Feb 04, 2020
Good Morning Fellow Travelers,
Read: Mark 13:9-13
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. (Luk 6:22-23 )
Jesus left the ivory palaces [of heaven], to come into a world of woe, the song says. From the pinnacle of glory, to a stable in Bethlehem. All the way from the bosom of the Father, into the womb of a virgin. He traveled to Bethlehem, to Egypt, to Nazareth, to Capernaum, the lake country, around Galilee, north and south, east and west as a pilgrim preacher, an itinerant prophet, a homeless stranger, all in a world He had made. Then at the end, He went that dark and dreadful second mile to the grave. Let’s trace these steps.
Gethsemane.
This represents His victory over the flesh. The false church did not join Him here. Fearful disciples fled from Him here. Impulsive Peter failed Him here. But we must join Him here. Can we go with Him and find the power for victory over the flesh? Read Matthew 26 and find out for yourself how important this step is. Go with Him to Gethsemane.
Gabbatha.
Here is Christ before the world. Pilate represents the world and its system. (John 19:10, 13.) The world says to Jesus, their Creator, “Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee and power to release thee?” Jesus answered, “You have no power except what is given thee from above.” Go with Him to Gabbatha.
Golgotha.
Here we see victory over Satan. In Luke 23:33, we have the anatomy of the darkest, foulest, most monstrous crime ever committed. There, at Calvary, the people crucified Him, the Son of God. We must follow Him in this step. The victory of death is the victory over sin. (Read Galatians 2:20.) “I am, crucified with Christ,” the apostle Paul said in Romans 6. Go with Him to Golgotha. Die there.
Grave.
He went there, but he didn’t stay there. The grave was empty! “Fear not. He is not here, He is risen. Can you follow Him this far? You must to be a victor. Follow Him to the grave and experience resurrection power. Read Romans 6:5. Our fulfillment will be marred if we fail to go this far with Him. Go with Him to the grave
Glory
This is the final goal. Will you follow Him to glory? Don’t stop part way through the journey.
~ James Baer
