Posts Tagged ‘Herod’

THE LOVE OF JESUS

The love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 2 Corinthians 5:14 Christ as our substitute and representative died in our stead. When Christ was flogged at the whipping post, he took my punishment; and my diseases and weaknesses were laid upon him. He took our sins and guilt and broke the grip and power of sin over us. He destroyed the power of sin. He destroyed the power of Satan and death over us. He stood in our stead as substitute.

When Jesus died on the cross, I died! So did all true believers in Christ. We died to sin and all its woes. We died to the works of the flesh. Sin shall have no more grip or hold upon me and you. He hung on the cross carrying the sin of all mankind, right from Adam and Eve, including that of Mary his mother, till the last baby ever to be born in human history. What a great feat! Thanks be to God.

We have been set free. Sin has no more dominion over us. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is relatively quite easy for a person to suffer or even to die for a well behaved and kind person in the community. It is difficult to do so for a wicked and hardened criminal. But God demonstrated his love to us all in that while we were yet sinners; in the most despeakable and repulsive state, he sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for us.

(Romans 5: 6-8).

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16).

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through him the world might be saved. (John 3:17).

Truly, Jesus Christ died over two thousand years ago for the sin of mankind. It was very necessary and inevitable that the anger of the Holy and just God be pacified. His eyes are too holy to behold sin. Therefore God took the bold initiative to effect reconciliation between himself, who was offended, and mankind, who are the offenders!

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that anyone who believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

(John 3:14-15).

Jesus Christ offered himself as the sacrifice. He was arrested and he went through series of unjust trials before the religious leaders of his days, king Herod and Pilate, the governor. He was assaulted, slapped, flogged and spat upon.

That was to fulfil the prophecy: Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows, yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4-6).

Jesus was crucified on a rugged cross, where his blood was shed by piercings through his hands, feet and ribcage. Earlier on, his brow was severely bruised with a crown of thorns! His entire look was marred beyond recognition! Such was the treatment meted out to the Saviour of the world. Despite all the cruel treatment, Jesus did not complain, neither did he resist the maltreatment. “As a sheep is dumb before her shearers, he did not open his mouth.”

So did Jesus go all the way to die on the cross for my sins and those of the rest of mankind. Thanks be to God.

The conclusion of the message is that: Jesus died on the cross. His shed blood washes us clean from sin. He was buried in a borrowed tomb. The third day he arose from the grave and remains alive for evermore. “The taste of the pudding is in the eating.” Jesus Christ, who never sinned, became sin; died for you and me in our stead.

If you shall confess Jesus as Lord with your mouth, and shall believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.

For with your heart you believe and are made righteous. And with your mouth you confess and you are saved.

The LORD makes good his promises to all those who come to him, even those who call upon him. Whether young or old, whether Jew or gentile, whether rich or poor. There is no discrimination. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10:8-13).

Come to Jesus today. Call upon him now.