Friday, April 7, 2023

 

Friday, April 7, 2023


Psalm 40

Genesis 22:1-18

Matthew 27:32-54


Observance: Good Friday


“Here I am.”


At the beginning of John’s gospel, the first sentences out of Jesus’ mouth involve telling us that if we want to know the answer to our questions, then to “come and see”.


See the perfect life He lived. See how, in His humanity, Christ was able to live the life we should be, and therefore be able to approach God’s holiness. See also His Godhood, how He has power over life and death.


Now, come to the cross, and see. He is hanging on an execution stake on top of a hill. There is no excuse to not see. Because He is human, He is able to taste that eternal death that, because of our sin, we deserve: our punishment is on Him. Because He is also God, He is perfectly righteous, and so we are given that righteousness in return.


He takes our punishment and He gives us His reward. He is hanging on the tree, arms stretched out, the loudest voice God has ever spoken in the history of the universe, and He is calling you by name to take the gift of His sacrificial death so that you may walk into His Father’s kingdom in His righteousness. Are you listening?





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