Below is the scriptural stages of the Cross, with my reflections over the weekend and a prayer. Blessings
Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies on the Cross
Luke 23: 44-46: It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last.
Reflections:
Here we have two signs and one example. Such signs are a part of God's ways in dealing with man at major junctions in human history. He knows the desperate stupidity and unbelief of human nature, and so in his mercy gives us a clue to led us on towards faith. There was a sign for an unbelieving world. The darkness at mid-day was a miracle which would compel men to think, "who was this Jesus?". There was a sign for the professing Church. The tearing of the curtain which hung between the holy place and the holy of holies, was a miracle which would state a change has happened. The heart of every religious person may ask, 'how did Jesus death affect how we relate to God?'
One example: There is a sense in which our Jesus' words supply a lesson to all true Christians. They show us the manner in which death should be met by all God's children. They afford an example which every believer should strive to follow. Like our Master, we should fear not at deaths door. We should regard him as a vanquished enemy, an enemy with no teeth. Death make take us but it will be without a sting. Christ has taken on himself and take away in himself the sting of death by His death.
We should await his approaches with calmness and patience, and believe that when it is our time, we are in good able hands that will keep up and deliver us into the glories of our heavenly Father. Happy indeed are those who end well, with hearts confessing, "I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day." (2 Tim. 1:12)
Prayer: Lord, grant us trust in you that when our time on earth in ended we may enter your rest and ever be with you.
Thirteenth Station: Jesus is Placed in the Tomb
Matthew 27: 57-60: When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed.
Reflections: His work is accomplished but what evidence do we have of this finished work. The lamb is dead. The blood has been poured on the alter. This fact is placed beyond dispute, by those that buried him could not have been deceived. Their own hands and eyes attest to the fact, Jesus whom they handled was a corpse.
The importance of the fact before us is far greater than most would suppose.
If Christ did not die, there would be an end of all the comfort of the Gospel. Nothing short of His death could have paid man's debt to God. His incarnation, and preaching, the parables, and miracles, his righteous life and complete obedience to the law, would have been for nothing, if He had not died. Because we did not need a teacher, or therapist or community organizer we needed a Savior. One who would stand in our place, a substitutionary willing and worthy to redeem humanity.
The penalty threatened to the first Adam was death, an eternal death in hell. If the second Adam had not really and actually died in our place, as well as taught us truth, the original penalty would have continued in full force against Adam and all of us as well. It was the life-blood of Christ which was to save our souls. So the sadness of Jesus' life-less corpse is the assurance of a finished payment - the lamb had been sacrificed - our sin has been covered.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the gift of your death. May we see clearly and love dearly what you accomplished in your death.
In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell
In Him
J. Dawson Jarrell
No comments:
Post a Comment