Love Personified Death Mortified

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Truth Drips | Motivational

Transcript

Welcome And Purpose For Healing

Dina LaFargue Augustin 0:00

Hello, hello to every visitor listening to this week's Dripline Podcast, Healing for Your Soul. It is my hope that this week's message will touch your heart and make you more self-aware so that you can feel better, love better, forgive more, and be empowered to make better life decisions. Ultimately, understanding who Jesus Christ is, what he did, and why he did it, and why knowing him is such a life-changing event and relationship. In the past weeks, I have discussed the many levels of disorder in our lives that come by the way of not knowing who we are, who created and made us, and why we are, and how that ties into knowing Christ. I spoke of broken relationships, sexual relationships, and our sexual activities, and how our own ignorance, our own misguided beliefs, and lack of belief causes us to engage in certain acts that only contribute to the destruction of our own lives and relationships. With that being said, this week being the time of Passover and Holy Week, and ultimately the day the resurrection of Christ is celebrated, also known as Easter or Resurrection Day, I am bringing a message of hope, a message of life, a message that goes beyond our circumstances, situations, and dilemmas. I bring you Jesus Christ. I bring you truth. I bring you deliverance from every bondage that has held your life captive, that has held your mind and emotions captive. I bring you to the cross, to the place where death was conquered and true life began.

Passover Hope And The Cross

Dina LaFargue Augustin 2:00

So I ask, have you ever contemplated what it means to really be loved and to really love to the end of yourself, to the end of oneself? Maybe you believe your love is real. Maybe you believe your love and commitment can and is able to fix all things in your life and in your loved one's life. Maybe you have actually sacrificed everything for the sake of a loved one. And maybe someone has actually sacrificed something for you. But I charge you, how many of you can say you've done the ultimate by truly physically giving your life up for a loved one or someone you don't even know? And how many of you can say that there is any God besides Jesus Christ that has died for you alone that you might have life? Yes, I only know of one. Jesus Christ, the living word, the Son of God, the one who was with God and who is God, who made everything seen and unseen from the beginning, the beginning of time, which is where we exist, but yet he is outside of time. I know that's something to contemplate. Now, have you ever contemplated what really exists beyond this mortal life? Have you ever stopped to think about what really matters and how your position may impact your present and future life? I will try to help you discern a few things to help you in your walk, to help you answer those questions, to help you understand what really matters and who really matters in life. First, I will briefly detail a few points about the most influential historical religious leaders that have formed the major world religions that are practiced today. These historical religions and figures have actually revolutionized humanity by establishing foundational moral frameworks, promoting social justice, and offering paths to personal peace. They have shaped billions of lives by promoting compassion, kindness, education. They have influenced global law, culture, and ethics. So listen very carefully to discern the

A Tour Of Major Religions

Dina LaFargue Augustin 4:30

similarities and the differences between them. First, Hinduism, one of the oldest systems, has no leader, but it has many gods, uncountable gods. Most of the gods act independently of one another and impartially to mankind. Some Hindus believe that Sidhartha Gautama of the Buddhist system was actually a reincarnation of one of their main gods known as Vishnu, even though Siddhartha, once a Hindu and an Indian prince, never believed in any gods at all and developed Buddhism which has no god. Now Siddhartha Katama was born, it is believed, in 563 BC or BCE in Nepal. It is believed he also died around 483 BC or BCE at the age of 80 in what today is known as India. Siddhartha taught about a path to end suffering through mindfulness, compassion, and the middle way, a way between luxury and deprivation, focusing on inner peace and ethical living. And this is known as the Noble Eightfold Path. Buddha, who is and was Siddharth Gautama, I should say, insisted that he was merely human and that there is no Almighty, no benevolent God. He did not believe in life after death as many people believe. He did not believe that there was one God or many gods. He rejected the belief in an individual's soul, unlike Hinduism. But he believed that mankind's sole purpose in life was to live a life that would free the body and its energy of all need of reincarnation by focusing on the eight-step path or the eightfold path. This path would promote enlightenment or the ability for that energy that dwelt within the body to return or reunite itself with the fabric of the universe as energy im personal energy and nothing more. Hence, there is no soul according to Siddhartha Katama, only energy. He preached that desire was the root cause of suffering and that people should seek to eliminate desire. He was born roughly around 500 years before Jesus Christ, just to give you a perspective on the timing of his life and Jesus' life. Now we have Confucius. Confucius was born around 551 BCE in the Shandong province of China, and he died around 479 BCE. He was one of China's most famous teachers, philosophers, and political theorists whose ideas have profoundly influenced the civilizations of China and other Eastern Asian countries. He established an ethical system, emphasizing morality, social harmony, respect for family, and education. His teachings on virtue, benevolence, and proper governance

Buddhism And Confucius In Brief

Dina LaFargue Augustin 7:55

shaped Eastern Asian culture for over 2,500 years. Hence, Confucianism is more a social system than a religion. It does not speak to life after mortality. It does not speak about gods or worshiping any form of a god. It does not speak to reincarnation. Now we move on to Islam. Muhammad is believed to be the creator of Islam. However, Muhammad had an encounter with the spirit that provoked him to create this system. In his life, Muhammad is believed to have united, divided tribes through the Middle Eastern continent through the doctrine of monotheism. He established a social justice system of reforms, promoted education, and emphasized the dignity of the individual within a community, transforming the social structure of the Arabian Peninsula. However, it also influenced the African peninsula and the order of the family and community

Islam And The Weight Of Works

Dina LaFargue Augustin 9:08

as it became a patrilineal society versus matrilineal societies that were common in Africa and some parts of the Middle East, hence changing lifestyles and the rights and health of women. Islam was developed after Mohammad had this encounter and that encounter happened around the early 7th century. The word Islam means to surrender. The word Allah essentially means god. It is a title and not a personal name. Islam is strictly monotheistic, does not believe in a trinity, does not believe in Jesus Christ as a savior, but only as a prophet. It accepts Abraham and Adam and Moses and the Mother Mary, but it does not believe really in anything else that ties itself to the Torah, the Jewish holy book, or the Christian Bible. The sacred scripture of Allah is the Quran, which contains revelations that Muhammad received from the spirit. The sayings and deeds of the Prophet are recounted in various books, one namely the Sunnah and also the Hadith. The religious obligations of all Muslims are summed up in the five pillars of faith, which include a profession of faith, uh, charity, pilgrimage, and fasting, and also following Sharia law. Sharia law embraces a total way of life commanded by that spirit who is supposedly speaking from some unidentified god. Muhammad never performed miracles, but did amass many wars against other nations for uh promoting Islam and also promoting trade because Muhammad at one point was a salesman. He had a traveling caravan and traveled across various territories. Responding to the demand of the Spirit, Muhammad became a warrior and essentially was a catalyst to many pagan people uh accepting Islam, uh terrorizing other faith systems into converting to Islam, and also was responsible for promoting uh a more systematic form of enslavement of African peoples by the Arabs. Now, in Islam, the afterlife is rather precarious and dangles in the hand of Allah as to one's good works, meaning, will one go to heaven or not is only known by Allah. One never knows what is enough. Hence, suicide bombers and other sacrificial acts are used to gain Allah's favor and mercy. After all, Allah is referred to as the merciful one. Now we move on to Christ. Christ was born in Bethlehem in present-day Palestine around 1 BC. He was killed by crucifixion around 33 AD. The world calendar year by most countries globally is calculated by his birth and death, whether using BC meaning before Christ or AD Anodomini, meaning the year of the Lord, or BCE before the Common Era, or CE, the Common Era. Hence, they still mark the life and death of Jesus. Jesus was a Galilean, considered a great Jewish rabbi who was regarded as a teacher and a healer in Judea. Christians all over the world

Who Jesus Is In Christianity

Dina LaFargue Augustin 12:54

then and now believed that he was the promised Messiah that was foretold or prophesied in the Old Testament, and that he was also the Son of God, being God. In fact, the Christian concept of God is a holy trinity, God the Father or the Source, Jesus Christ, the Son, the Living Word, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus promoted in his time on earth unconditional love, forgiveness, humility, and radical charity, emphasizing serving the poor, serving the marginalized, serving anyone was essentially serving him. He challenged existing power structures and offered a spiritual message of salvation and reconciliation to God. The Bible and Gospels are believed to be written by the inspiration of God, the Holy Spirit, and written to proclaim Jesus to be the Savior of mankind, reconciling man to God after the fall of Adam and Eve. Hence, it is said and written that Jesus came into the world as a man. He lived as a man by the power of the Holy Spirit and the birth through the Virgin Mary, and he lived in perfect relationship with God, his Father in heaven and the Holy Spirit. It is believed that he died on the cross, being crucified after being falsely accused of blasphemy. During his life, there is historical documentation of the many miracles he performed that included raising people from the dead and casting out demons. He voluntarily gave up his life so that all people would be saved by his self-sacrifice. Adam, the first man created by God in God's image, was given all authority over everything in the earth and in the air, thereby opening the door for death and sin. And Jesus hence came into the world to overcome and correct Adam and Eve's error and sin, hence returning mankind to what had been lost, restoring the relationship between God and man, making it possible for all peoples born, past, present, and future, to live prosperous lives, lives of hope, lives of power, dominion, and authority in the earth, lives of peace and prosperity, and life after death in the presence of the Lord God Almighty. Okay. With all that said, let me get to the nitty-gritty about Jesus. There are so many people in the world that deny his divinity, that deny that he ever existed. These are people that prefer to perform acts to prove their worthiness. These are people that practice other systems or make up their own systems to satisfy their own egos, to satisfy their fleshly desires, and to live according to their might, their will, believing that whatever they do will guarantee them a better afterlife or better quality of life here in this earthly realm. But nothing could be further from the truth. First of all, as I've outlined the basics of these other major

Why People Reject Christ

Dina LaFargue Augustin 16:13

world religions, I think from what I posted, past and present, one can tell that most of them do not mention love, the soul's existence after one dies, or what it takes to live a peaceful and prosperous afterlife. I mean, after all, don't people really want a better life now and hereafter? Don't people wonder what the purpose of life actually is? Don't people often wonder why they are and live miserably because they don't know who they are? Don't people wonder if there actually is an afterlife or not? And if anything is really real or not after we die? I do believe that most people hope for a better future. I do believe that most people want more. I do believe most people hope that there is something after that is worth living for. But many people doubt that there is. And many people live without hope and without hope there is no vision. Without hope is life worth living? And I believe that doubt comes from a lack of understanding, a lack of research, the lack of searching and, perhaps the lack of not even wanting to know the truth, and the lack of putting forth the effort to find out what's really out there to even understand the basic tenets of any other faith systems. People mill around lost for no good reason without any real direction. They get up, they go to work, they have a family and that's what they live for. Maybe working hard to get that big boat or that beautiful house. And then I wonder why toil so much with nothing else promised? And why, in living that life, is accepting Christ so offensive? What is so offensive about Jesus Christ that people would prefer to do anything else besides acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior? Is your ego that big? Are you so entrenched in tradition without any proof of it being worthy of anything to you that you would really risk having a life with the God that created you? I mean, think about it. Most of us do want a good life. Most of us want some sense of power. Most of us want to live in hope. Most of us want to overcome negativity and live better quality of lives altogether. Most of us look to someone or something that can be our hero, that can be our helper, a source of relief, a source or solution. Most of us want to be comforted, acknowledged, uplifted, validated, and accepted. And most of us, like the song says, we wonder about what there is. The song says, is that all there is to life?

Speaker 19:14

Is that all there is to love? But with Jesus, there is more. There is more because the God Jesus Christ, the one true God, the God of the Christian faith, knows you and wants you and loves you.

Dina LaFargue Augustin 19:39

Yes, there is a God, there is a Father, there is a Holy Spirit, there is the living word Jesus Christ, who became man, and that man being Jesus Christ, who still lives, essentially died that we would overcome death ourselves. When most people say that Christianity began after 33 AD, well, in one way they're right, but at the same time, this Jesus always was and will always be. He has no beginning and He has no end. He essentially existed before as the Word of God. He existed before anything else ever existed. But He became man, he became man and died as a man, but resurreected as the GOD-Man. He is the one who created everything seen and unseen And there is a history of His existence in the Torah and the Bible in the Old Testament, before He manifested as a man through the Virgin birth, by the power of the Holy Spirit. THis is the God that says He loves every human that was ever created, this is the God that says He would die just for one person that they be saved. This is the God that although His firts born, first created, Adam and His first daughter failed and gave up their authority over this earthly realm that had a plan. He already had a plan to save even them. He cam as a man to take back the authority that they gave up. He came as a man to take back His people, to protect and save His children so that they would not live in eternal damnation at the hands of satan. Mind you most of us with any kind of mind, most of us who are not sociopathic or psychopathic want peace. If there is any life out there to have that guarantees peace and joy forever and ever and ever, I believe most of us want that and I cannot understand how anybody would not. I cannot understand how anyone would not want the recipe to living more victoriously in this earthly realm because this God is the God that makes promises, that has made promises, that never changes, and that is faithful. He is not just the God of morality and ethics, although we can't have morality without him. This is the God who created out of joy. This is the God who created out of love. This is the God who created out of premeditated desire to create mankind in his image, who was selfless enough to create a kingdom where his own creation could and would partake in the authority of his kingdom because of what he endowed his children with. What

Personal Love Versus Impersonal Faiths

Dina LaFargue Augustin 22:45

other God has done that? What other God purposed that? What other faith system has a God that is personal enough to do that or want that? And what other God says he is nothing but love? Buddhism mentions nothing about love as we know it in Christianity. Buddhism knows nothing about it. Hinduism knows nothing about it. Both those systems speak of the need to reincarnate until the energy within releases itself from this mortal life. This is a system that breaks all physical and physicality that exist around itself so that the energy would live as one. The purpose of reincarnation would no longer be necessary once the energy within, or according to whole uh Hinduism, the soul within finds no need anymore to reincarnate because it has overcome all ills in the world. Yet there is still no mention of love. Reincarnation in both systems supports that everyone needs to reincarnate to become part of a mindless, independent, impersonal energy. I'm not going to go into detail about the differences between the two, but I will say, think about it. If energy has fractured itself to become materialized or to become physical, then perhaps that energy has a problem in itself. And why would the energy that is broken away from it want to reunite with it? Just think about it. That's perhaps a form of philosophical question to say, well, if there was a mistake, because in both systems, physicality is a mistake, is an error, then something must be wrong. Something must be wrong with that energy. Hence, why go back to it? Think about it. Now, by the time you hear this message, Christians globally have celebrated the resurrection of Christ Jesus. The prior week was holy week, a week of reflection and contemplation of Jesus' preparation for what he was about to face in bringing us to life. He girded up his spirit man, he girded up his strength and will to submit to the will of God by dying that we might live in him. He brought himself to that most gruesome of deaths on the cross. Look, most of us cry when we stub our toe. Most of us despise getting paper cuts. Pain is never something we run to. Pain is never anything we welcome. Mind you, Jesus ran to it and Jesus welcomed it for our benefit. Now there's emotional and physical pain that we suffer in this life. And Jesus coming into this world and dying for us caused him to suffer emotional and a physical pain that is beyond our contemplation or comprehension. His act was nothing but an expression of the purest, most powerful love that could ever be expressed or fulfilled. That's why at the beginning of this podcast, I asked if anyone had ever really contemplated the depth of true love, and if anyone has ever been so selfless to sacrifice anything of themselves physically, emotionally, for someone you love, to the point of death, to give everything you have for someone you love. Yes, there are a few people that can say that. But, the bigger picture is would you even die for someone that you didn't love or that you didn't know, or that you knew would never do anything for you or that you knew hated you, despised you, and rejected you? Well, Jesus did. Jesus died for everyone. That everyone will be saved. Jesus died for all those that rejected him, all those that turned away from him, all those that rejected God, all those that began worshiping other gods. Hence, in time, all those other systems that exist in the world are only results and products of the rebellion against God. And I can say that so confidently again. And you can listen to the prior podcasts that address all of that, that give more explanation to that premise. Now, again, it's not to insult, but I'm only trying to teach. Hinduism and Buddhism contradict everything that is natural to the world. Islam contradicts biblical truth, saying that some of the prophets of God were honorable and truthful and real prophets, and some not. But it never defines exactly who was wrong, who was a false prophet, and how. It is one of the greatest deceptions of all time, turning people away from truth and how salvation could be obtained. So if you're a person that hates evil, and most people do, listen to this message. We know that evil is all around us. We can't live in disbelief that it doesn't exist, but we must acknowledge where it came from and why is it increasing. It came from rebellion. It came from turning away from God. It came from an act of pride, greed, and impatience. It is a product of the 7 deadly sins, essentially, because besides pride, the other sins are envy, lust, sloth, greed, gluttony, wrath. Pride says, I can be this even though I'm not. Envy says, I want to be who they are and have what they have. Envy expresses dislike as a result for what they are. I want to have what they have. I want to do what they do. Wrath is anger out

Evil Rebellion And The Seven Sins

Dina LaFargue Augustin 29:08

of control, which comes from fear and rage. Gluttony is just the overconsumption of something that has become unhealthy. It's excessiveness, an excessive wanting, like an addiction. It's something that points to unhealthy habits. And sloth is mere laziness. We are not created to be lazy. We are created to be productive, as it was expressed in the chapters of Genesis. Laziness means we take too many shortcuts that are unproductive and ineffective. And greed is just something that never satisfies. The sin of Adam and Eve. Well, we know there was pride, there was wanting, perhaps there was envy. They wanted something that wasn't theirs. They wanted more than what they had. They believed they could be more if they had more. And they were willing to take a shortcut by eating from the tree of knowledge. Some versions of the Bible say that the word love is mentioned over 361 times, another version over 440, and another over 640, based on how they interpret the word charity. Now, the word fear is mentioned in the Bible over 550 times in various versions. Seemingly enough, it says, fear is not of God, and that perfect love casts out fear. And I'm moving in this direction because the seven deadly sins come out of need and want, and sometimes fear is behind all of it. The lack of love is behind all of it. Fear is the opposite of love. Fear says, I might not be good enough and I might not be accepted. Fear says, I don't think I can, so I won't. Fear says, I might fail so I'm going to do this instead. Fear says, I'm not worthy so I'm won't even try. Fear says, I'm alone and noone understands me or wants me. Fear denies the Truth of God over and over in the Bible. God speaks to fear. And I'm going to read scripture after scripture because more than anything, I can say the word of God is swift and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, to the dividing of soul and spirit, marrow and bone, discerning the hearts and minds of every man that has ever lived. So let the word of God here speak to you. It's more powerful than anything I could say. Isaiah chapter 41, verse 10 reads, Do not fear, for I am with you. Be not dismayed. I am your God, and I will strengthen you, and I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness. Second Timothy chapter 1 says, and wait a minute. Remember, God created us in his image. So 2 Timothy chapter 1 says, God did not create us with the spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and a sound mind. First John chapter 4, verse 18 says, There is no fear in

Scriptures That Confront Fear

Dina LaFargue Augustin 32:24

love, but perfect love cast out all fear. Mind you, God says he is perfect love. Fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. Psalm thirty four, I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my troubles. Joshua chapter one verse nine, Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous? Do not be frightened and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Proverbs chapter twenty nine verse twenty five says, The fear of man, the fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe. Psalm twenty three states, Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Isaiah forty one verse ten. Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will uphold you, I will help you with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah chapter thirty five verse four says, Be strong, do not fear, for your God will come. Psalm twenty seven says, My heart will not fear, even though a war breaks out against me, I will be confident. Deuteronomy chapter thirty one, verse six says, Be strong and courageous, do not fear or be in dread of them. For your Lord your God goes with you. He will not leave or forsake you. And Psalm thirty four verse four, I sought the Lord and he answered me, he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm forty-six verses one through three. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in the time of trouble. Do not you want this God that is with you in all scenarios and all situations and circumstances of life wherever you find yourself? He says, I will never leave you, I will never forsake you. He says, My peace I give unto you. I do not give as the world gives. So do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. And the list goes on and on and on. This is a God that expresses his love continually and demonstrates his lo ve continually and proves the most ultimate act of love through his death and his power through his resurrection, giving us life, giving us life everlasting, giving us a better life here in this earthly realm just by knowing him, by reassuring us that day by day, moment by moment, he is with us, guiding us and leading us, reminding us that we don't have to live in fear, we don't have to be anxious for anything, and that no extreme emotion or negativity need own us because he is with us to guide us and to heal us and to help us and to provide. This is the God that suffered beyond all imagination for anyone who would receive him, and he suffered for all those who would not, but he did it anyway. On the website, DiscoveringTheology.com, there's an article entitled Enduring the Cross, A Journey Through Christ's Suffering and Crucifixion, and it details the excruciating humiliation, torture, and pain that Jesus suffered. It reads, one often overlooked aspects of Jesus' suffering during his crucifixion, as the sheer exhaustion he endured is estimated that by the time Jesus was crucified, he had been awake for approximately 36 hours without rest. And those final hours he faced relentless physical and emotional trials from the agony in Gethsemane

The Physical Suffering Of Jesus

Dina LaFargue Augustin 36:36

to his arrest to the endless interrogation by religious and political authorities. Mind you, he went from one circumstance to another, from one moment of torture and excruciating pain to a humiliating and painful interrogation to the crucifixion. Who can endure such a brutal beating? Who can endure such mocking and immense emotional weight of betrayal and abandonment, lack of sleep, deprivation, and being stripped of all humanity, being stripped physically and emotionally, any of us would have been dead. He was left physically weak, immensely drained, and emotionally vulnerable under the weight of such crushing fatigue, devastation, and mutilation. Yet Jesus willingly continued proving his unfathomable love and obedience to the Father's will. His exhaustion and mutilation adds a profound layer to the suffering he endured for our sake, for the sake of humanity. He sweated blood before his first blow was ever dealt to him, before a single soldier had ever laid a hand on him. The pressure that he endured was so intense he bled. He endured such an intensity of suffering that we can't even begin to phantom. We can't even begin to imagine what he suffered in Gethsemane that caused him to sweat blood. The emotional physical stress that he experienced was so extreme, his body reacted by literally bleeding, which is a condition called hematidrosis. It is the phenomena, a medical phenomena of sweating blood. Now, such cases have only been reported a few times in the world, but medical literature does indeed list it and legitimize it. It's defined as a condition that occurs when extreme stress causes the tiny blood vessels surrounding the sweat glands to rupture, mixing blood and sweat together. The article describes this moment as the moment of extreme agony as he prayed fervently to fulfill the will of God. His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. This unparalleled level of anguish unfolds and is experienced before any physical assault even began, revealing the depth of the internal battle Jesus was fighting. And I interject it was also a spiritual battle against all evil forces trying to destroy him before he even went to the cross. The article continues. No, this act was not an act of fear of death, but this prayer and this fervency was in that he was determined to carry the full, crushing, burning weight of humanity's sin. The humiliation and injustices that have filled the earth from the first man to any soul that would ever exist in the earth. Yes, he came to this point to overcome all injustices, all sin and rebellion that was experienced in this earthly realm by mankind. And following his arrest, Jesus was subjected to a series of brutal and unjust trials by the Jewish authorities. And during these proceedings, his beard was ripped from his face. He was relentlessly mocked, spat upon, humiliated, and physically abused, blindfolded, and struck repeatedly while insults and mockery and false accusations were made against him. And all along he said, Not my will, but your will be done, my father. Through all of this undeserved mistreatment and accusations of blasphemy, Jesus remained silent and submissive, fulfilling the prophecy of the suffering servant who was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth. And that can be read in Isaiah 53, verse 7. His endurance of such humiliation highlights the depth of his humility and his unwavering commitment to the mission of salvation for all mankind. As Jewish leaders condemned him, Jesus was also taken to Pontius Pilati or Pontius Pilate, the Roman government, for judgment. Pilate, after examining him, found no fault in Jesus. Yet the crowd stirred up by the religious authorities demanded crucifixion. They exchanged a man named Barabbas, which means son of God or son of the Father, for Jesus Christ, which is a parallel to Jesus dying for us, being like Barabbas, a criminal. Barabbas was a criminal, a sinner. And that is who Jesus died for. Now, Pilate, hoping to avoid making this final decision, sent Jesus to Herod, the local Jewish leader, king. And yet Herod, known for his cruelty and mockery, subjected Jesus to further humiliation. Rather than conducting a genuine trial, Herod interrogated Jesus with scorn, mocked his kingship, and in cruel jests had him dressed in a splendid robe to ridicule the claim that he was a king. Can you imagine that you know you're God and you're going through this by your own people, the ones that are to love you, the ones that you love so much? Because despite it all, God still loves us. Despite our sins, God still loves us. So despite Herod's brutal treatment, Herod still found no guilt in him and sent him back to the Jews. These interactions with earthly authorities showcased the tragic irony the article continues. The very leaders who had the power to deliver justice instead chose mockery, cowardice, cruelty, and ignorance, unknowingly fulfilling God's plan of redemption through their own rejection of him. Now, the article describes the brutality of the Roman scourging, a body torn apart, because it says on the cross no one could recognize that there was even a human on the cross, and his apostles could barely recognize him. After being unjustly condemned, Jesus was subjected to the brutal punishment of scourging, a form of torture so savage that it was typically reserved for slaves and traitors. Roman scourging was designed to completely break a person physically and mentally before their execution. Jesus would have been stripped naked and tied to a post, while two Roman soldiers positioned on either side alternated, whipping his back, shoulders, buttocks, legs, and even the heels of his feet. The instrument used was called a Roman flagrum, a whip with multiple leather straps, each embedded with sharp fragments of bone, metal, or lead balls. With every strike, these sharp pieces would dig deep into the flesh, tear open, or rip open the skin, and even shred the muscles underneath. The result was massive blood loss, pained to the point of unconsciousness in most people, and layers of exposed tissues and even organs. Medical experts estimate that just one lash on such a whip will require 20 stitches to close. Yet Jesus endured repeated blows consciously, leaving his body horrifically disfigured and mauled, an unimaginable degree of suffering even before he was led to the cross, mind you, carrying his own cross. Under Jewish law, as outlined in Deuteronomy chapter 25, verse 3, punishments by whipping were not to exceed 40 lashes, with the practice usually stopping at 39 to avoid accidental excess. However, Jesus was not scourged by the Jews. He was handed over to Roman soldiers, and the Romans had no such limits or restraints. And the Jewish population knew that. They did not recognize Truth. Roman scourging was notoriously savage, administered with no concern for human life or dignity. The Romans are the ones that sent the Christians to the lions and boiled others in pots of water to their death. So the Romans' goal was to weaken the victims so severely that crucifixion would end more quickly, reducing the burden of guarding the dying man. So it was all to their benefit and not the benefit of the prisoner. Yeah, they would continue beating the prisoner to the verge of death so that the crucifixion would be quick and their work would be fast. The Roman flagrum, designed to tear flesh and muscle, caused unbearable shock, immense blood loss, dehydration, and unspeakable pain. In many cases, scourging alone was so brutal that prisoners died before they ever reached the cross. Jesus endured this limitless cruelty, already beginning his sacrifice for humanity long before the nails pierced his hands. Given the Roman approach to scourging, it is highly likely that Jesus endured far more than the traditional Jewish limit of 39 lashes, leaving him severely mutilated and half dead before he even reached the cross. Even if he had only received 39 lashes, the brutality of this method of torment and torture to death with each swing of the whip, with its multiple leather straps embedded with sharp objects, would have caused up to nine separate lacerations at once. This means that the lashes Jesus suffered would have resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of deep gaping wounds across his body. To put it in perspective, the total damage would have required thousands of stitches to close. His flesh was torn open, his muscles shredded, his body left in a state of unimaginable trauma and more than likely unrepairable. No movie can ever imagine it or reenact it. It would not be allowed. The Passion of the Christ does not even come close and that was brutal to watch. The fulfillment of the prophecy, the article continues, the prophet Isaiah, centuries before the crucifixion, foresaw the depth of suffering the Messiah would endure. Isaiah 52, verse 14 declares, just as many were astonished at you, so his visage was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men. That meaning he was unrecognizable. This chilling prophecy speaks to the extent of Jesus' physical disfigurement. Scholars and medical experts believe that after the savage Roman scourging, Jesus' body would have been so brutally torn and battered that he was barely recognizable. His face, his back, and entire body were likely so swollen and lacerated and deformed behind beyond any human resemblance. Those who witnessed him after the scourging would have been shocked and horrified by his appearance. Yet it was through this overwhelming suffering that Jesus fulfilled the scriptures, embodying the servant who would bear the punishment for the sins of the world, for us, not in mere symbolism, but in real excruciating agony. I had to take a moment because even reading this is overwhelming for me. Then there's a crown of mockery. In addition to the physical beating Jesus endured, the Roman soldiers had added a cruel mockery to his suffering by forcing a crown of thorns onto his head. These thorns, about three-quarters of an inch long, were sharp enough to penetrate deeply into his skull, adding yet another layer of agony to his already shredded body. The crown was not merely a ring around his head, it was more like a helmet, encircling his entire head with thorns, and it is estimated that it caused 30

The Cross As Love Not Weakness

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to 50 puncture wounds. And this is all documented in other historical documents outside of the Bible. This act was intended to mock Jesus as the so-called King of the Jews, twisting the title meant for honor into one of scorn. The thorns would have caused intense pain as they embedded deeply into his scalp, causing bleeding and exacerbating the trauma of his already brutally beaten body. This crown, though made in ridicule, ultimately symbolized the true kingship of Christ, a king who suffered not for his own sins, but for the sins of all humanity. Yet some would mock this act and say, no God will be so inclined to die in humility like this on a cross. If he was God, he would have saved himself. My God would not be so weak, others would say. Some believe he really wasn't the one on the cross but an imposter. But there is scripture after scripture and prophecy after prophecy of Jesus going to the cross and dying in such a state long before he came into the earth as a man. Jesus' death on the cross is viewed as the ultimate act of love rather than weakness, because it was a voluntary, intentional sacrifice to bridge the gap between God and humanity caused by sin. Rather than being overpowered, Jesus chose to endure this suffering to secure forgiveness, demonstrating that his love is stronger than any pain, shame, or even death itself. Verse John 10, 11 says, I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. And those are the quotes of Jesus. John 10, 17, verse 18 says, For this reason the Father loves me because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. And there is no greater love than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. And that's in John 15, 13. Jesus calls us his friend. So not only do we have a savior, a king, a creator, a maker, a father, but we have a friend in him, a loyal friend whose love endures. Biblical prophecy again runs throughout the Old Testament and New Testaments in the Bible. If I read them here, this podcast will be so much longer. But of course, you can Google it by just typing in biblical prophecy verses fulfilled by Jesus, and you will see all the things that were spoken of him before he came into the earthly realm, from his birth to his life to his death and resurrection. Jesus, being fully God, fully man, preached the kingdom of God to anyone who would receive him. He also said, if you want to know the truth, you would recognize it. So I'm speaking his words to you now that you might recognize Truth. In John 14, six, Jesus answered, I am the way and the Truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John eight, verse thirty-one and thirty-two. To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John eighteen thirty-seven. The reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the Truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me. John 17, verse 17, Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. John 1 14, and the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory. Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Grace and truth. What is grace? Grace is unmerited favor. It is our salvation paid for by Jesus Christ's blood shed on the cross his subsequent death and resurrection. Grace overcomes the law that was given through Moses. Grace means mercy, which comes through Jesus Christ. The grace of God is defined specifically as God's unmerited favor, love, and kindness towards mankind, towards humanity, providing blessings and salvation that are completely undeserved. It is a free gift rooted in God's goodness and love rather than human

Grace As God’s Free Gift

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effort, often summarized as God's riches at Christ's expense. It enables believers to receive mercy instead of judgment, to receive life eternally with the Father despite a bodily death. What are the key aspects of the grace of God? Well, according to desiring God, it's stated as again a unmerited favor. Grace is getting what you do not deserve rather than what you do deserve, which is judgment. So we get forgiveness and blessings instead of judgment and punishment. It is a source of salvation. It is a foundational aspect of Christianity, emphasizing that salvation is a gift from God, not achieved by good works. And that is because nobody can beat Jesus, the man who was perfect and without sin. The next aspect of grace, empowerment and strength. Beyond salvation, grace provides strength to live a godly life, serving as a divine force that helps people overcome sin and difficult circumstances, meaning we don't have to try anything in our own strength or power. But it is by God's strength, for He says when we are weak, He is strong. He upholds us with the right hand of His righteousness, He causes us to soar the wings of eagles, He lifts us up when we are bowed down and upholds us when we are fallen. And the last aspect is universal, the universal offer of salvation. God's grace is available to all, offering a new transformed life in this earth and in the next to anyone who has the faith in Christ. Receive this gift. It is the most precious gift. It is the gift from the one and only God who made us. He was a voluntary sacrifice. His sacrifice or his death and crucifixion was not of weakness. Jesus was not forced to die. He laid down his life as stated in John 10 18. He had the power and the ability and a will to do it and avoid it, but he chose to remain steadfast out of love, submitting to the will that was originally designed by God in the beginning. He turned the crucifixion into the throne of sacrifice, into the fullest expression of love. Yes, his undying love for humanity. He died to redeem us and to save us, bearing the weight of the sin of everyone ever existing in the past, present, or future, repairing the damage caused by sin, by the writ, by the original rebellion of Adam and Eve. His love held him on the cross. His love for everyone held him there, not the nails. Now, we can contemplate the Army rangers and the Navy seals and all the heroic acts of every military force that ever, ever pulled off rescues of hostages in wartime and not. Most acts are seemingly impossible. But I contend that the most dangerous and biggest and most complete rescue was a personal one. The most complete and biggest personal rescue in all of humanity's history. This was the rescue, a true rescue of life versus death. This act was fueled by the conviction that humanity was worth dying for, ensuring that no one has to carry their sins alone, that no one has to die. Jesus did it. Jesus completed that rescue on the cross. And anyone who receives him is free of bondage, free from captivity, and free from all sin. Jesus won this victory. It was a defeat over death that no human can truly accomplish on their own. Impossible! People may be rescued from a physical death, but only Jesus can rescue you from both the physical and a spiritual death. The crucifixion was not a tragedy, but a calculated act of redemption. Jesus' final breath, it is finished, was not a surrender, but an announcement of victory over sin, that his work and his effort was complete, that his mission was a success and a victory. So this Sunday, Resurrection Sunday, is a day that all of mankind should be celebrating, relinquishing all the lies of the enemy, relinquishing all of the man-made ungodly traditions created by spirits of rebellion and man's own rebellion. Second Peter chapter 3, verse 9, the Lord is patient, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. Ezekiel chapter 33, verse 11. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but desires them to turn and live. John 3 16, for God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. First John 1 verse 9, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. God says, Choose life if we're going to choose. Choose

Choose Life And Receive Salvation

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life and not death. First Timothy, chapter four verse ten, For to this end we toil and strive because we have our hope set on the living God who is the savior of all people, especially those who believe. Second Corinthians chapter 5, verse 17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. That means we are delivered from sin. We are no longer sinners, we are new creatures in Christ Jesus. Yes, we might sin, but we are new creations. The old has passed away, behold, the new has come. Romans chapter ten verse thirteen. For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved - everyone and anyone, no matter what your condition is. Romans 6, 23, the warning, the wages of sin is death, the blessing, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians chapter 2, verses 8 and 9, For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. So, receive this gift of love, which is free to you and already paid for by the suffering and blood shed by Jesus Christ, your Savior, your God, your deliverer, and the lover of your soul. It is my prayer that after listening, contemplating, meditating, and after reading these Bible verses, that you become part of the family. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ if we receive Him as our Lord and Savior, recognizing that He is God, that He came as a man and died on a cross. Not a tradition, no, it's not a system, it's not any religious foolery. But it's a family. Become part of life, the everlasting life in Jesus Christ. Become part of the body of Christ, the God whose love was perfected. Amen. All anyone has to do is confess with their mouth and receive in their heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Savior of the world, who died for everyone's sin. It is not complicated, but it is a personal act of faith that you can do on your own. And it becomes the most important act, the most important moment, the most important day of anyone's existence on earth, turning that existence into true life everlasting and perfect peace with their creator, their God, your creator, your God. Until next time, be blessed, be in Him, be in peace, and be saved. Truth drips.