Crucified & Exchanged



In the crucified and exchanged life, we die to ourselves live for Christ. We decrease that He might increase. We exchange ego (the great I) for for a total new identity in Christ. But just who is this Jesus? Who is He to us and in us?

There are 3 Phases in the life of Jesus

• Pre-incarnate Jesus
• Incarnate Jesus
• Post Resurrection Jesus

I won’t get into the pre-incarnate Jesus beyond stating what scripture states:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17

We will talk more today about the incarnate Jesus:  son of Joseph, son of Mary.

Of his childhood we know very little though there is much speculation by those inside and outside the body of Christ. We know that he was the child of Mary who was betrothed to Joseph. The the marriage had not consummated. Mary was still a virgin. Luke 1:26-38 tells us of Gabriel announcement of the plan of God to bring the Savior into the world through her.

Luke and Mathew tell us of the circumstances of Jesus humble birth. The threats upon his life by Herod. The relocation to Egypt. The return of the family eventually to Nazareth of Galilee.

There is much speculation of Jesus’ childhood. What kind of child was he? Was he a normal kid? Did he perform miracles? The first look at the child Jesus comes from Luke 2:40 where it is written:

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him

This is evident in the next scene (Luke 2:41-52),  where Jesus goes with his family to Jerusalem for the Passover feast.  After the feast, the family returns home. Unbeknownst to Mary and Joseph, Jesus is not with them. They traveled a full day before the noticed him missing.

They returned to Jerusalem to find in the Temple listening to the teachers and asking them questions.

And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. Lk 2:57

When upbraided by his parents, Jesus answered,

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

How had He gotten to this level of knowledge and maturity? Was he taught by Mary and Joseph about the prophecies concerning who he was and what his role would be? Was he groomed to be a rabbi the way Hannah prepared young Samuel? Hannah turned Samuel over to Eli for training.  She sewed him a priestly garment to wear that he might be clothed in his destined role?

We next see Jesus attending the meetings of His cousin, John who was teaching and baptizing at the Jordan. Jesus is baptized by John.

Next  we see the scene of Jesus being tempted by Satan in the desert. Jesus fasted for 40 days and then Satan came to test him. In Hebrew,  satan, is a  verb meaning primarily to, “obstruct, oppose,” Traditionally, In Judaism, the one named  Ha Satan is the accuser, or the adversary. The instigator we would say in slang today.

Satan’s first test for Jesus is to use his power to feed himself. Satan, knowing full well who he was dealing with says, ” IF you are the son of God…… command these stones to become bread.”

This is a temptation we all  face. You know about the “Secret”  book and DVD which tried to teach how to manifest what the things  desire by positive thinking.  The Law of Attraction. “Your thoughts and your feelings create your life.”   If we want money, food, careers, love to manifest, all it takes is belief.  The Universe will submit to the will of a made up mind.
Jesus answers Satan:

“It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God

This is quote from Deuteronomy 8:3. In fact Deuteronomy 8 should be read repeatedly and meditated upon. It is God who provides for us. He gives US the power to get wealth. He is the source. It is not our power or some force within the human mind. An impersonal universe is not at our beck and call. God desires that we have our daily bread.

Temptation 2 was to prove his Sonship by jumping off the temple wall. Would not  God  save him because he was His son?  Do we tempt of test God in this way? Do we say God, “you promised to give me the desires of my heart. I desire this car, or this house or this woman or man. I am going to make the down payment. I am going to marry him or her.”

Or maybe we step out in to ministry. We go out on mission trips to foreign lands assuming we have the blessing of God upon our enterprise. We are doing God’s work no? He will bless His word and perform it. We step out on a limb and expect God to keep us.

And if He doesn’t? How many have had their faith ship wrecked because of presumption? How many angry and bitter believers out their who  struggled or are still struggling in the flesh to accomplish or have something that God never intended for them to do or to have?

And finally Satan tested Christ by offering to give him all that it was thought the Messiah would have and accomplish — instantly… if only He would worship him– Satan — rather than God.

We compromise in like manner. We say the “end justifies the means.”  If we come across a scheme to help us get what we want quickly and without cost, we are tempted to try it. We take short cuts. We step on some toes if they are in the way of us getting what we desire. We focus on the Prosperity side of the Gospel because it helps us get what we want.

Can we like Jesus say that  we worship only God. We listen only to His voice. We obey only him. We do things His way. We move when he tells us. We sit still and wait for Him to direct our paths. We know that if he promised something, he will do it.

How did Jesus get to his level of personal and spiritual maturity. How did He become perfect? Hebrews says this in Chapter 3:  14

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[f] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

In Hebrews Chapter 5 it says

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him 10 and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus learned to put on the Full Armour of God Ephesians Chapter 6. This is a hard thing to wrap our heads around. Jesus was God yes? But he had to learn obedience through suffering.

The writer of Hebrews concedes that folks are having trouble grasping this. But this is central to the New Life.

There is a processes. There is period of development and growth in every believer. The time when we go from babes to fully mature sons and daughters of God. We learn to resist the devil. We learn to rightly divide the word of God. We learn to discern spirits. Our faith develops. Our patience grows. Our love for our fellowman becomes a consuming fire.

This is the meat and not the milk of the Word. This is the food of the growing Christian.

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. Hebrews 5:14