Our sweet Jesus.
When I reflect on His love, I am overwhelmed. Overwhelmed is the only word that can adequately begin to describe the fully brokenness, gratefulness, admiration that my heart feels when I think of how He so kindly suffered in our place. When I cast my mind to Calvary where He truly suffered in so many ways that I can not even begin to understand just how amazing He is, I am overwhelmed.
Our sweet Jesus suffered physical agony. Each wound evidence of His love for us. As the crown of thorns pierced His brow, He endured the pain for us. He carried His cross up to the hill where He would be crucified though He was blameless. When the nails went through His hands and His feet, His love shown through. As His precious blood flowed freely from His body while they whipped Him, He knew the Father's purpose in the pain. As our sin held Him to that cross, He faced it so that we would be set free from that very sin that held Him there.
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped him in the face. — John 19:1-3
Our sweet Jesus was mocked by the very ones that He was suffering for. He was taunted and insulted as He was being killed. He was tearing the veil that separated us from God as we were scorning Him for not saving Himself. He was exemplifying His mighty power in covering our sins with His perfect sacrifice as we were scoffing at Him.
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” — Matthew 27:39-40
Our sweet Jesus, pure and holy, died on a criminal's cross, so we may have life abundantly and eternally. He is the Lamb, the perfect and only sacrifice that was sufficient to pay for our sins. And He did... so beautifully did he willingly obey the Father's will and lay down His life for us to be co-heirs with Him. He selflessly lived holy and then died a sinner's death, so that sinners, like you and me, would have life now and forever.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. — 2 Corinthians 5:21
Our sweet Jesus is victorious. He defeated death. The stone is rolled away. He displayed His dominion over death and life. He fulfilled the Scripture, and He fulfilled His promise. His righteousness was shown to us all. He walked out of that grave so that we may follow Him. He IS the resurrection and the life. He is perfect and blameless and powerful and defeated death for us. Because of His death and resurrection, we will not know death's sting. We will be in community with our God for eternity. Praise Him forever!
He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” — Matthew 28:6-7
Grace, what have you done?
Murdered for me on that cross
Accused in absence of wrong
My sin washed away in your blood
Too much to make sense of it all
I know that your love breaks my fall
The scandal of grace, you died in my place
So my soul will live
Oh to be like you
Give all I have just to know you
Jesus, there's no one besides you
Forever the hope in my heart
Death, where is your sting?
Your power is as dead as my sin
The cross has taught me to live
In mercy, my heart now to sing
— "Scandal of Grace" by Hillsong United
