Jesus our All in All (#4)

Once more, here is more from "Jesus Manifesto" by Frank Viola:

"Watch Him as He sits before a woman caught in the act of adultery. See her with bleeding cuts on her body, dragged like a rag doll before a hungry mob of judgmental men, waiting for the first stone to crush her head and bring her to a death that she justly deserves. Behold your glorious Lord. He asks one question, a question that pierces the heart of every man who is ready to send this woman to her grave. Mesmerized by the Lord's words, each man drops his stone and walks away. Christ's parting words to the guilty woman? 'Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.'

What a Christ!

Watch Him as he is taken before Rome's delegates in the city of Jerusalem. See Him standing before Pilate - rejected, dejected, bludgeoned, beaten, spat upon. Behold Him who created the heavens, the Lord of the universe, suffering the most horrific gruesome form of torture that was ever invented by the human imagination.

Observe Him hanging on a wooden stake, dying a slow, hideous death, covered with blood - naked, mocked, and shamed. The Messiah has become a public spectacle that elicits the spine-chilling, gleeful laughter of satan himself...

The powers of Rome may have defeated the suffering artisan 2,000 years ago, but in the end, He shall triumph...for upon that bloody hill, Jesus of Nazareth defeated the powers of darkness and won for Himself the keys of death, hell, and the grave...There is no circumstance too hard for Him...He now lives by the power of an endless life, and He never fails.

And one day, every kingdom, every ruler, every principality and power shall bow their mortal knees to the rejected Nazarene...Indeed, it will be His time, and He will have the last word."

Beautiful Jesus...thank You, thank You! Come to us by Your Spirit and help us love You as our eyes are opened to see how You love us. Amen.