In 1 John 3:16, we read the intended effect of Jesus’ sacrificial love on us, “By this, we know love, that he [Jesus] laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” We should understand then that the love of Christ is not a love to be hoarded or consumed; it is a compelling love that we share with others, give away freely, and hand out to the undeserving like ourselves.
Paul spoke of Jesus’ transforming love in his second letter to the Corinthians, “For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. So from now on, we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.” 2 Corinthians 4:14-16
Loving others sincerely and sacrificially, forgiving them as God has forgiven us, treating others not according to their flesh, but according to Christ, dying daily and living obediently to the gospel are all impossible apart from Christ and His cross.
Throughout this study, we have seen Jesus' death in our place, saving, atoning, and sanctifying us, but we must not miss the cross' guidance for our new and abundant life in Jesus. In these final words of Jesus on the cross, we find the way to live in His victory and to love others with His cross-focused love as we should.
Throughout His life, Jesus entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23), and in a final act of worship on His cross, Jesus entrusted Himself into the loving care of His Father, breathed out His last, and gave up His Spirit. We, too, can and should entrust ourselves and surrender our lives into the Father's hands.
Through the years, godly men and women have faced the trials of life by entrusting themselves into the hand of Almighty God, confident that He would rescue them from their distress through direct deliverance or death. We can see this bold reliance on God in the account of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and the fiery furnace.
"Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, "Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now, if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?" Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up." Daniel 3:14-18
These young men were in a dire situation - they were captives in Babylon with enemies plotting against them, facing a wrathful king and death by fire. And yet they put up no protest, no fight for their rights; they only expressed faith in God. They entrusted themselves to the true God, who saves and sets His people free. And, indeed, God did save them. King Nebuchanzer was astonished when he saw four men in the fire, and the fourth looked like the Son of God. The only thing that burned up in the fire was the rope that previously bound the Hebrew men.
“The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God.” Daniel 3:27-28
Another example is King David, who learned to trust in God and even sang about it. Notice the foreshadowing of the death of Christ in this Psalm of David:
"In you, O Lord, do I take refuge; let me never be put to shame; in your righteousness, deliver me! 2Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! 3For you are my rock and my fortress, and for your name's sake you lead me and guide me; 4you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, for you are my refuge. 5Into your hand, I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God." Psalms 31:1-5
Question 3. According to Psalm 31:4, what were the conditions that David was facing as he penned this Psalm?
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Question 4. According to Psalm 31:5, what did David do when facing this difficulty?
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Question 5. According to Psalm 31:5, what was David's confident expectation as to the outcome of his trial?
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