The following is a devotional I wrote for my church, Jacksonville Presbyterian, to remember our Lord Jesus’s victory over all the forces of sin, death, and hell. Enjoy!
“Brothers and sisters of Jacksonville Presbyterian Church,
I have a quick - but important - thought to share with you in light of Holy Week; and it’s related to the new song we sang on Palm Sunday and will sing again this Sunday on Easter.
This thought touches upon an aspect of Holy Week that does not typically get much airtime. It also happens to be the new song we sang this past Sunday. I’m referring to the song Christus Victor (Amen). I will quickly describe the concept of Christus Victor and then relate it to the song we’ll sing (again) on Easter Sunday.
“Christus Victor” is a Latin phrase that means “Christ the Victor.” It refers to the fact that our Lord Jesus, through His death and resurrection, has triumphed over and defeated the devil, the principalities and powers, and all the forces of evil and hell; that He’s defeated sin and brought about our deliverance from slavery to it; and that He’s defeated death itself. This is what the apostle Paul was saying when he wrote the following: “He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him.” (Colossians 2:15)
Now, in the song Christus Victor (Amen), there are a few lines in the chorus that highlight Jesus’ triumph over the forces of hell. Let’s look at them:
“Now to the Lamb upon the throne, be blessing, honor, glory, power for the battle You have won.”
What battle has Jesus fought and won? He has defeated every enemy and put them under His feet! (Ephesians 1:22) Jesus is the conquering, reigning King; there is no evil power that He has not conquered.
“With every tribe and every tongue, we join the anthem of the angels in the triumph of the Son…hallelujah, amen.”
I love this line. It speaks to the fact that one day, men, women, and children from every people-group on earth will know the name of Jesus. And that many from each people-group will be counted among the redeemed, worshipping the Lamb around His throne for all eternity. What a glorious day that will be!
And this is where you and I come in. Do you know, friends, that God has commissioned us as His people to take this Good News to the ends of the earth? That every tribe and people-group on earth must hear of the victory that God has won and of His good and eternal reign! The prophet Habakkuk, prophesying a future time, wrote the following: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14) This will happen as the Church takes the Gospel to the ends of the earth.
So as we celebrate Jesus, our risen and victorious Lord, God, and King, let us sing with joyful hearts for all that He has done for us! Let us gather together and worship Him, gratefully proclaiming that He is risen indeed. But let us also remember that Jesus is worthy of the full reward of His sacrifice. And that as you’re reading this, 3.4 billion of our fellow human beings on the earth have little or no access to the Gospel. But they must hear, for they will be represented among the redeemed in eternity. And God must have their worship too, for He is worthy!
Therefore, as we conclude Holy Week in joyful worship on Easter Sunday morning, let us also pray for the nations that have not yet heard. May God be glorified in their salvation, for that is His will. And let us look forward in hope, as a people of hope, to the day when John’s apocalyptic vision will be fully realized:
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:9-10)”
Soli Deo Gloria
Pastor Scott
Listen to Christus Victor (Amen) here.