Emptied Himself

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:511

For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me." - Romans 15:3

"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. - John 5:30

35 Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe.

37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.

39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.

40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." - John 6:35-40

In obedience to God the Father, Jesus offered himself as a living sacrifice to give man eternal life.

After His death on the cross, God raised Him from the dead!!!

Do you know what this gift means?

Do you believe in the power of the resurrection?

Without it there is no redemption!!!

Without repentance there is no forgiveness!!

He demands you bow before Him!!

He is King of Kings!!

He is Lord of Lords!!

You have forgiveness which only comes through His holy blood!!!

God demands an answer!!!

God is calling you!!

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.

32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." - John 12:31-32

He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. - 1 John 2:2

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time. - 1 Timothy 2:5-6

No Resurrection, No Savior

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain…. ye are yet in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15: 14, 17 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

It’s an unthinkable question: what if there had been no Easter? Suppose Jesus had not risen from the dead? Our faith would be futile, death would have dominion, sin would be sovereign and the future would be fearful. His death without His resurrection cannot save anybody. Our faith is worthless if He is still in the grave. 

How do we know that Jesus Christ was not just a religious fanatic, someone with a martyr complex who happened to get crucified? How do we know He is the Son of God, God incarnate? Romans 1:4 says He is “shown to be the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead.” 

How do we know that God accepted the sacrifice of Calvary? By the resurrection. The Bible says He was delivered for our offenses and raised again for our justification. No resurrection, no Savior. No Savior, no forgiveness. But Jesus went into the tomb and three days later walked out like a butterfly bursting from a cocoon. He is a risen Savior. 

ACTION POINT:

Read 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and meditate on all it means for your salvation.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Lamb of God—Your Substitute

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and with His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:4-6 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Jesus Christ did not die as a martyr. He was not a helpless victim. He said, “I lay down my life, No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself.” (John 10:17-18) The cross was not an accident or an afterthought; it was in the heart and mind of God before the world was framed. Jesus was born in the shadow of the cross. 

John the Baptist announced, “Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sins of the world.” The Lamb of God died on the same day as the Passover lambs were being slain on Mount Moriah, the very limestone ridge where long ago God had told Abraham, “God will provide Himself a lamb.” Jesus said, “Abraham saw My day, and was glad.” (John 8:56) 

To the priests on Mount Moriah, Jesus Christ could say, “Your work is over. Put away your knives. We need no more lambs, no more sacrifices. The Lamb has died and has paid in full.” 

ACTION POINT:

Meditate today upon that! Upon the price that was paid for your salvation. Read Matthew chapters 26 and 27. Thank Him for the price that was paid.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

Jesus Was Perfect

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrews 9:14

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

What an amazing life the Lord Jesus lived. Do you realize that Jesus never corrected, withdrew, or amended any statement He ever made? I wish I could say that! Jesus Christ never apologized for anything He ever did or said. Jesus Christ never sought advice from anyone, never had to ask for forgiveness. 

Jesus Christ doesn’t have any strong points. For Him to have strong points, He would have to have weak points. Robert Clark has rightly given this assessment of his character: 

“There was meekness without weakness, tenderness without feebleness, firmness without coarseness, love without sentimentality, holiness without sanctimoniousness, lowliness without lowness, truth without error, enthusiasm without fanaticism, passion without prejudice, heavenly mindedness without forgetfulness, carefreeness without carelessness, service without servility, self exaltation without egotism, judgment without harshness, seriousness without somberness, mercy without softness.” 

What a person was the Lord Jesus Christ! 

ACTION POINT:

The greatest question that can be asked was the question Pontius Pilate asked the crowd when Jesus stood before him: "Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus, which is called Christ?" Now I'm going to ask that question of you. What will you do with Jesus? No greater question could be asked.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Just for the Unjust

“For Christ also died for sins once for all, the Just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God …” - 1 Peter 3:18

A Roman soldier walked down a narrow corridor in a Roman prison. He held the torch up, and back in the shadows was a man. The guard with his key opened the door and said, “Barabbas, get up and come with me.” Barabbas began to plead, “No, wait, don’t take me! Have mercy!” The Roman soldier said, “You’re not going to die; there’s somebody else who’s going to die in your place. Come here. Look over on that hill. That’s the cross we made for you. But there’s someone else on it. He has taken your place.”

In what happened to Barabbas, God arranged a perfect picture of substitution — the just dying for the unjust that He might bring us to Himself.

Take time today to tell the Lord Jesus Christ how much you love Him and how grateful you are that He stepped out of glory and became obedient unto death—even the death of the Cross—for your sake and mine.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Only One Who Conquered Death

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” 1 Corinthians 15:55 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Harry Houdini was an escape artist. They tried all kinds of ways to keep Harry Houdini locked up. They would bury him in a coffin, but he would get out. They would sew him up in canvas bags and throw him in the river, but he would come out. His biographer said he could “escape from anything, except your memory.” 

Yet there came a day when Harry Houdini died and he did not escape. No trickery there. Harry Houdini did not escape the iron-clad clutches of death. But I want to tell you there was another who died. His name was Jesus, and He made the great escape. Jesus came out of the grave and He arose. Praise God, Jesus is alive! 

ACTION POINT:

Who in your circle of friends doesn’t know Jesus? Pray for them right now, that they would hear the Good News, repent and believe upon Jesus as Lord and Savior.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers

The Only One Who Ever Chose to Die

BIBLE MEDITATION:

“I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Did you know that there has only been one person who ever chose to die? Only one. 

"Oh," you say, "Suicide bombers choose to die. Other people choose to die. People who die by their own hand choose to die. People who give themselves for others choose to die." 

But really no one has ever chosen to die except Jesus. Why? Because He was the only One who didn’t have to die. Some people may choose to die a little sooner, but nobody has ever truly chosen to die except One—the Lord Jesus Christ. 

It wasn’t nails that held Him to the tree. It was the silver cords of love and the golden bonds of redemption that held Jesus Christ to that cross. 

ACTION POINT:

The fact that no one has ever chosen to die but Jesus, may be a new concept to you. If so, it’s probably new to someone else as well. Share it with someone today!

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers