The Easter season was just upon us yet again; as we look around we observe bunnies, eggs, candy and every manner of distraction from the real meaning of Easter: the life, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Have we as a society stooped so low that no longer reflect on the riches that are found in Christ? The answer is a resounding YES. But why is it so easy for us to dull the senses with secular things; to speak one to another of bunnies and hiding eggs rather than hiding the cross of Christ? I will list a few reasons in this reflection and examine our society as a whole and the condition of the heart that is found during the “millennial” generation (2019).
The first reason we do not reflect on Christ I suppose, is a lack of knowledge. If only we knew who this Jesus was, and is, our whole world view and life would change. I acknowledge that this Jesus is God. He is the word (John 1-18). Who did not count it robbery to be equal to God (Philippians 2:6). The one who all of existence was made through. Everything we see today had an origin, categorized as creation; yet he is the “uncreated” having no origin (Psalm 90:2). Without him, there is no existence, for he is life in and of himself (John 5:26). Many men have longed to become a god but the actual God of the universe has found pleasure to become a man. “To what end?” you ask. Namely to live the perfect life we could never live, to teach men of heavenly things, to die the death that we deserve and to call out a body (the church) to be a witness of him until he returns to the earth to reign on the throne of David forever.
Yes, the King of Glory, the one who is perfect, full of love (Romans 5:8) condescended to a fallen creation to visit sinners, the wretched, the poor, the sick and yes even the self-righteous. After a three-year ministry, he was betrayed by his own disciple. Sold to the religious rulers (Israel) his own “brothers.” That the prophesy may be fulfilled (Isaiah 53:3) the messiah of promise was rejected of his people (the jews) and condemned to die by the world government (Rome).
Do you see him there? Hanging on that cursed tree? He took the punishment for you and for me, the heroes of old and modern all wear capes, can fly and have super human strength. The true hero wore a cross on his back like a book bag. A crown made of thorns was upon his head as to mock him. Beaten and wounded for our transgression. He did not fly but hang on that cross for all to see. Not done in a secret place but placarded for all to see. But what was there to see? The God-man stripped with arms spread wide, streams of tears and an ocean of blood ran from his body. The nails in his hands and feet did not keep him there but it was his strength and love for us. The God of creation could have called to himself legions of angels but he was too faithful. What modern super-hero could have done this? I testify that there is none found, for scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commends his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:7-8)
Jesus, laying down his glory, not his deity while on earth had accomplished his mission. “What mission?” Namely, the salvation of our souls. You see back in the garden the first man Adam represents all of humanity as our “federal head.” He failed to obey God thinking that if he ate from the forbidden tree he would become wise as a god himself and did not trust the wisdom of Elohim. This caused the fall of humanity from a state of innocence and perfection to a state of spiritual death. Even the creation groans and is under this curse (Romans 8:22). Therefore, as through one man’s disobedience many were made sinners by one man’s obedience many were made righteous. Consider the analogy, when one player commits a foul the whole team gets penalized. We are born into the world in a state of spiritual death. We know that sin has penetrated our thoughts, action, motives and heart. We cannot choose to love God in and of ourselves, it is impossible to please God without faith (Hebrews 11:6). Furthermore, there is law that without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22). We also know that the life is in the blood (Lev 17:11) and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23).
The dilemma we have here is this; if God is righteous, he cannot pardon sin. Yet God is loving and wants to save the sinner. So how can God be just and the justifier? The answer lies in the mediator, Jesus Christ. Therefore, we cannot stand before God unless we have our sins forgiven and a perfect righteousness. You see if we take an introspective look we fail (sin) every day for there is not one without sin, and our good deeds are seen as filthy rags before the perfect king. Thus, to reconcile these shortcomings Jesus had to live a perfect life that we could never live and exchange it for our life of constant failures. Then he takes the punishment on the cross, yes forever will I tell, in three hours Christ suffered more than any sinner ever would in hell. Jesus was viewed as we would be viewed so that we could be viewed as he would be viewed by his father. He became the propitiation to satisfy the wrath of God that must have been poured out on us (to be righteous murder, rape, hatred and all manner of sin must be punished). He was forsaken by God that we might never be forsaken.
In the end, God used a cross to turn the world upside-down. He divides history and says, “Here is my son, My only son, the only mediator, the perfect lamb, the word, the light of the world, the redeemer, the warrior king, and prince of peace.” So, what will you do with him? How will you go before God? Will you choose to ignore your only savior? What must we do? We must put our trust in him, confess (agree) that we are sinners in need of a savior and acknowledge the savior. What is the price you ask? It is free, for if we come as beggars before the throne of God we can have salvation freely, not by works as some religions say but it is by grace through faith that no one will boast in themselves throughout all of eternity (Ephesians 2:8-9). Do not stand on your good works for they will not save you even as a multitude of good works can never save a condemned criminal from the electric chair. Are you a sinner? Be of good cheer for Christ died for sinners! (Romans 5:6) In trusting Christ we shall stand before God with our debts payed at the cross (no condemnation) and the righteousness of Christ himself (Jeremiah 23:6). Look, look, look to Jesus, all the ends of the earth and be ye saved! (Isaiah 45:22)