, confidence and sensitivity to His presence that is fresh out of the river of first love, without being hindered by the prideful barriers of religious familiarity and formalism. Therefore, as a follow-up to the message I shared, I wanted to give some more practical application by highlighting seven areas we can submit to the work of the Holy Spirit within us and keep a tender heart before Him.

8 “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. 9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt. 15:8-9 NKJV)

7 WAYS TO KEEP A TENDER HEART:

  1. Revelation of the Gospel
  2. Deep & Practical Repentance
  3. Renewed Speech
  4. Unreserved Forgiveness
  5. Ongoing Faith and Joy in the Holy Spirit
  6. Persistent Prayer (in the Spirit) & Fasting
  7. Sacrificial Worship, Praise & Thanksgiving

Read Ephesians 4:17-32.

REVELATION OF THE GOSPEL. The Apostle Paul urged believers to no longer walk as the rest of the world walked in the futility of their mind past the point of feeling because that is not how they have learned Christ (Eph. 4:17-20). Keeping a tender heart requires that we rightly learn Christ, to hear Him and be taught by the truth that comes from Him alone (Eph. 4:21). Like the young Israelite maiden in the story of Naaman, the undiluted gospel sees past our armor of pride and prestige and offers an authentic solution to what is really eating at us. Surely Naaman, commander of the Syrian army, was well aware of the location of the murky Jordan River, but it wasn’t until he heard the compassionate word of the young maiden who should’ve hated him and obeyed the unusual word of Elisha that confronted his entitlement, that he learned for himself there was no God in all the earth, except in Israel (2 Kings 5:15). The gospel reveals who we are when we aren’t covered and still says, “I am willing; be cleansed (Mk. 1:40).” Even our numb, hardened, sin-sick hearts can still be touched by the revelation of the gospel. The answer is not “try harder” it’s “come and see.” It is not “climb higher” but “go lower.” By faith, we come back to the river that we may have passed by many times before and we ask the Lord to wash us with the water of His Word, that we might continue to receive the touch of His Spirit, grow in the revelation of the gospel and be transformed by the power of God (Eph. 1:17-23; 5:26). Meditate on His Word (Ps. 1:2-3; Ps. 119:130; Jn. 15:7). Ask for child-like eyes of faith. Remember the touch of His love, repent and do the things you did at first (Rev. 2:4-5; Rom. 1:16-17; 2 Cor. 3:12-4:6).

19 who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20 But you have not so learned Christ, 21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus…(Eph. 4:19-21 NKJV)

25 At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. (Matt. 11:25 NLT)

DEEP AND PRACTICAL REPENTANCE. Paul then tells us to put off our old ways of living and change our ways of thinking in accord with the truth that the gospel declares. He deals very directly with areas such as lust, anger, greed, lying, bitterness and corrupt speech. He warns us saying, “do not grieve the Holy Spirit,” which implies that we must still make practical choices to submit to Him (Eph. 4:25-31). When we repent, we push delete on our sin and commit to change our ways of thinking, speaking and doing, knowing our sin is forgiven and forgotten under the blood of Jesus. Understand that everytime we resist temptation and choose to obey Him, we are welcoming the river of His Spirit to come and smoothe-over the rough edges of our stony heart little by little, day by day. Spend daily time in honest, humble repentance before the Lord (Ps. 51). Beware that when we choose to walk in the counsel of the ungodly [passively receive influence from sinful sources, often from entertainment], it won’t be long before we are standing in the path of sinners [agreeing with, making alliance with sin, or hindering others] and sitting in the seat of the scornful [becoming advocates for sin, critical of God and His Word] (Ps. 1). We must actively know the truth, resist sin and submit to God. There is freedom in fighting the good fight of faith.

22 that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24 and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:22-24 NKJV)

RENEWED SPEECH. When continuing on about practical repentance, Paul especially highlights our speech, for Jesus taught that out of the overflow of our heart, our mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). One of the greatest battlegrounds of our mind is fought at the gate of our mouth. Corrupt speech can come in all shapes and sizes—deceit, slander, gossip, manipulation, false commitments, foul-language, unrighteous anger, demeaning sarcasm, degrading remarks, condescension, disrespectful tone of voice and so forth. Though it’s small, the tongue can kindle the worst kind of destruction (Jas. 3:1-12). Therefore, we must commit to fight at the gate of our mouth by the power of the Holy Spirit. Be honest and true to your word, not making promises you will not keep (Matt. 5:33-37). Hold back the harsh words (Jas. 1:19; Prov. 10:19; 21:23). Don’t mistake meanness for boldness, but learn to speak the truth in love, with kindness, gentleness and compassion (Eph. 4:15; Col. 4:6; Gal. 5:22-26). Ask God for help and fair perspective (Matt. 7:1-12). Learn to let some things go, and entrust yourself to the Lord (1 Pet. 2:23-24; Matt. 5:39; Rom. 12:17-21). When appropriate, go directly to the person in love and humility to confess your wrong and/or make your appeal (Matt. 5:22-25; 18:15).

29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (Eph. 4:29 NKJV)

UNRESERVED FORGIVENESS. Unrenewed speech is fueled by our unwillingness to forgive. Bitterness, resentment, disappointment, frustration, annoyance…these are the types of things that will fester like a leprous sore on our heart and will make us calloused over time if left unchecked. The only antidote is unreserved forgiveness. Forgiveness doesn’t make them right, nor does it make their words or actions okay, but it does make you free. Forgiveness keeps your heart tender. Our strength to forgive comes from our revelation of the gospel, as we see how God in Christ forgives us. Only someone who is tender of heart by the power of God, like the young Israelite maiden, could look into the eyes of their captor and overflow with compassion. Like with Jesus on the cross, or with Stephen as he’s being stoned, we see the miracle of how God can help us to forgive those who deserve it the least. When they mistreat you, lie about you, spitefully use you, betray you, persecute you, dissapoint you or annoy you, pray for them, bless them, do good to them and forgive them anyway (Matt. 5:43-48; 18:21-35).

32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph. 4:32 NKJV)

ONGOING FAITH AND JOY IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. Though it is important to look to the past from time to time, keeping a tender heart requires more than remembering what once was. Though determination is important, faithfulness is more than consistent attendance, discipline and duty. Keeping a tender heart requires a present-tense, ongoing, persevering faith that eagerly waits upon God (Isa. 40:31). We need the initial experience of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but we must also go on being filled with the Spirit—that we might continue to produce the tender fruit of the Spirit in our lives (Acts 2:38-39; Jn. 15:1-17; Gal. 3:3; 5:22-26). Even good fruit can rot over time, so we must keep tending, weeding, and feeding the garden of our heart. This requires faith that is living and active in our life today. When is the last time your faithfulness required faith? Are we trying to live our lives in such a way that we do not need to rely on the Holy Spirit? Ask the Lord to help you step out of your cycle of comfort and predictable routines, and find out where He wants you to take risks of faith for the sake of love. I believe that our joy in the Lord is proportionate to our revelation of His love and knowing that we are obeying His voice, which commands us to lay down our lives for others because of His love.

17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit…(Eph. 5:17-18 NKJV)

52 And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 13:52 NKJV)

11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. (Jn. 15:11 NKJV)

PERSISTENT PRAYER AND FASTING. Another simple way that we “dip in the river” is through persistent prayer and fasting, especially praying in the Spirit (Rom. 8:26; 1 Cor. 13:14-20; Eph. 6:18). Take the time, spend the effort, and risk the opportunities to get in the river of His presence. Starve the leprosy and feed your inner-man, building yourself up in faith (Jude 1:20). Get before your Father in secret and passionately seek Him with other believers. Weep in His presence again and let the tears wash the numbness off of your heart (Ps. 126:5; Joel 2:17; Matt. 9:15).

18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints–(Eph. 6:18 NKJV)

SACRIFICIAL WORSHIP, PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING. I have found that it is dangerously possible for us to witness the power of God and still miss what is right in front of us. Instead of joining in with the celebration, many of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were indignant when they heard the praise of the little children as they openly declared Jesus as the Messiah (Matt. 21:15-16). Judas was offended by the sacrificial worship of Mary who poured out her fragrant oil on the feet of Jesus, arguing that it was wasteful and should be spent elsewhere (Matt. 26:6-13; Jn. 12:1-8). The older brother of the prodigal was deeply angered that his father would throw a party for the son who returned home after wasting his inheritance (Lk. 15:25-32). Cain went as far as to murder his brother Abel who sacrificed the best of his flock to the Lord, because his own works were evil and his brother’s righteous (Gen. 4:1-2; 1 Jn. 3:12). I believe that the subtle yet consistent leaven beneath the surface of these events is that these men were filled with ingratitude and self-righteousness, which came out of them as anger, jealousy, greed and spiritual blindness. Gratitude confronts our deep-seated pride, discontentment, insecurity and entitlement that keeps us numb toward God and critical of others. Jesus dealt with this attitude very pointedly in His sermon on the mount (Matt. 6:25-7:6). After being cleansed in the Jordan River and having his skin restored like that of a little child, Naaman returned to the prophet Elisha with grateful joy and reverence for the one true and living God, committing to “bring his worship home” for Him alone (2 Kings 5:14-17). Sacrificial worship, praise and thanksgiving is about continually returning to express your love to God in the secret place of your heart, where only He sees and understands the worth of what you are pouring out. When it hurts. When it’s costly. When it’s unpopular. When it’s lonely. It’s about returning to Him with grateful faith instead of fearful grumbling.

17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Lk. 17:17-19 NKJV)

In summary, we are healed of leprosy of the heart by coming to Jesus Christ with child-like faith and humility. We come to the river of living water proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb (Rev. 22:1; Ezek. 47:12). We come to be cleansed and renewed by the eternal power, person and presence of Jesus that we experience through the Holy Spirit (Jn. 4:13-14; 7:38-39; 13:7-11; 14:15-31; Acts 2:38-39). As Naaman was commanded to wash seven times, we highlighted seven ways we can submit to the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit within us. Thus, keeping a tender heart demands that we are personally receiving and responding to the revelation of the gospel, putting on a new way of life in humble surrender to Jesus through deep and practical repentance, renewing our speech, offering unreserved forgivness to others, obeying God with ongoing faith and joy in the Holy Spirit, seeking Him daily with persistent prayer and fasting, and returning to Him always with sacrificial worship, praise and thanksgiving in response to His unending goodness, mercy, power and love. May we resist the pride and bitterness that comes from life rubbing us wrong, and instead we choose to open our heart before Him over and over again. May we come behold the Lamb of God, who pled for our forgiveness while being crucified for our sin, that our leprous hearts might be healed once and for all.

13 So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm. (Joel 2:13 NKJV)

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Posted on in Kingdom Life, Kingdom Ministry

The Midnight Song

25 But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.

Acts 16:25, NKJV

From the missionary exploits of Paul, Silas and others, we can learn how our faith, love, obedience and sacrifice can pioneer the way for others to know the salvation of the Lord, especially when expressed through great adversity.

Without hesitation, Paul and his apostolic company had sailed to the shores of Macedonia in obedience to the Lord who called them in a vision to go and preach the gospel there, and they found themselves in Philippi where they continued to face obstacles to their mission (Acts 16:6-12). Faithfulness does not make us immune to trouble, but it does make an opportunity for the trouble to work for us, for the furtherance of the gospel and the glory of God. On the contrary, it should be unsettling if our faith in Jesus never leads us through places of discomfort and positions of difficulty for the sake of the gospel. For the faithful Christ follower, that which happens to you, actually happens for you.

12 But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel…

Philippians 1:12, NKJV

While in Philippi, Paul and Silas planted the Philippian church at a prayer meeting by the river, as they spoke to the women who were there, namely Lydia, who was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira. Her and her household were baptized and immediately began serving the gospel by supporting the mission of Paul and his companions (Acts 16:13-15). The foundations of our faith are absolutely critical to the growth and endurance of our faith. Lydia and her household weren’t a part of some grand marketing scheme to grow the church, rather their hearts were opened to heed the words of Paul as they witnessed the tender faith, obedience and sacrifice of he and his team. Like begets like in the kingdom of God, therefore, the Philippian church would later be described by Paul as his “beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown” (Phil. 4:1). While in Roman chains, he would write to them: “Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only” (Phil. 4:14-15).

As Paul, Silas, Timothy and Luke continued to meet for prayer in Philippi, they began to disrupt the demonic strongholds over the city (Acts 16:16-22). Not by focusing on the darkness, but by pursuing and walking in the light of Christ. Like Mary of Bethany who was sharply criticized by Judas for pouring out her very costly fragrant oil upon Jesus, their faithfulness exposed the faithless greed of the men of Philippi who relied on the spirit of divination (Jn. 12:1-8; Acts 16:16,19). The fragrance of our faithfulness will undoubtedly offend the faithless among us. This was in fact the very thing that caused them to beat Paul and Silas with rods and throw them into the inner prison with their feet fastened in chains (Acts 16:22-23).

The enemy wants us to feel punished by God for our obedience because that is how deep-seated bitterness and distrust begins to take root. He wants us blind to our surroundings and bound at our feet, so that we feel hopeless and useless to make a difference. But at midnight, Paul and Silas still lifted their eyes to God to pray and sing.

28 For You will light my lamp; The Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.

Psalm 18:28, NKJV

Oil is bought during the day, but lamps aren’t lit until the night (Matt. 25:1-3; Ps. 18:28). What came out of Paul and Silas in that moment was the overflow of their hidden faithfulness and fellowship with God that had been cultivated long before they found themselves in these chains. Their testimony teaches us what happens when faith finds its song, when our personal history of prayer with the Lord erupts into spontaneous praise in the most difficult seasons of life (Ps. 40:3). It is of utmost importance that every believer learns how to develop a life of prayer and praise before times of shaking, so that when it comes, it’s not our faith that is shaken, rather it’s our faith that is doing the shaking (Acts 4:31; 16:26; Heb. 12:25-29). In other words, what we know and believe about the Lord does not change based on our surroundings, rather we know that our surroundings have to obey His authority and serve His purposes. Our faith is “weaponized” in the midnight hour when we are in the darkest dungeon to preach the gospel, set captives free, heal brokenhearts, proclaim liberty to the captives and open prison doors to those who are bound in the name of Jesus Christ (Isa. 61:1).

26 Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.

Acts 16:26, NKJV

Luke records that, “the prisoners were listening to them,” as they prayed and sang to the Lord (Acts 16:25b). Once more we see how our faith in the fire makes a way for many others to hear and be set free. The Sword of Truth cuts the deepest when the fire is the hottest (Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17; 1 Pet. 1:6-9). Upon seeing prison doors opened, the keeper of the prison drew his sword to kill himself, but at just the right moment, Paul called out to him to stay his hand. To the jailer’s complete shock he found that none of the prisoners escaped, and he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” (Acts 16:29-30)? Something infinitely more potent than his own blade pierced through his soul that night—The Midnight Song of Paul and Silas. The Word was preached not with mere rhetoric but with the testimony and demonstration of the power and love of God (1 Cor. 2:4; 13:1-3). As a result, the jailer and his entire household believed and were immediately baptized (Acts 16:31-34).

I want to conclude this article with a list of ten types of prayer and seven types of praise that we can find throughout Scripture to strengthen your own faith, so that you also have a midnight song to sing.

6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7, NKJV
TEN TYPES OF PRAYER

Prayer is one of the foundational ways that we express our worship and trust in the Lord. Here are some of the ways that we talk to the Lord:

  1. Contemplative: be still and know He is God (Ps. 46:10; Matt. 6:6)
  2. Meditation: think deeply upon and pray the Scriptures (Phil. 4:8-9)
  3. Requests: petition the Lord for the things you need (Mat. 6:11)
  4. Supplication: ask earnestly, persistently, with fasting (Phil. 4:6)
  5. Intercession: prayer for other people (1 Tim. 2:1-2)
  6. Tongues: praying in the Spirit, spiritual gift (1 Cor. 14)
  7. Travail: the Spirit praying through us without words (Rom. 8:26-27)
  8. Tears: prayers without words, contrition, humility (Ps. 126:5)
  9. Thanksgiving and Praise: declare what God has done, who He is
  10. Singing: putting all these types of prayer to song and music

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Col. 3:16, NKJV

…be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…

Eph. 5:18-19, NKJV
SEVEN TYPES OF PRAISE

Worship begins inwardly in our heart, but must also be expressed outwardly in our attitudes, words and actions (Jn. 4:23-24; Matt. 15:7-9; 22:37; Rom. 12:1-2). Praise is another outward expression of our worship. In Hebrew, the english word for “praise” has seven unique meanings:

  1. Yadah: to revere or worship with extended hands (Ps. 67:3)
  2. Halal: to boast, celebrate, be clamourously foolish (Ps. 149:3)
  3. Zamar: to make music, to celebrate in song (Ps. 144:9; 147:7)
  4. Barak: to kneel, bless, bow (Ps. 95:6; 100:4; 1 Chr. 16:36)
  5. Tehillah: a hymn, a new song, a spontaneous song (Ps. 22:3; 71:8)
  6. Shabach: to address in a loud tone, shout (106:47; 150:6)
  7. Towdah: thanksgiving (Lev. 22:29; Ps. 50:23; 56:11-12)

3 But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel.

Ps. 22:3, NKJV

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Posted on in Knowing God

Jesus in Red

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

2 CORINTHIANS 5:21, NKJV

This statement alone is enough to offend the modern, culturally-acceptable gospel that presents no need for a bloody Savior. When Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things, be killed and raised the third day, Peter initially resisted Him (Matt. 16:21-22). He had no paradigm for a suffering Messiah or for submitting his life to a Roman cross in order to follow Him. Jesus essentially called this mindset Satanic (Matt. 16:23). For believers in today’s world, we must be prepared to confront this same message of a cross-less Christianity. While there are elements of truth that we must learn to value as the name of Christ is proclaimed and the gospel is brought up as a matter of discussion in our society (Phil. 1:15-18), we must also learn to answer the discussions with clarity and compassion (1 Pet. 3:15).

One thing I have noticed over the years is that there is a real danger that arises when the gospel is subtly mixed with a certain leaven of victimhood and self-righteousness that allows for people to keep their identity wrapped up in what happened to them and to trust more in their own “rightness” or truth. This type of message looks right and feels good, but it ultimately undermines the liberating truth and power of the gospel because it avoids the fundamental crisis and purpose for which Christ came to save us. The modern gospel, which often revolves around human want, rather than human need, will say that the solution is you plus Jesus. But the gospel of Jesus Christ says a dead you is the only you that His resurrection power can work through (Gal. 2:20; Rom. 6:1-11; Jn. 12:24-26).

His love was never meant to be used as a weapon against against truth. A weapon that would embolden us to live comfortably in our sin, resulting in blurred lines and moral confusion. You see, the thing about the love of God which sets it apart from every other love is not only that He gets us, it’s that He bled for us. And He bled for us that we might know His love, that we might repent of our sins, receive His forgivness and turn wholeheartedly to Him with joyful obedience. Romans 5:7-9 says, “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. Jesus didn’t overlook our sin, He dearly paid for it with His own blood (1 Cor. 6:20). He didn’t avoid the conflict. He didn’t downplay the crisis. He saw the wrath we brought upon ourselves, and at just the right moment, He hung in our place (Gal. 4:4-6; Isa. 59). In bloody agony, He demonstrated once and for all what love looks like (Jn. 15:13). Jesus in white became Jesus in red.

My beloved is white and ruddy, Chief among ten thousand.

SONG OF SOLOMON 5:10, NKJV

14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

HEBREWS 2:14-15, NLT

17 Therefore, it was necessary for him to be made in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. Then he could offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. 18 Since he himself has gone through suffering and testing, he is able to help us when we are being tested.

HEBREWS 2:17-18, NLT

4 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! 5 But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

ISAIAH 53:4-5, NLT

Undoubtedly, we are moved by the selfless sacrifices of men and women throughout history who died protecting those they love, fighting for freedom from tyranny or defending others who could not defend themselves, yet never before has anyone so pure, so innocent and so righteous died for those who were so corrupt, so guilty, so defenseless and so undeserving of mercy. In the fury of His divine love, He wages war on everything that hinders us from knowing His love. That’s what He did to save us from the penalty and power of sin, and it’s what He will come back to do–to forever save us from the presence of sin. What He accomplished through the cross in silent restraint as the Lamb of God, will one day be openly displayed and unleashed on all His enemies when He returns (Isa. 42:13-14).

1 Who is this who comes from Edom, With dyed garments from Bozrah, This One who is glorious in His apparel, Traveling in the greatness of His strength?– “I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save.” 2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like one who treads in the winepress?

ISAIAH 63:1-2, NKJV

25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:25-26, NLT

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war. 12 His eyes were like flames of fire, and on his head were many crowns. A name was written on him that no one understood except himself.13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his title was the Word of God.14 The armies of heaven, dressed in the finest of pure white linen, followed him on white horses.15 From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will release the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty, like juice flowing from a winepress.

REVELATION 19:11-15, NLT

As I was thinking about the wrath of God, this story came to mind: Imagine you are a child who was told by your father not to play outside alone, and you chose to disobey him. While you are outside wandering in the brush, you hear the backdoor of your house fling open and see your father come charging toward you with a large shovel. In a frozen panic, you await the punishment, but as your father raises the shovel you turn away only to see the real reason for his fury. Right behind you is a large diamondback rattlesnake coiled and ready to strike just as your father steps in the way and crushes its head with the shovel. He was coming after the snake all along (Rev. 12:9; 20:10; Matt. 25:41).

3 “I have trodden the winepress alone, And from the peoples no one was with Me. For I have trodden them in My anger, And trampled them in My fury; Their blood is sprinkled upon My garments, And I have stained all My robes. 4 For the day of vengeance is in My heart, And the year of My redeemed has come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help, And I wondered That there was no one to uphold; Therefore My own arm brought salvation for Me; And My own fury, it sustained Me.

ISAIAH 63:3-5, NKJV

We have painted our own picture of Jesus for so long that we don’t have a grid for Jesus in Red, and like Isaiah we say, “Who is this…” (Isa. 63:1)? Could it be that the reason we still resist His leadership in our lives is because we have yet to agree with the fact that it is actually His love that is making things messy (Heb. 12:3-11)? It’s actually His love that is disturbing our comfort and confronting our presumptious lifestyles, not to harm us, but to save us. It’s actually His love that beckons us to take up our cross and deny ourselves (Matt. 16:21-25; Jn. 15:11-14). Whereas the modern gospel casually permits us to continue fulfilling our own selfish desires, the gospel of Christ liberates us from ourselves, from self-absorption and self-preservation. Distorted versions of the gospel may bring the appearance of freedom, but this is exactly why they are dangerous–for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14). God doesn’t break us out of “Egypt” and leave us to wander in the slavery of our old ways, but He desires to bring us into sonship, that we would follow the leading of His Spirit as we long for our heavenly homeland with Him (Rom. 8; Heb. 11; 1 Pet. 2:9-10). We don’t easily admit this because we are so used to dancing around the serpent’s den, but that is why we need the entrance of His Word to bring light to the dire condition of our heart and to the glory of Jesus in Red, who saves us, heals us and transforms us in love (Ps. 119:130; Eph. 1:17-18).

We need the purifying power that comes from hoping in Him alone. Jesus, the One true uncreated and eternal God became flesh and dwelt among us, that He might be the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (Jn. 1:1-18; 29). He truly died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again the third day, beeing seen and reported by many infallbile proofs (1 Cor. 15:1-5; Acts 1:1-3). He became our Great High Priest and King through His once and for all atoning sacrifice, our Mediator and Intercessor who comes to dwell within us through the Holy Spirit, who helps us in our weakness and is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of His purchased possession. He will come again as our Bridegroom and Judge to vanquish every enemy of His love. Every form of sin and evil that is not covered under His blood will have to answer to Him. So I say to myself, along with every bitter, broken and blinded heart: Look to the Lamb. Look to Jesus in Red.

2 Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. 3 And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

1 JOHN 3:2-3, NKJV

9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”…13 Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.“

REVELATION 7:9-14, NKJV