We must hear about the forgiveness of sin and what Jesus did for us on the cross again and again and in different ways so that we can really experience it. Every moment of the day we must know what Jesus did and then live victoriously.

¹⁵He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the Cross and marched them naked through the streets.

My wife and children went to visit her sister in De Doorns for a week so that the cousins could play together during the holidays. I realized this was my turn to choose a DVD and, yes, it was Bruce Willis.

Once again, the baddies roughed him up quite badly, but he shot them to smithereens in the end. I know not everybody likes this and that women find it horrible and cannot understand why men want to watch action and fight movies full of blood and gore, but with no children around, I got the chance to enjoy it for once. I slept like a baby after that movie – exhausted from all the action.

Paul used an image of an enemy conquered and humiliated and it reminded me of Bruce’s victory over the bad guys. With the right equipment in his hand he takes out the enemy, shedding blood from tanks that never empty.

That is what Jesus did. He conquered the enemy, walked all over them, robbing them of their power. They were the losers and Jesus the Victor, the Hero. Like Bruce removed those bad guys from society with sparks flying, leaving the evil smoking, in the same way Jesus finished off evil.

And I’m definitely not saying Bruce is like Jesus. I’m simply picturing it and using an image to illustrate what Jesus did 2 000 years ago on the cross, so that I can better understand it. Just the previous evening Bruce was involved in a fight right here in my lounge. Men will probably understand the analogy better than women.

But it cost Jesus so much more. After 5 minutes of deadly silence, with Bruce pumped full of lead and blood dripping from the many bullet holes, a finger moves: he lives!

Jesus was not so lucky. He had to die first, but victory over evil indeed came when He rose from the dead. Just think how disappointed evil was when they celebrated their victory for more than a day, thinking they had won.

But then a bucket of ice water was dumped over their bonfire, because Jesus rose from the dead and lived! He is the real Victor! He is the true Hero. They are losers.

Bruce’s bottles filled with tomato sauce will be finished one day, but Jesus’ blood will never be too little to wash away our sins.

Let’s thank Him for that!

Scripture

Colossians 2:15

https://bible.com/97/col.2:15.msg

Reflection

What does Jesus’ death on the cross mean to you today?

Wat does Jesus’ blood do for you?

Do you fight with Him against the challenges every day?

Prayer

Jesus, thank you for having been willing to sacrifice your life so that evil could be conquered forever. And because You are the true Victor, even death could not imprison You. We glorify your wonderful Name. Amen.