We see the Cross, this sanitised symbol, adorn the exterior of many a church building, however, this gruesome Roman vehicle of execution, was part of a plan... the plan of God to rescue humanity from sin and its consequences.
Before Jesus’ death, the world was one way.
Afterwards the world was another.
What was the purpose of letting God's only begotten Son die there?
Long ago, humanity had chosen to ignore God and go their own way. Yet even when we desired to turn back to God, we couldn't fully know Him due to this separation, caused by our pride and rebellion. Even the sacrifice of killing a spotless lamb would not do the job to bring us back to Him. So, God in Christ became that sacrifice to pay our debt in full, once and for all on that Cross.
What did he achieve for us?
Henry Francis Lyte’s Hymn declares that because of that event we are ‘Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven’.
Through the work of the cross we have been ‘ransomed’ - bought back from the slavery of sin; ‘healed’ - made whole spirit, soul and body; 'restored' - our relationship with the Trinity has been restored to that which God had intended in the beginning; ‘forgiven’ - His life for ours made us righteous and justified in God's eyes.
If that was the purpose, what was the Father's and the Son's motivation?
It was not the nails that held him there, it was his love. Singer-songwriter Stuart Townsend says it like this:
How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
Date - 6.4.23 | Author - John Byrne | Series - Easter
