"JESUS is NOT on the CROSS!"

If Joseph of Arimathea was alive today he would confirm my assertion that Jesus is no longer on the Cross (John 19:38-40)! He would tell you that he received permission from Pontius Pilate to take His body away and prepare it for burial. He would also tell you that they buried Jesus in the tomb he had reserved for himself and that He is no longer in the that tomb either!

It was never God's intent for Jesus to remain on the Cross. Christians spend way too much time driving another spike into His wrists and feet to keep Him there. Why? I suspect it is because they don't want to face the Christ. Christ is the revelation of God as the judge of mankind. His discernment for our innate trickery and deception is unparalleled. In short, you can't lie to God. You can't fool God. You can't cheat God!

Our fear of exposure, our lack of integrity and our failure to exemplify true discipleship are several reasons why many stay away. Think about it; aren't these reasons why we should press even closer to His bosom? In the Book of Acts, Paul rebukes the Athenians for worshipping an UNKNOWN GOD (Acts 17:23-25). You can't get much more carnal than that! What do you say to a God you don't know? What can he do for you if you don't know what his capabilities are? Carnal Christians are rooted in idolatry; worshipping things they don't know or understand.

Christians love Jesus being on the Cross because "it's a good story" and Christians love to have stories read to them because they believe the lack of interpersonal confrontation with Christ protects them from their sin. It doesn't! Christians love church because it is easy to hide in a crowd. They believe there is "safety" in numbers. It's not! Christians love to carry their bibles because it makes them look holy. In fact, you can't wash someones feet carrying a bible, or cut your neighbors lawn or help a single mother move into her new home with the book in your hands. Hide your bibles!

The place that God has reserved for you to hide the Word of God is in your heart. Hiding His Word in your heart requires fellowship with the Holy Spirit. No person can do that for you. You have to read, study and meditate on God's Word for yourself. 

As long as someone else reads the Word to you, Jesus will remain dead on the Cross. But when you read the Word for yourself and fellowship with the Master in your secret place, His Word will renew your spirit, mind, body and soul and He will come alive! 

You wanna see Christ? Hide His Word in your heart and serve His people in the marketplace! Other than that, you will remain THE UNKNOWN SERVANT!