Word@Work from BeaconLight
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
OUTSIDE THE CITY, INSIDE THE CRIMINALS
John 19:17-18 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. (NIV)
Everything seemed to be wrong. Jesus was not a criminal; He had done nothing wrong. John wrote that He carried His own cross. Was it His cross? It was certainly the cross on which He was to be crucified, and as the Creator God, it was cut from the tree He had made. It was the cross He had chosen to bear but He did not deserve it because He would suffer for our sins, not His own.
He was the King of the Jews, but He was led outside Jerusalem city to be killed: He was to be the scapegoat for the sins of the world. Jesus was crucified between two criminals, surrounded by sin and willingly associating with the sin of the world (including our sin). He was the author of life but they took Him to the place of death. It was so unfair: Jesus did not deserve such humiliation, but He chose to suffer instead of you and me.
The death of Jesus was God’s way to save the world; but the cost to Him was unimaginably huge. We deserved the punishment, exclusion from God’s city, inclusion with criminals and taken to death: but Jesus took what was due to us. As Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” How do you react to that? Humbled by His grace and sad that it was Your sin that took Jesus to the cross? That is the mark of true children of God. Let us thank Him for His sacrifice and show our gratitude in living lives which please Him. How can we best do that today?
Prayer: Gracious God. It does not seem fair that Jesus should want to suffer for me, but I am truly grateful for Your grace towards me. I am sorry when I get wrapped up in my own interests and forget how greatly You have loved me. Please help me to be truly grateful for Your sacrifice and decide to live differently, in ways which please You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
He was the King of the Jews, but He was led outside Jerusalem city to be killed: He was to be the scapegoat for the sins of the world. Jesus was crucified between two criminals, surrounded by sin and willingly associating with the sin of the world (including our sin). He was the author of life but they took Him to the place of death. It was so unfair: Jesus did not deserve such humiliation, but He chose to suffer instead of you and me.
The death of Jesus was God’s way to save the world; but the cost to Him was unimaginably huge. We deserved the punishment, exclusion from God’s city, inclusion with criminals and taken to death: but Jesus took what was due to us. As Isaiah 53:6 says, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” How do you react to that? Humbled by His grace and sad that it was Your sin that took Jesus to the cross? That is the mark of true children of God. Let us thank Him for His sacrifice and show our gratitude in living lives which please Him. How can we best do that today?
Prayer: Gracious God. It does not seem fair that Jesus should want to suffer for me, but I am truly grateful for Your grace towards me. I am sorry when I get wrapped up in my own interests and forget how greatly You have loved me. Please help me to be truly grateful for Your sacrifice and decide to live differently, in ways which please You. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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