Today we remember the sacrificial death of The Righteous One who suffered, bled, and died for our unrighteousness.
We can never be good enough on our own to fulfill God's requirement for perfection, because none of us are perfect.
We can't make up for our misdeeds by trying to do better, not even by performing more and more good deeds.
One misdeed makes us imperfect. Just one. We each have much more than one each and every day.
God is holy and just, so sin must be punished. If God fails to punish sin, His holiness is compromised. Justice must be upheld.
And yet, God is love and wants to have fellowship with mankind.
In order to reconcile His holiness with His love, God punished Jesus His Only Begotten Son for the sins of the world, so that all who repent and believe in Him will receive forgiveness and everlasting life.
Jesus paid a debt we could never pay.
Nails didn’t hold Jesus to the cross; His undying love for us held Him there.
Betrayed, forsaken, beaten, tortured, flogged, and crucified.
As horrifying, tragic, and graphic as the violence done to Christ was, His love is even greater.
An eternal love powerful enough to conquer death.
Love strong enough to forgive the worst of sinners who turn to Him for His saving grace.
Love able to comfort and sustain us, to draw us to Him, to grant us faith, hope, and salvation.
Love that takes us from the sorrow of our Savior’s death to the joy of His resurrection.
Love died to pay for our sins and save us and rose from the dead to assure our hearts of His forgiveness and eternal presence.
Jesus is The Way, The Truth, and the Life; and no one comes to The Father, except through Him. May the love of Christ bring you to true repentance, faith, and everlasting joy.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
