Thursday, August 4, 2016

John 18-19 Isaiah 53

Jesus said, "'It is finished.'  With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit"  John 19:30b

"But He was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed."  Isaiah 53:5

In John 19:30 Jesus said, "It is finished."  Jesus has completed your and my redemption!  Your and my sins are so horrendous in God's sight that they deserve the the punishment of God's eternal wrath. Instead Jesus Christ willingly suffered the consequences of our sins on the cross! Jesus Christ suffered the horrors of hell on the cross for us!

Jesus Christ voluntarily left the glories and perfection of heaven and the presence of God the Father. Jesus voluntarily came to this world of sin and trouble.  He did this willingly for us, His chosen children!  Jesus Christ then lived a perfect life for us which we are unable to live.

Jesus Christ also voluntarily accepted the rejection of others.  Isaiah 53:3 says, "He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering."  Jesus Christ accepted and experienced betrayal and denial from His own disciples.  He was beaten unmercifully by the soldiers. Isaiah 52:14b tells us "His appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any man and His form marred beyond human likeness."  Finally, Jesus Christ voluntarily laid down His life for our sins. John 19:30b tells us "Jesus said, 'It is finished.'  With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit."  Death did not conquer our Lord Jesus Christ, but Christ voluntarily "gave up His spirit!"

It was necessary for Christ to die on the cross for His children.  Without Christ's death on the cross we have no joy, no peace, and no comfort.  Without Christ's blood being shed we have no pardon from sin, no purposeful life, and no hope.  It was OUR sins that put our Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.  Isaiah 53:6 tells us, "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."  So often we like to rationalize our sins or compare ourselves with others, but our sins were so abominable in the sight of God that they could only be atoned for by Jesus Christ's precious blood on the cross.  Isaiah 53:5 says, "But He was pierced for out transgressions.  He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon  Him, and by His wounds we are healed."

Praise God for His great gift of salvation!  Praise God that Christ's work on the cross is accomplished. Praise God that His children are now in right standing before Him!  We are sinners, but the Lord Jesus saved us and made us children of God!  The Lord saved us for a purpose, however.  That purpose was to bring glory and honor to the Lord.  Ephesians 1:12 tells us that He saved us and made us His children "in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory."  May our hearts be filled with thanks for Jesus Christ's salvation. May that thankfulness to our Lord be shown in our lives and actions.  May it be our consuming passion to live our lives in gratitude "as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God." (Romans 12:1)

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