Introduction
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” John 10:10
Jesus (His life lived perfectly for us, His atoning death, and His victorious resurrection) is the cornerstone of the Christian faith (1 Peter 2:2-7). Everything about our faith, everything that is true for us as believers flows from the finished work of Christ on the cross (John 19:30). Indeed, the message of the cross is the power of God both for unbelievers (Romans 1:16) and to those who are being saved (1 Corinthians 1:18). When tempted, go to the cross and look! “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).
The death of Jesus is glorious for believers (2 Corinthians 3:8)! His death saps temptation of its power and brings us transformation and eternal life (John 3:16). With His blood, Jesus has paid our sin debt and removed the curse of the law and the condemnation that it brought to us (Galatians 3:13-15, Romans 8:1).
Because of our supernatural union with Christ, when He died on the cross, we died with Him (Romans 6:5). His death was our death (Galatians 2:20). And our old sinful identities were nailed to a tree in the body of Christ for a very specific reason. Romans 6:4 explains, “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” Temptation is always the desire to walk in the old way, to live the old life, but we died with Christ to the old life, were buried with Him, and were raised from the dead with Him that we might walk in newness of life.
Oh, friend, do you understand? You had to die with Christ so that you might be raised to abundant living! And this is not merely some future hope or possibility. By faith, you receive your new identity in Christ right now, and you can learn to live today as the new creation that you are in Christ!
And this new life of faith in Jesus is not a drudgery or something to be endured. No! Your new life in Christ is one of joy amid sorrow, peace in times of uncertainty, strength in times of weakness, and abundance in moments of need. It is a life not driven by the cravings of your flesh, the allurement of the world, or the deceitfulness of Satan. Your new life is guided by the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:14).
But this new and abundant life does not come naturally to us. We must learn how to live it. The apostle Paul wrote, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV).
If you want to experience the abundant life that Jesus died to give you, you must forget what is behind and press on toward experiencing Christ. You do this by fixing your thoughts on Him (Hebrews 3:1), fixing your eyes on Him (Hebrews 12:2), remembering His death and rejoicing in His resurrection.
The evil one will tempt you, trying to remind you of your sinful past, to entice you to return to it. Your flesh will call you to return to your old sinful ways of eating, drinking, and living. The world will entice you to conform to their version of the abundant life full of stuff, trinkets, and shiny things, but remember, you are dead to the world, dead to your past and alive in Christ. Look to and believe in Jesus, and “rivers of living water” will flow to and through you (John 7:38).
Illustration
Numbers 11:4-6 (NIV) “The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, “If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!”
At this point in their journey, the Israelites had been out of Egypt for over two years. They were no longer slaves; they were God’s chosen people. And as God’s chosen people, they had repeatedly watched as God protected them and provided for their needs.
Nevertheless, when faced with day after day of hot, barren desert, they wearied and began to complain. Instead of remembering all that God had done for them, they recalled the good food they ate while in slavery, and this led them to a place of sorrow, discontent, and frustration.
Oh, friend, this happens to us too. The world calls us to return to it, reminding us of the pleasure we had in indulging our flesh and promising “abundant life” if we will but return. Our flesh wearies of Jesus, the spiritual Bread (John 6:48-51), and longs for the physical, the natural, and the carnal. But we must not believe the lies of the world, the devil, or our flesh. Only Christ can satisfy your hungry heart. Only Christ provides abundant life to you because He suffered death in your place.
Application
When you are enticed to return to fleshly living, look at the cross! Remind yourself that you died to sin, you died to fleshly living, you died to Satan’s “cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic.” Remind yourself that Jesus rose out of the grave of death and that you rose out of the grave of fleshly living. Put your back toward Egypt and continue to behold the Lamb of God, who took away your sin!
Are you trapped by sin or stuck in the ways, thoughts, or reactions of your old life? There is hope for you in Jesus. Look to Him as your Good Shepherd, who laid down His life to save you. See Him being devoured by the wolves of sin, death, and hell to spare you. Believe the good news that Jesus has defeated your enemies! Now, see Him risen, scarred but whole, and full of life calling to you to follow Him to places of rest and refreshment. Call to Him; He will set you free.
Are you weary of life? Have you pursued satisfaction and fulfillment in your spouse, children, job, or possessions only to find yourself disappointed and disillusioned? Come to Jesus, the Giver of abundant life (John 10:10, Psalm 34:4). His mercy and grace are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). His faithfulness is great when yours isn’t (Psalm 36:5). You have looked for life, love, and satisfaction in temporary things, but Christ’s righteousness overcomes your failings (1 Corinthians 1:26-31). Look to His cross and see that He has abandoned His own life to make yours abundant. Now, see the empty tomb, believe that Your Savior is risen and rejoice because Christ lives in You (Galatians 2:20)!
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV
Question: How can you look to Jesus as your way out of temptation today?
Larry writes, “I will see Him calling it “Finished” and in that assurance, I know that He has completed what is necessary for me to walk in His footsteps and be free from the power of sin in me! I will rejoice, I will sing, I will pray in the Spirit and in His word, and I will fellowship with others of like mind. But, I will also never hold in the gift He has given me but freely share it with others who are walking in darkness and cannot see the light of Jesus shining like a beacon from the cross, “Come unto Me, and I will give you rest…” amen!”
Jeromy writes, “To come to the cross and kneel in prayer and worship. To look up to my Saviour and see Him crucified, nailed to the cross for my sin, the penalty that should be mine. I see my sin nailed to the cross and even I am crucified with Christ and I am dead to sin and set free in Christ Jesus! Amen, thank you Lord!”
Mike L. writes, “If I am looking to the cross, seeing the humility of Jesus, the unbelievable sacrifice He made on my behalf, the pain He endured, the hatred, the anger that was projected toward Him, doing and facing all this because He loved me. How could I continue on in my sin!? If I really think about all this daily, moment by moment sin and temptation will easily be put aside for the love of my Savior. Focusing on Christ is my lifeline to living a life of a clean conscience!
John 15:4 The Passion Translation (TPT)
4 So you must remain in life-union with me,[a] for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.
Live your life intimately joined to Jesus and you will bear fruit, oh what a Savior we have!!”
Reprinted by permission from the Looking to Jesus study at www.settingcaptivesfree.com. SCF exists to help men and women find freedom in Christ through the gospel.