Passion Week Friday - The Cross
Today, we remember that some 2,000 years ago, the Son of God died on the cross…for us.
He gave Himself up for me because He loved me (Gal 2:20).
He gave Himself up for the church because He loved the church (Eph 5:25).
He gave Himself for our sins to rescue us from this present evil age (Gal 1:4).
He gave Himself up for us as an offering and sacrifice for our sins, a fragrant aroma (Eph 5:2).
He gave Himself up for us, His sheep, because He is the good Shepherd who knows each one His own (John 10:11, 14-15).
And that’s just from Christ’s side.
From the Father’s, we see that the cross God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom 5:8). And in receiving that reality, God pours out His love within our hearts through the Holy Spirit whom He has given to us (Rom 5:5).
In other words, while were His enemies, God reconciled us to Himself through the death of His Son. He justified us by Jesus’ blood.
That is, God saved us…from our sins and from His wrath. And He has given us eternal life in the life of His only begotten Son, His beloved Son.
Knowing the love of God and the love of Christ on the cross poured out for my sins makes me hate sin.
My sin did that. It put Christ on the cross.
But it also means that though my sins were so evil, God yet displayed His love for me through the death of Christ. I’m humbled. I’m grateful. I love Him, and I love to do His will.
Why?
His love did that. It put Christ on the cross.
The cross did not earn God’s love. God’s love was expressed in the cross.
Keep that in mind today.
Keep Jesus close to your heart.
Dwell on the love of God demonstrated on the cross, some 2,000 years ago…a love that will burn brighter and brighter even as we enter into glory.
Let nothing, no unbelief, no doubt, no sin, get in the way of receiving, delighting in, and being melted the glory of that love.