Beyond the Cross

    Have you gone to the cross friend?  Then you have left behind your guilt, your sorrow, your disappointments and pain.  But have you ever thought of what’s on the other side of the cross?  You will see Jesus our victorious warrior.  Col 2:10 “... so you have everything when you have Christ, and you are filled with God through your union with Christ.  He is the highest Ruler, with authority over every other power.”  We see a brand new way of living. Col 2:12b “...you came up out of death with him into a new life because you trusted the Word of the mighty God who raised Christ from the dead.”  We see God’s strength at work.  Phil 4:13 “...For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power.”  We see the promise of the resurrection.  Phil 3:11 “So what ever it takes, I will be one who lives in the fresh newness of life of those who are alive from the dead.”
    However, before we go forward lets consider further what must be left at the cross.  The apostle Paul is an example of what this means.  In order to live in this fresh newness of life he had to turn his back on what had been so important to him yet in the way between him and Christ.  He had to leave behind his mother’s religion, his father’s heritage and his own personal achievements.  We leave the cross innocent, pure and empty.  We leave with nothing of our own.  We have left behind not only our sins and failures but also our natural privileges, accomplishments and successes.  Now we seek for Christ alone to fill us.  Phil 3:13 “No, dear brothers I am still not all I should be but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”       
    God’s power is now at work to see beyond the cross to a life that is supernatural.  At the cross the natural life has ended.  Praise God, we have risen at last to a new way of living.