The Cross is just the tip of the iceberg.
Every Christmas we talk about how a baby came simply to die, which is PART of the truth.
Every Easter we rejoice in the fact that this baby became a man who died on the cross and was raised to death on the 3rd day and that’s it.
When we tell people about Jesus it’s usually focused on – He was born, He died, He’s alive again, ask-Him-into-your-heart-so-you-can-go-to-heaven end of story
All that’s true, however, do you realize that’s only part of the story?
If that was all that mattered the Bible could be a whole lot shorter. But there’s so much more to the story because there’s so much more to salvation, to our relationship with God. There’s even so much more to our God.
When Jesus came it wasn’t simply to die.
Jesus came to bring to life, to teach and preach about the Kingdom of Heaven, to set the captives free, to make the lame walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear, and to raise the dead to life.
God created mankind not so they could walk in sin and be burdened with guilt but so that they could know Him and through Him have life.
From Genesis to Revelation the Bible is the story of an amazing God and His passionate unconditional love for His people and all that He is doing to bring them to Himself and give them life. The Bible talks about one day all peoples streaming to Jerusalem to learn about the God of Israel, a temple being rebuilt as the nations gather in praise to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Justice flowing like a river throughout the earth for young and old, men, women, and children, rich and poor. The heavens will sing and the earth will rejoice. The song the stars have been singing will be caught up by the rocks and the trees, and all creation will burst out in praise to the God of creation. And together as one mankind will bow the knee before the Lord of the universe and proclaim His glory and His praise. Those who belong to God here and now will be vindicated. God will stand up and declare we are His and we belong to Him.
You think you know joy, you have only experienced a drip of the ocean.
You think you know peace, you’ve tasted a crumb from the banquet.
You think you are content, you have glimpsed the blade of grass on the mountain.
Believer, tell people about the death and resurrection of Jesus – that is a vital part of the story. But don’t sell the story of God short. There is a God who came to bring life here and now, and even more so tomorrow. Don’t be ashamed of what you know. Shout it from the rooftops! There’s a story for everyone, a place where people can be loved, can belong to something bigger than themselves.
There’s a King who has called you by name and Who is worthy of your service.