Reading: Luke 23.44-56
Scriptures: It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
Observations: Even nature joined in to grieve the death of Jesus. For, though he was fully human, he was also fully God. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...Through him all things were made." (Jn1.1-3) So on that fateful Friday creation couldn't bear to watch the Creator suffer such agony.
And then the curtain of the temple tore in two and the doorway was opened to the Holy Place. No more separation, no more sacrifices, no more would God be contained.
Apply: My heart joins with the Roman Centurion, who probably had carried out orders to crucify hundreds of people, in praising God because this was no ordinary crucifixion, this was The Righteous One.
Prayer: I fall on my knees in praise to you, Jesus! That you would go through this to tear down the division between God and humankind humbles me completely. Who am I that you would care so much? How am I to process that? What am I to do with that? Teach me your ways, O God, that I may walk worthy of your saving grace.
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2 comments:
Leon Morris writes:
God created man, created him to be His own...God set him in Eden to be in fellowship with Him, but man sinned. Man became the slave of evil. He cannot break free. This is precisely the situation that the ancient world saw as calling for an act of redemption. We who belong to God have gotten into the power of a strong enemy from which we cannot break free. If I can say it reverently - God, if He wants us back, must pay the price.
And the great teaching of the New Testament is that God has paid the price. He has redeemed us. Christ Jesus became our Redeemer...to release the slaves of sin, HE paid the price. We were in captivity. We were in the strong grip of evil. We could not break free. But the price was paid and the result is that we...
go free...
"How deep the Father's love for us - how vast beyond all measure - that He should give His only Son - to make a wretch His treasure - how great the pain of searing loss - the Father turns His face away - as wounds which mar the Chosen One - bring many sons to glory - Behold the Man upon a cross - my sin upon His shoulders - ashamed I hear my mocking voice - call out among the scoffers - It was my sin that heald Him there - until it was accomplished - His dying breath has brought me life - I know that it is finished - I will not boast in anything - no gifts no power no wisdom - but I will boast in Jesus Christ - His death and resurrection - why should I gain from His reward? - I can not give an answer - but this I know with all my heart - His wounds have paid my ransom.
Sarah Sadler
Even though I have been a Christian for many years, I still cannot imagine the weight of sin that Christ was willing to bear on the cross. I pray that I will continue to honor Christ's sacrifice as I go about my everyday walk here on earth.
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