Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was the Great Exchange.
Scriptures and Key Points
April 9th in history:
- 1865 – Civil War ceased fire
- In 1906 – Azusa Street Revival began
- Then in 1945 – Dietrich Bonhoeffer was martyred
Psalm 126:5-6 NKJV Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.
- Our tears become seed.
Luke 6:45 NKJV A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
We need to exchange our old heart for a new heart.
- The place of the water source brings life.
“Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow, and it is grace because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life…costly because it condemns sin, and grace because it justifies the sinner. Above all, it is costly because it cost God the life of his Son: ‘Ye were bought at a price’, and what has cost God much cannot be cheap for us…it is grace because God did not reckon his Son too dear a price to pay for our life, but delivered him up for us. Costly grace is the Incarnation of God. He did not see it as too dear a price to pay for our life by offering His own son for us.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship
The only thing that brings Christianity to life is Jesus Christ.
Luke 9:23-26, 51 NKJV Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it… what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels…Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem
- God asks us not to take up Jesus’ cross; He’s saying take up your cross.
“Self is the opaque veil that hides the face of God from us.” – A.W. Tozer
If we want revival, we need to take up the place of the revelation of the cross in our own lives.
- What Christ has done empowers us to walk in the authority that He’s given us.
“If a commission by an earthly king is considered an honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?” – David Livingstone
John 10:10 NKJV The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
- It’s one thing to give our words of adoration. But it’s another thing to give our lives in a celebration of adoration everyday.
- steadfast = “consumed and determined”
Hebrews 12:2 NKJV Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Christ’s exchange looked beyond the sufferings to see the hope beyond.
Hebrews 2:3 NKJV How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him
John 12:23-27 NKJV But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also… anyone (who) serves Me, him My Father will honor. “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’?… for this purpose I came to this hour.
Isaiah 64:6 NKJV But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags;…
Earlier in Isaiah 61:10 NKJV …For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness…
Also:
Matthew 8:1-4 NKJV …And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
Then, in Matthew 5:16-18 NKJV Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.
Galatians 5:1 NKJV Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
Leviticus 14 NKJV The Ritual for Cleansing Healed Lepers
Jesus became an earthen vessel, the river of living water, the well that never runs dry and His blood shed for us became the great exchange.
- Each of us has been cleansed of the leprosy of sin.
2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NKJV Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.
John 8:32 NKJV And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Colossians 1:16-18 NKJV For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. .. He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
- “You’re not just my savior; You’re my Lord.”
James 2:19 NKJV You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
Our only hope is in the presence of the living God.
- The three gifts of the Magi at Christ’s birth were all preparation for the burial of royalty.
- Gold for the King of all Kings.
- Frankincense for the Priest of all Priests.
- Myrrh- burial items for the sacrifice of all sacrifices
Philippians 1:21 NKJV For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
- “If I don’t go back, the church will not be encouraged and grow.”
- Sometimes it takes heroes of faith to stay in the moment.
1 Peter 1:22-25 NKJV Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, because “All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.
- We have a joy unspeakable, a peace beyond comprehension, and we have strength that comes from that joy.
Philippians 4:7 NKJV And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Nehemiah 8:10 NKJV …Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Connect with Us:
Website: SomebodyCares.org,
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SomebodyCaresAmerica/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/somebodycaresamerica
Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/SomebodyCares
Twitter: https://twitter.com/_SomebodyCares
Let the hurting know that SOMEBODY CARES with a donation to support disaster response and ministry efforts here! To get the latest updates on disaster responses, visit SomebodyCares.org
Share this message with a friend and subscribe for weekly encouragement and inspiration!
You can also receive weekly Provoke-a-Thought emails, monthly teaching emails, periodic ministry updates, or join our prayer team by signing up here!
Download a free 30-day devo at AWordInSeasonPodcast.org