What Does Jesus Lead Us To?

Lent Midweek 4
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Acts 5:31

Children can hear. They can understand what you’re telling them. So why is it that you have to tell them so many times? Why can’t they get it the first time?

It’s because they need to be led. They need to hear things over and over. Part of it is because they’re learning. Partly it’s because they’re testing the boundaries. And some of it is because they want to know if they can trust you.

So parents, among other things, need to be patient. They need to say the same thing over and over. They need to not give up after a few times but know that by sticking to the message they will instill in their children what they need to know.

That’s why we’re hearing each time Peter proclaims the Word of God in the book of Acts him pointing the people to their act of crucifying Jesus. And each time he proclaims the Word of God it is for the purpose of bringing them to repentance.

We should always hear the Word of God as children. We need to be led. We need to hear the same message over and over.

Jesus is the one who was crucified and risen. He is the Lord and He is the Savior. This time Peter helps us see that as the crucified and risen Lord He leads us. “God exalted Him at His right hand as Leader and Savior.” He died and rose to save us. And now He leads us.

The question is, what does He lead us to? It sounds strange, but He leads us to repentance. It sounds strange to be saved by the Lord and then be called to repentance by the Lord. But this is the Christian life. It is the life of the saved. Those who have been saved by the Lord see that they are continually in need of His grace and blessing.

This does not come without repentance. What unrepentant person thinks he needs God’s grace and blessing? None. They don’t see the need. They don’t see that they need Jesus. The repentant person always sees his need for Jesus. He sees that the one who has saved him is always saving him. He sees that he is always in need of being saved because he is always sinning against the one who was crucified for him, rose from the grave, and is leading him.

Jesus is in the position to do this. Not only is He the only one who can save us, as God and Savior, He is in the position of leading us. He has the power and the will to lead us through our lives all the way into heaven. He has the power and the love for us to guide us and guard us. He has the position and He has compassion to stick with us.

What does a leader do? He leads. This Leader does it from the cross. There is His power, love, and compassion. It is not just by His resurrection that we see His power to lead us, but also by His accomplishing salvation for us on the cross. With love like this we know we have a Leader who will do all He can to save us and help us in our need. Amen.

SDG