John 12:32 (NKJV)
32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”
Kindly note that the word 'peoples' is italicized meaning it isn't in the original translation.
Now, the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:18, "Now all things are of God, who has RECONCILED us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the MINISTRY of RECONCILIATION." The word 'Reconciliation' is at the heart of the gospel. Whatever we preach that doesn't eventually reconcile men to God isn't the message of the gospel.
There are many religions and many voices out there in the world proffering hope to the guilt ridden souls of men struggling with condemnation but only the message of our Lord Jesus Christ teaches 'reconciliation.' Reconciliation means making peace. God has reconciled us to Himself because He is no longer holding us accountable for our sins!
Every believer has been given the ministry or assignment of reconciling men and women to God and it is important to know the 'message' because that is what makes it the ministry! 2 Corinthians 5:19 says, "... that is, that God was in Christ RECONCILING THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, not IMPUTING their TRESPASSES to them, and has committed to us the WORD OF RECONCILIATION."
The reason God no longer inputs men's trespasses or sins to them is because while Jesus hung on that cross, He drew all the judgement of every man's sin to Himself. He has paid the price!
When Jesus in our text said that if He is lifted up, He'll draw all 'people' to Himself, He wasn't inferring that if we lift Him up in our worship He'll draw people to Himself.
The word 'people' in our text is italicized because it isn't there in the original translation. It actually simply reads, "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw ALL to Myself.”
By this, Jesus was saying that if He is lifted up on the cross from the earth, He will draw ALL judgement to Himself and that's exactly what He did on the cross so that men and women can be reconciled back to God. Like a lightning rod, Jesus attracted ALL of man's judgement to Himself. Jesus didn't just bear our sins, He actually BECAME sin for us (2 Corinthians 5:21).
All the heinous crimes, the murder, the perversion, every vile and rotten sin imaginable, all sickness, and all disease ever known to mankind actually entered into His physical human body on the cross. That's what happened when He was lifted up on that cross! He took them ALL. There's NOTHING He didn't take on the cross.
This is the message that we have been commissioned to preach.
As you step out today, keep the message simple, clear and you'll be amazed at the impact it makes in the lives of those around you!
DECLARE
|| Father thank You for the gift of Your Son Jesus. Thank You because on the cross He took the judgement due me and reconciled me back to You! I boldly declare that I give my life to help others see and know this truth because I'm a seasoned minister of the gospel in Jesus name.||
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