We Remember the Purest Love

“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.”

  (Isaiah 53:4-5)

---

Humanity had gone against God’s way, desiring to be the primary authority in our lives. We had sinned against the Almighty Lord.

He was deserving of all praise and adoration. The God of the universe crafted us to enjoy a relationship with Him.

And yet we went astray. So what did He do?

He pursued us even more.  

By sending Jesus to take on the form of a man, He dwelt among humankind. Christ endured the pain of death on the cross and carried our sins. In doing so, He demonstrated His love, showcased the worth of humanity made in His image, and gave us the opportunity for new life.

The nature of God requires justice. And through His actions, He revealed mercy, grace, and love beyond what we could ever imagine.

Let us remember the weight of sin which Jesus carried that day. We must know the depth we have fallen to properly understand the height from which the arms of love have lifted us up.

Grace can be defined as receiving that which is undeserved. So to properly understand the grace and love that has been shown to us, it is necessary for us first to see the reason why we are undeserving; our sinful nature.

And it is only when we understand our own human depravity that we see that the true price for redemption was costly: the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Let our hearts feel uncomfortable in recognizing our own sin, shown through the law. And let us then find comfort in the gospel, in the truth that Jesus…

“endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” (Hebrews 12:2-3).

We are given a beautiful opportunity of hope. And the result is not condemnation (living in a constant state of shame and despair) but conviction that leads to repentance (we find hope in turning from our old ways and following Christ through obedience).

Do you believe that Jesus did this for you? That no matter what you’ve done, you can be cleansed? It is not because of the good things you do or how good of a person you are but because of what He has already done on that cross. Whether you are contemplating becoming a Christian or believe in Jesus as your Savior, will you daily turn away from sin and trust in the finished work of God?

This weekend, we remember the price paid so that we could have new life. Will you let it change your life forever?

Blessings,