This Changes Everythingნიმუში

THIS IS VICTORY

The crucifixion is easily the most recognisable aspect of this holy season and for good reason. Dwelling within the Gospel passion accounts are some of history’s most brutal juxtapositions. An environment typically marked by law and integrity is utterly tarnished by injustice. At the very least, a peace-preaching Jewish rabbi is unduly tortured and viciously nailed to a cross. From the Judeo-Christian perspective, God who became incarnate is unjustly betrayed and killed. A final juxtaposition is the tone of Jesus within Luke’s recounting of the crucifixion event.

Jesus doesn’t curse or mock or plead his innocence. His life is not taken from him, rather it is freely given. Jesus is completely secure in himself, and the Father throughout the entire episode. Jesus was fully aware, not just of the price of redemption, but the magnitude of the cost to himself.

This helps us to see salvation as a gift given by God, not simply as a set of beliefs and benefits applied to believers. Humanity has been purchased, at a great cost, by a suffering servant and a perfect king, who although he had every reason to argue, resist, and to plead his innocence, died for humanity and in our place –so that we might be set free from the power of sin, and transformed by the Spirit of life.

"and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead." - Philippians 3:9-11

Prayer Point: Dear God, I can never thank you enough for Calvary. For the gift of your life –the very life of God. I humbly thank you, that you hung in our place, paid a cost that we could never hope to pay, and reconciled us with your sacrifice, once and for all. Help me not to rush to Sunday, but to enter your sabbath rest this weekend. Help me be still and know you are the God who fights for me. Amen