Good Friday "tions"

Should we not look beyond the promises to the Christ?

He should ever and always be our focus.

Picture a long hall lined with doors as promises. Our best site is the Christ at the end. How I pray I have only helped us to peek inside each door lined along the way and not diverted anyone’s gaze from Jesus.

God has given us exceedingly great promises in Christ. 

They are true only in Him.

He is the source, the substance, the end result of God’s promises.

Sure, there is encouragement and comfort to be realized in turning to God’s promises in dire times but never to the neglect of Jesus. Turn to Christ first for He is the end of all promise. The promises a trail laid by God to lead us to Jesus.

Christ alone is our faith . . . our hope . . . our comfort . . . our all-in-all.

Christ alone is enough.

I have spoken much of Easter, but nothing of Good Friday. As we near, let’s return to Christ crucified.

“He is the propitiation for our sins,

and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.”

[1 Jn 2:2 ESV]

{see also Rm 3:22-26}

Propitiation and substitution are the essence of the Gospel message and they are applied by faith in Jesus.

Unforgiven sin leaves one guilty and subject to God’s wrath. And the one bearing unforgiven sin is destined to judgment and penalty.

But, for those who are clothed with the Savior’s righteousness, He became our substitute and was the perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins. He satisfied the demands of God’s justice, completely appeasing a holy, just, and righteous God.

He donned our ugly, heinous sin and took the sentenced blows.

Sin propitiated.

It was all Jesus.

Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.

[Is 53:4-5 ESV emph mine]

There are lots of “He” – and no “I” – in salvation’s story.

Nothing of my own can I claim “but wholly lean on Jesus.”

Wholly (entirely and completely)

            Lean (fall upon and rest in)

                         on Jesus.

Is it even possible to grasp such sacrifice?

Can a life of worship ever be worship enough?

Righteous Lord Jesus; You willingly offered to expunge the wrath of God for every sin—trusting Him . . . and loving us . . . beyond comprehension. Your Life a propitiation and substitution for my just and deserved death penalty is inconceivable. What a Savior!