“But because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, whom God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (Read 1 Corinthians 1)
Why is it that we who are Christians are saved? Can we boast of our goodness, our worthiness to be chosen, our wisdom, our decision, or our faith? What does the Bible say? “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
The apostle Paul points out to his readers in Corinth (1 Cor. 1:26-31): “For observe your calling, brothers. Among you, not many wise men according to the flesh, not many mighty men, and not many noble men were called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And God has chosen the inferior things of the world and things which are despised. Yes, and He chose things which are nothing to nullify the things that are, so that no flesh should boast in His presence. But because of Him you are in Christ Jesus, whom God made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”
The fact that any of us who believe have heard God’s Word and come to know the Lord God who created the heavens and the earth and all things, and to know and trust in His mercy toward us in Christ Jesus who died for our sins and rose again, is not because of anything good in us. Indeed, we were dead in our trespasses and sins until God graciously saved us by bringing us to faith in the Son and His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world through the preaching of the Gospel (cf. Eph. 1:3ff.; 2:1ff.; Titus 3:3ff.). His election and calling are entirely of His grace and mercy toward us in Christ Jesus (2 Tim. 1:9-10).
Thus, the apostle points out how God used the foolishness of the cross and the foolishness of preaching forgiveness of sins and life eternal through the shed blood of Jesus to save us. To the world, it remains foolishness. But to us, He has revealed it as the wisdom and power of God unto salvation. To us, who are counted fools by this world, God has revealed His wisdom. And Jesus Christ, the only-begotten of God the Father and born of the Virgin Mary, was “made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.”
So, in what can we brag and boast? Only in the Lord! As it is written in the prophet Jeremiah (9:23-24): “Thus says the LORD: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, says the LORD.” And how is it that we can know these things and trust in the Lord? Entirely of His grace and mercy in Christ Jesus!
Therefore, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord!”
We praise You, O LORD God, and give You the glory for providing salvation for us in Your Son, Jesus Christ, and for bringing us to know Him and trust in Him as our God and Savior through the preaching of the Gospel. Amen.
“So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Feed My lambs.’ He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved, because He asked him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Lord, You know everything. You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’” John 21:15-17
Jesus asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” Three times, Peter affirmed his love for Jesus and was commissioned by Jesus to feed and tend His sheep.
What is not so obvious in English translations are the different words behind the words “love” and “feed” or “tend.” Two times, Jesus asked Peter if he loved (agapas, or selflessly loved) Him, and Peter replied with the Greek word (philo) indicating that he had brotherly or reciprocal love for Jesus. The third time, Jesus also used the word for reciprocal love in His question to Peter.
In Jesus’ commission to Peter, He used two different words regarding caring for the sheep. Peter was commanded to feed (boske) Jesus’ lambs, to tend or shepherd (poimaine) His sheep, and to feed (boske) His sheep.
Peter was grieved that Jesus would ask him three times about his love for Him, for Peter had three times denied knowing Jesus or being His disciple (John 18:15ff.). Peter, in the strength of his own flesh, had before assured Jesus that he was ready to die with Him (Luke 22:31-34). But, of course, that dependence on his own will and strength failed Peter three times!
And Peter was now being recalled and commissioned by Jesus to bear witness to Him and testify of His person and work before the world — He was to tell all that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16), and that Jesus suffered and died for the sins of all and rose again on the third day (cf. Luke 24:44-49). In fact, Peter would be called upon to suffer greatly for his testimony as a disciple of the Lord Jesus (John 21:18f.). He would need to love Jesus enough to die for Him, as Jesus had loved His sheep enough to die for them and redeem them (cf. John 10:11; Rom. 5:8).
What about us? How many times would Jesus have to ask us if we love Him? We may not have denied Jesus in the same way as Peter, but we deny Him when we fail to speak up in His name, when we fail to follow Him, when we go our own way instead of His, and when we disobey His commandments.
Without love for Jesus, how can we fully trust in Him for our salvation, deny ourselves and follow Him, obey Him and live according to His commandments, or be faithful to Him unto death? The Bible tells us that “love is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:10; 1 Cor. 13:1ff.; 1 John 2:5; 5:2-3; Matt. 22:35-40; Rev. 2:10).
Indeed, Jesus’ love for me is selfless, undeserved love. My love for Him falls so far short of His love for me. It is reciprocal love at best — I love Him because He first loved me and gave Himself for me (cf. 1 John 4:9-10,19).
Every believer and disciple of Jesus is called to love the Lord Jesus and to love those for whom He died and rose again (1 John 5:1; Eph. 4:1ff.; 4:11ff.). Every believer is called to follow Christ, bear witness to Him, and suffer with Him. And it takes love for Christ to love those for whom He died. It takes love for Christ to be willing to give up ourselves and serve the needs of others. It takes love for Christ to be willing to suffer and possibly even die as His followers.
Jesus asks you and me, “Do you love Me?” He knows all things. He knows our hearts. Do we merely pay lip service? Or do we truly love Him enough to follow Him and serve him? Do we call upon Him who knows everything to search and test our hearts (cf. Psalm 139:23-24)?
And, if we find ourselves short in the love department, if our lives reveal a lack of love for Christ, what’s the answer? We can’t generate love by our own efforts or determination. Self-generated love will fail. True love for God is generated by the gracious working of the Holy Spirit through the Word (cf. Gal. 5:22-23; 1 Cor. 13:1ff.). “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
When the Holy Spirit reveals our utter sinfulness and unworthiness before God and then shows us God’s great love for us in Christ Jesus — sending His own Son into the world to suffer and die for our sins and rise again — the Spirit works faith in our hearts and love for Christ Jesus as a fruit of His great love for us sinners.
Therefore, if we desire to grow in our love for Jesus, the first step is to consider His love for us. As John writes: “In this way the love of God was revealed to us, that God sent His only Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins” (1 John 4:9-10; cf. John 3:16; Rom. 5:5-9).
Grant us to know Your love for us, dear Savior, that we may love You, trust in You, and bear witness to You and the salvation You won for all. Grant us an ever-growing love for You. Amen.
“Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved with an iron pen and lead in the rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He will stand at last on the earth; and after my skin is destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God, whom I will see for myself, and my eyes will behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me.” Job 19:23-27
Do you have the confidence of Job? Do you have confidence — even in sickness and death — that Jesus Christ, our Savior and Redeemer, atoned for our sins by His death on the cross, is risen from the dead, ascended to the right hand of God the Father in heaven, and is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead?
Job endured great suffering and expected and even looked forward to death, but he still had the confidence that, though his body would die and decay, he would, on the Last Day and with his own eyes, see his living Redeemer. He took comfort in the fact that God would keep His promise to send a Savior and redeem him from sin and eternal death and damnation, and that God would also raise him up from the grave on the Last Day to see His Redeemer’s face.
Do you have such confidence? Do you believe and take comfort, even in the face of death, that your Redeemer came into this world, died on the cross to atone for your sins, and now lives? Do you have the confidence that though you may die and your body decay in the grave, you will be raised up on the Last Day and see Him with your own eyes?
It is as the Bible says in Revelation 1:7: “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.”
Of course, just believing Jesus rose from the dead and will raise and judge all people on the Last Day is not comforting to those who remain impenitent, to those who go on in their sinful and rebellious ways and do not turn from their sins to faith in Christ Jesus, because that Day will be a day of judgment and condemnation for them. It is why “all the tribes of the earth will mourn” when they see Jesus coming in the clouds of glory (Rev. 1:7).
However, for all who see their utter sinfulness and the judgment they deserve but look in faith to Christ Jesus and His perfect sacrifice for sins, made when He suffered and died on the cross, that will be a day of joy and gladness (cf. John 3:14-15; 1 John 1:7 — 2:2; Luke 21:27-28; 2 Thess. 1:5-10). As Jesus said in John 5:24, “Whoever hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has eternal life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death into life.”
With David, in Psalm 17:15, we as believers can say, “As for me, I shall behold Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”
Though we die and our bodies decay in the grave, our risen Savior will raise our bodies, and we will see Him who died for our sins and rose again to give us life everlasting (cf. 1 Thess. 4:13ff.; Psalm 16:11)!
With Job, we can say, “I know that my Redeemer lives,” and with Samuel Medley, the hymn writer, “What comfort this sweet sentence gives!”
O my crucified and risen Savior, grant that I live and die in the confidence Your resurrection gives, and raise me up on the Last Day to see Your face and partake of the eternal joys of Your kingdom. Amen.
“Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb while it was still dark and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she came running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.’ So Peter came out with the other disciple and they went toward the tomb. They both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. Stooping down and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying. Yet he did not enter. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went inside the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the cloth that was around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but wrapped in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came first to the tomb, went in also. He saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. But Mary stood outside at the tomb weeping. As she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb, and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have put Him.’ When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, ‘Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have put Him, and I will take Him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to Him, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Stop holding on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father. But go to My brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.”’ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that He had said these things to her.” John 20:1-18 (Cf. John 20; Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; 1 Cor. 15)
The stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty, and Jesus’ burial clothes were lying there, but Jesus was not there — He had risen from the dead!
He appeared to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, to the other women as they ran back into Jerusalem, to Peter, to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, to all the disciples on numerous occasions, and even to more than 500 brethren at once. Angels proclaimed His resurrection, and after numerous resurrection appearances, Jesus’ own followers finally came to understand and believe that Jesus really was alive — He had risen, as He said!
The Gospel of Matthew (Matt. 28:1-10) tells us: “At the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake. For the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his garments white as snow. The soldiers shook for fear of him and became like dead men. the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid. For I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. For He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and behold, He is going before you to Galilee. There you will see Him. Listen, I have told you.’ So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. As they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Greetings!’ They came and took hold of His feet and worshipped Him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go tell My brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.’ ”
In Mark 16:9-14, we read: “Now when Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him as they mourned and wept. When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe it. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either. Afterward, He appeared to the eleven as they sat at supper, and He reprimanded them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.”
St. Paul speaks of the many eyewitnesses to Jesus’ resurrection in the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 15: “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: how Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and was seen by Cephas, and then by the twelve. Then He was seen by over five hundred brothers at once, of whom the greater part remain to this present time, though some have passed away. Then He was seen by James and then by all the apostles. Last of all, He was seen by me also, as by one born at the wrong time” (1 Cor. 15:3-7).
But what about you? Do you believe that Jesus rose bodily from the dead on the third day — that He really is alive? Like Jesus’ first disciples, we too may be “slow of heart to believe what the prophets have spoken” (Luke 24:25).
As the Scriptures say, “Thus it is written, and accordingly it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47).
The Scriptures foretold that Christ Jesus would suffer and die and bear the iniquity of us all and rise again in triumph and establish His everlasting kingdom (cf. Isa. 53; Ps. 22). Jesus truly did die for the sins of the whole world, and He did rise again from the dead on the third day!
So, why do we often live our lives as though He were not raised from the dead — as though He were still in the tomb?
Why do we go about our lives as though God were unwilling to forgive us? The Bible assures us that “Jesus our Lord … was delivered for our transgressions, and was raised for our justification” (Rom. 4:24,25). Jesus paid in full for our sins — “It is finished!” (John 19:30). He was raised so that we might look to Him in faith and be forgiven and counted righteous. God reaches out to us with open arms! He calls us to repent and offers us forgiveness and life through faith in the crucified and risen Christ Jesus!
Why do we live in fear of death? Jesus conquered death for us and rose again. The Scripture says, “But now is Christ risen from the dead and become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came by man, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward, those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:20-23). We, as Christians, need not fear death since Christ has removed our sin and the condemnation of God’s law from us (cf. 1 Cor. 15:55-57; Heb. 2:14-17). And, indeed, when death comes to a believer, we do not need to “grieve as others who have no hope” (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
Why do we live our lives here in this world as though this is our home? “Our Lord Jesus Christ … gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age” (Gal. 1:3,4). He now prepares a place in His Father’s house for all who look to Him in faith, and He will soon come again and take all who believe to be with Him in heaven and dwell forever with Him there (cf. John 14:2-3). All that is here in this world will soon be burned up — only what is done as a fruit of faith in Christ will last (cf. 1 Cor. 3:13-15; 2 Pet. 3:10-13).
Why do we live our lives as though we have nothing to do for Christ Jesus here in this world? He commanded His disciples: “Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). He commanded us to “make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:18-20). Jesus rose from the dead! He won forgiveness of sins and eternal life for all, and He is coming again soon to judge this evil world! Shouldn’t we be about the work of our Lord and calling lost sinners to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus? Apart from Him, there is no salvation (cf. Acts 4:12)!
Finally, why do we live our lives as though Jesus is not with us? He has risen from the dead, ascended to the right hand of God the Father, and rules over and fills all things (cf. Eph. 1:15-23). As He promised, the risen Lord Jesus is with us always, “even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20).
Dear Lord Jesus Christ, our crucified and risen Savior, open up our minds to understand the Scriptures so that we might not only believe You have truly risen from the dead but also live our lives by faith in Your glorious resurrection and all this means for us now and forever. Amen.
I know that my Redeemer lives, What comfort this sweet sentence gives
Author: Samuel Medley (1775)
1 I know that my Redeemer lives;
what comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, He lives, who once was dead;
He lives, my everlasting Head.
2 He lives triumphant from the grave,
He lives eternally to save,
He lives all-glorious in the sky,
He lives exalted there on high.
3 He lives to bless me with His love,
He lives to plead for me above,
He lives my hungry soul to feed,
He lives to help in time of need.
4 He lives to grant me rich supply,
He lives to guide me with His eye,
He lives to comfort me when faint,
He live to hear my soul’s complaint.
5 He lives to silence all my fears,
He lives to wipe away my tears,
He lives to calm my troubled heart,
He lives all blessings to impart.
6 He lives, my kind, wise, heav’nly Friend,
He lives and loves me to the end;
He lives, and while He lives, I’ll sing;
He lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King.
7 He lives and grants me daily breath;
He lives and I shall conquer death;
He lives my mansion to prepare;
He lives to bring me safely there.
8 He lives, all glory to His name!
He lives, my Jesus, still the same.
Oh, the sweet joy this sentence gives,
“I know that my Redeemer lives!”
“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.’ When He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.’ ” John 20:21-23 (Read John 20:19-23; Cf. Luke 24:46-47; Matt. 18:15-18.)
Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures. He suffered and died for the sins of all and rose again! Now He gives to His church a mission — an assignment and duty. He said to His chosen disciples, “As My Father has sent Me, even so I send you.”
He gave His disciples the Holy Spirit and a task to carry out: to preach “repentance and remission of sins” in Jesus’ name “to all nations,” beginning right where they were, in Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-47; cf. Matt. 28:16-20).
And God’s called disciples today are still to forgive the sins of those who repent and turn to Christ Jesus in faith and to retain (not forgive) the sins of those who do not repent. As Jesus says, “If you forgive the sins of anyone, they are forgiven them. If you retain the sins of anyone, they are retained.”
Jesus is not giving to any person or to any church the authority to forgive and retain sins according to their own whims or choosing. Rather, He gives to His church and its ministers the duty to preach and proclaim that all should repent and turn to Christ Jesus for forgiveness and life. To those who repent of their sins and look in faith to Jesus, the church proclaims God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus and His cross (cf. Psalm 32:1-5; John 8:11; 1 John 1:7 — 2:2). To those who remain impenitent and continue in their sinful ways the church and its ministers proclaim God’s wrath and punishment upon their sins! Cf. Matt. 18:15-18; John 8:24; Heb. 10:26-31; 1 Cor. 6:9-11.
Ministers and churches err and misapply God’s Word (and are false prophets) when they tell the impenitent that their sins are forgiven, or when they fail to console the penitent with the comfort of God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus. But, when ministers and churches rightly apply and proclaim God’s Word and counsel, forgiving the sins of penitent sinners and retaining the sins of the impenitent, their words are as certain and true as if God Himself had spoken them from His throne in heaven because it is God’s Word that they rightly apply to sinners!
But what is genuine repentance? It is not simply going through the outward motions of acknowledging our sinfulness, asking God to forgive us, and then returning unaffected to our old sinful ways (cf. Luke 3:7ff.)! Rather, it is sincerely acknowledging and sorrowing over our sinful ways and looking to Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice on the cross in faith for pardon and forgiveness. And where true repentance occurs, the penitent sinner then seeks God’s help and aid to amend his sinful ways and live for Christ Jesus, who died for him and rose again (cf. 1 John 1:7-2:6; 2 Cor. 5:15, 17; Psalm 51).
Indeed, God would have each of us live in continual repentance, examining ourselves in the light of God’s Word, being genuinely sorry for our sins and trusting in Jesus’ shed blood for forgiveness, and then continually seeking God’s help and strength to live our lives for Him in accordance with God’s Word.
I ask you, “Are you genuinely repentant? Do you acknowledge your sins and look in faith to Jesus and His cross for pardon and forgiveness?” If so, you have God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus for all your sins (cf. 1 John 1:7ff.). But if, on the other hand, you are unwilling to give up your sinful ways and turn to God for forgiveness and life in His Son, Jesus Christ, you remain dead in your sins and are under God’s wrath and judgment! Cf. John 3:18, 36; Mark 16:16.
Dearest Christ Jesus, we have sinned in thought, word, and deed and have failed to live according to Your perfect will. Forgive us for the sake of Your holy and precious blood, shed for us on the cross. And, dear Savior, grant us Your Spirit and give us a genuine desire to please You always. Amen.