“But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior….’” Isaiah 43:1-3a

There are many who would have us believe that the Christian’s life in this world will be one without trouble and suffering, but God never makes such a promise. In fact, God tells us that our lives in this sinful world will be full of suffering. Not only will we be hated and persecuted because of our faith, but we must suffer pain, sorrow and even temporal death because we are sinners living in a sin-filled world which is under God’s curse (cf. 2 Tim. 3:12; Gen. 3).

But need we be afraid in the troubles of life? God’s Word tells us: “But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.’”

While God does not promise us a trouble-free life in this world, He does promise to be with us and keep us through all the sufferings of this life!

As Christians, we can draw on the comfort of Isaiah 43. Each of us has been created by the LORD God; and He has redeemed us with the holy and precious blood of Jesus, shed upon the cross for our sins. Through the preaching of the Gospel, God’s Spirit called us to faith in Christ Jesus and has made us the beloved children of God (cf. 2 Thess. 2:13-14; Gal. 3:26-29; 1 John 3:1-2). We are God’s own special people (cf. 1 Pet. 2:9-10).

God, who has both created and redeemed us, promises us: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior….”

We can think of the examples of Israel passing safely through the waters of the Red Sea and the flooded Jordan (Ex. 14; Josh. 3- 4); and we can think of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, whom God preserved in the fiery furnace (Dan. 3); but this promise of God’s Word applies to the troubles and problems we face in our lives as well. Our Savior, Jesus, is with us always as He promised in Matthew 28:20. He will never leave us or forsake us (Heb. 13:5).

Even though troubles may be all around us, God promises us that “no evil shall befall you” (Psalm 91:10; cf. Ps. 121), and that all will work together for our good (Rom. 8:28).

Even in the valley of the shadow of death we need not be afraid, for our God is with us and will bring us safely through it that we may dwell with Him in the house of the LORD forever (Ps. 23).

Why does God do this for us? He tells us: “for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine.” He is JEHOVAH our God. He is the Holy One of Israel, and Israel includes all who share in the faith of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

And, He is our Savior. He has redeemed us from our sins and from everlasting death by His holy life and innocent sufferings and death for us upon the cross, and He will return to take us to dwell with Him forever.

As we suffer in this world, we also remember that “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).

Dear LORD God, our Maker and Redeemer, we give You thanks for the comfort of Your Word and for the assurance that You will be with us and bring us safely through this vale of tears to Yourself in heaven. In the name of Jesus, our Savior, we pray. Amen.

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

Under the Old Testament, God’s people each year observed the Passover, in which a lamb, without blemish and without spot, was killed and its blood shed and smeared upon the doorposts and lintels of their homes. And the people roasted that sacrificial lamb in the fire and ate of it in readiness. They were to observe it each year in remembrance of the Lord’s Passover, when the angel of death passed over God’s people and spared their firstborn sons but killed the firstborn of the Egyptians — all who did not have the blood of the lamb upon the doorposts and lintels of their homes. Read Exodus 12.

It was indeed fitting that, during the observance of the Passover, Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), the holy and righteous Son of God made man (1 Peter 1:18-19), instituted the New Testament sacrament to show forth His death for the sins of the world until He comes again to receive us to Himself.

As, under the Old Testament, a lamb was sacrificed each year so that the people would remember how the LORD God had delivered them from death and brought them out from the land of their slavery, so, under the New Testament, we are to observe the Lord’s Supper often to remember Christ’s sacrifice upon the cross for our sins and to partake of that sacrifice in faith that we might be spared from God’s judgment upon sin and be delivered from death and hell and given a place in God’s everlasting kingdom.

Jesus said: “This do in remembrance of me” and “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.”

But, as Jesus said, when we partake of the bread, blessed and consecrated for this purpose, and when we partake of the cup of wine, we partake not just of bread and wine as mere symbols; we are given to partake of Christ’s body and blood, given and shed for us upon the cross for the remission of our sins. We are given to partake of His atoning sacrifice for sins; and the benefits, through faith in Christ Jesus, become our own.

Thus, according to Jesus’ words, “Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you” and “This cup is the new testament in my blood,” we are given to partake of His body and blood, given and shed for us. We partake of the sacrifice by which God established a New Testament (or covenant) in which He forgives our sins and gives to us eternal life (Cf. Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 9:11-28). How Jesus gives us to eat and drink of His true body and blood in this New Testament sacrament is beyond our ability to comprehend, but we accept and believe His words.

Those who partake of this sacrament in faith receive the blessings which Christ won for them when He shed His blood upon the cross and died for the sins of the world as our sacrificial Lamb. Those who partake of this sacrament in impenitence and unbelief become “guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.” Instead of receiving the blessings Christ offers and gives, they partake of His sacrifice to their own condemnation, counting the blood of the covenant by which they were redeemed as an unholy and common thing (cf. Hebrews 10:29).

Dear Lord Jesus, Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, grant that we partake of Your body, given into death for us, and Your blood, shed for the remission of our sins, with penitent hearts and with faith in You as our Sacrifice and our Savior. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible]

“Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Isaiah 53:1-3

Who believes what the Scriptures say of Jesus? Who believes that He is the long-promised Messiah and the Savior of sinful mankind?

Writing some 700 years before the birth of Messiah Jesus, Isaiah the prophet spoke of His coming, His sufferings, death and resurrection, and of His rejection by the people. And these words still hold true today!

Jesus, the arm of the LORD, the promised Messiah and Savior of the world, grew up before the LORD God humbly, “as a tender plant,” and in an unexpected time and place, being born of a virgin named Mary and growing up in Nazareth of Galilee “as a root out of a dry ground.”

His form and appearance was nothing unusual so as to draw people to Him or permit them to recognize Him as the Messiah. And, as Jesus carried out His ministry, calling upon all to repent and believe the good news of forgiveness and life in Him, He was despised and rejected.

The religious leaders of Israel hated Him and viewed Him as a threat to their system of worship and sacrifice. The religiously conservative Pharisees hated Him because He pointed out their inner transgressions and failures to keep God’s law by loving Him first and foremost and then also loving their neighbors as themselves. The liberal Sadducees hated Him, for He pointed out their unbelief and rejection of the teaching of the Holy Scriptures. Many of the common people recognized His great power and longed to see His miracles; but still, for the most part, they failed to recognize Him as the holy Son of God come into this world a true man to save sinners.

And what is different today? Who believes and recognizes that this Jesus is the LORD God Himself in human flesh? Who comes to Him in repentance and trusts that in Him there is forgiveness and life everlasting?

The Jesus of the Bible is a threat to many of the religious leaders of our day for He does not teach that we can get to heaven by our good deeds, our religious works and services, by church membership or by charitable contributions to worthy causes. He still calls upon all to repent of their sinful ways and turn to Him for forgiveness and life!

The Jesus of the Bible is too merciful for many of the religiously conservative, for He associates with the worst of sinners and offers them forgiveness and life through faith in Him. On the other hand, He is too zealous for the truth for the religious liberals of our day for He taught the absolute truth of Scripture and yielded not a jot or tittle of God’s Word to popular opinion, holding to the Genesis creation, a bodily resurrection, a final judgment and a literal heaven and hell.

Though Jesus came into this world to take our place under God’s law, to bear our griefs and sorrows and to suffer and die in our stead, He is still “despised and rejected of men.” We hide our faces from Him and neglect the great salvation He has won for us by His innocent sufferings and death upon the cross.

Instead of taking the time to consider Jesus, who He is, and what He has done for us, we value Him lightly and neglect the gracious gift of forgiveness and life which God desires to give us. Instead of considering the pain and anguish He suffered for us when He bore the guilt and punishment for our sins, we turn our heads and walk away in apathy and unbelief.

Yes, the inspired words of Isaiah the prophet still hold true today; but, more importantly, they reveal to us the truth of who Jesus was and is. They point us to Jesus, the Messiah and Savior rejected by men. They tell us what He suffered for us in order to save us from the punishment we so deserve. They offer to us forgiveness and life in Jesus’ name!

O dear Jesus, forgive me for not recognizing You for who You are and for all that You suffered for me that I might have forgiveness for all my sins and life everlasting with You in heaven. Amen.

“Surely He hath 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.” Isaiah 53:4-5

As Isaiah prophesied, some 700 years before the birth of Messiah Jesus, He bore and carried in His sinless body the curse of our sin against the LORD God. He bore our griefs and sicknesses. He carried our pains and sorrows.

Yet the people of His day, and especially the religious leaders of Israel, viewed the sufferings and death He endured as the just punishment of God upon Him for His claims to be the promised “Son of man” (Daniel 7:13-14), the Christ, the very Son of God and Savior of the world (cf. Matthew 26:63ff.). And there are, yet today, many who still view His execution as just because of His messianic claims.

But the real reason for His wounding (literally, his piercing) was our transgression of God’s holy commandments. We have not kept God’s holy and perfect will. We have transgressed in our thoughts, desires, words and deeds. He was bruised and crushed — even forsaken by God the Father — upon the cross because He was bearing in His sinless body the just punishment for your sins, my sins and the sins of the whole world (cf. Matthew 27:46).

It is as the old hymn states: “The sinless Son of God must die in sadness; the sinful child of man may live in gladness; man forfeited his life and is acquitted — God is committed” (Herzliebster Jesu, Johann Heermann, Tr. Catherine Winkworth).

The chastisement — the punishment — that we deserved on account of our sins was laid upon Him that we might be pardoned of God and forgiven. In Jesus and through faith in His innocent sufferings and death in our stead we have forgiveness for all our sins and peace with God our Father. The stripes we deserved were laid upon His back; and because He suffered the punishment we deserved on account of our sins, we are healed and made whole, forgiven and cleansed!

As the Apostle John writes: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin … Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world” (1 John 1:7; 2:1, 2).

While the world passed by the cross of Jesus, seeing only the judgment of God or that of a cruel Roman empire upon a Jewish Rabbi who dared to challenge the existing religious system of the day, Jesus, the very Son of God and promised Messiah and Savior, was suffering and dying to make atonement for the sins of the world. He was paying the price for your sins and mine that we might have pardon and peace and live forever with God our Maker!

Jesus, Son of God and Savior of the world, thank You for bearing in Your sinless body the sufferings and death that I truly deserve on account of my sins and transgressions. Grant to me pardon and forgiveness and a place in Your everlasting kingdom. Amen.

“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 53:6

This verse sums it all up so well! All of us are like lost and wandering sheep who have turned away from our true Shepherd and Maker. We have each turned aside to go our own way.

What an accurate description! Instead of following the LORD God, our Maker, and living in accord with His perfect will and design for us, we follow our own will and desires, go our own way and direction and rebel against God and His Word. Instead of loving God and living for Him, we love ourselves and do as we please. Instead of listening to God’s commandments and obeying them, we shut our ears, justify our sins and seek to establish our own compromising values in the place of His absolute truth.

Lost, wandering and scattered sheep, each one going in a different direction, is a picture of our world, with people wandering here and there and looking for life, happiness and fulfillment in everything but the LORD God who created them. “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.” God took all our sin and all our guilt and punished it in the innocent sufferings and death of His own beloved Son, Jesus Christ! Our sins and iniquities were placed upon Jesus, and He was punished in our stead. That is why darkness covered the earth as Jesus hung there upon the cross; and that is why Jesus cried out, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which is to say, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

Though Jesus died an agonizing and horrible death upon the cross because of our turning away from God and sinning against Him, the beauty in this is that all of our sins and all of our guilt have been punished in Christ Jesus. “It is finished” — the debt of our sins has been paid in full (cf. John 19:30)! Therefore, through faith in Jesus the Messiah and Savior, we have forgiveness and life everlasting! Instead of being judged and condemned for our own sins, God judged and condemned His own holy and innocent Son and offers and gives to us pardon and peace in Christ Jesus. What could be more beautiful to the lost and condemned sinner!

O dearest Jesus, we have, like lost sheep, turned and gone our own way. We have sinned against You. Thank You for bearing upon the cross the just punishment for our sins and iniquities. Grant us forgiveness and life with You in Your eternal kingdom. Amen.

“He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” Isaiah 53:7

Why is it that Jesus permitted the Jewish soldiers to take Him? Why did He permit them to hit Him and make fun of Him? Why did He permit Pontius Pilate to judge and condemn Him? Why did He permit the Roman soldiers to beat and scourge Him and finally nail Him to the cross and crucify Him? Could He not have walked away through the middle of them all as He had earlier done at Nazareth? Could He not have caused them all to fall to the ground before Him as happened in the Garden of Gethsemane? Could He not have called upon His heavenly Father and been provided with more than twelve legions of angels? He was and is the very Son of God; could He not have come down from the cross?

The Scriptures make it quite clear that Jesus could have walked away from His accusers and the cross. He could have judged and condemned them on the spot. But, He didn’t. He willingly permitted His enemies to arrest, abuse and crucify Him. He didn’t even speak out in His defense. As Isaiah prophesied centuries before, “He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

Why did Jesus willingly suffer and give up His life upon the cross? Why did He go silently, without ever opening His mouth in protest? He did it that He might redeem us from sin and the eternal punishment we deserve. This is why Jesus Christ, God’s own dear Son, came into this world: that He might suffer and die for our sins and rise again on the third day! He came to give His life a ransom for many — to make atonement for the sins of all people. Jesus willingly and quietly went to the cross for you and for me that He might pay the just penalty for our sins and win for us God’s pardon and forgiveness!

Considering what He has done, it is also time for us to turn to Him in silence — not proclaiming our own goodness or speaking of all that we have done for Him or our fellowman — but rather to silently lament o’er all our sins and failures to keep God’s law, for which He willingly suffered and died. It’s time to turn to Him in silence and trust not in ourselves, but in Him alone. He has done it all! He has paid in full! Let us come to Him in silent awe of His love and mercy toward us and boast of nothing but His blood and righteousness!

Dear Lord Jesus, I have sinned and done amiss. You are all my righteousness. I deserved God’s wrath and woe. You took my place, You loved me so. I stand in awe below Your cross, silently, for words at loss. Amen.

“He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? for He was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken. And He made His grave with the wicked, and with the rich in His death; because He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” Isaiah 53:8-9

By force and tyrannical injustice Jesus was arrested, beaten and sentenced to death on a Roman cross; and no one spoke up in His defense. No one considered His potential life which they were cutting short through their illegitimate trials and accusations against Him. Why? Why was Jesus crucified and “cut off out of the land of the living”?

“For the transgression of My people was He stricken.” It was not for anything He had done amiss. “He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth.” But it was for our sins, yours and mine, that Jesus suffered such agony and died upon the cross.

Indeed, “He made His grave with the wicked.” He was hung upon a cross between two thieves and thus died with the wicked, although one of the malefactors repented of his sins as he hung there upon the cross and he received mercy and forgiveness from the Lord Jesus (cf. Luke 23:39-43). But, in His death, Jesus was buried in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a council member of the Jews who had not consented to Jesus’ condemnation by the Jewish Council. Thus the ancient prophecy was fulfilled: “and with the rich in His death.”

What is the significance of all this for you and for me? Jesus’ death was not for any fault of His own, for He was without sin and holy. His sufferings and death was for your sins and mine! It was all a part of God’s plan to redeem us and make us His own! Like the dying thief on the cross, we ought also turn to Jesus and acknowledge that He is the sinless Son of God who came into this world to die in our stead and for our sins. We ought turn to Him in repentance and ask Him to mercifully remember us and receive us into His everlasting kingdom.

Dear Lord Jesus Christ, graciously remember us and receive us into Your eternal kingdom for the sake of Your holy and precious blood shed for us upon the cross. Amen.

“Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He hath put Him to grief: when Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied: by His knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:10-11

Have you considered that it was the will of God the Father to bruise His own Son — to have Christ Jesus take our place upon the cross and suffer and die for our sins? Jesus was offered up a perfect sacrifice to make full atonement for our sins and for the sins of the whole world.

And, yes, Isaiah the prophet also foretold the resurrection of Jesus some seven hundred years before Jesus’ death and resurrection: “When Thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied.”

Jesus not only died for our sins according to the Scriptures; He also rose again on the third day. Jesus saw the results of His atoning sacrifice. He saw His seed — those who would obtain the right and privilege to be called children of God through faith in Him and His atoning sacrifice. His days are indeed prolonged — He is risen from the dead and lives and reigns forever! And the will and pleasure of the LORD is prospering in His hand as He brings sinners to repent and trust in Him for full pardon and life everlasting. Jesus sees the labor of His soul and is satisfied. He has joy over every sinner who repents of His sinful ways and trusts in Him for forgiveness and a place with Him in paradise.

“By His knowledge shall my righteous Servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.” Having taken our sins and iniquities upon Himself and having paid in full by His innocent sufferings and death, the risen Christ justifies many. Christ Jesus makes us sinners acceptable in God’s eyes through faith in His shed blood (cf. Ephesians 1:6-7). Through the preaching of the Gospel, He reaches out to us in mercy, offering us forgiveness and life through faith in His name. Even yet today, Christ Jesus justifies many by calling sinners to repentance and proclaiming to them forgiveness of sins and life everlasting through faith in His atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world (cf. Luke 24:46-47)!

O dearest Jesus, thank you for bearing upon the cross the guilt and punishment for my sins. As You have risen from the dead, so raise me up to faith in You and to life everlasting. Amen.

“Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong; because He hath poured out His soul unto death: and He was numbered with the transgressors; and He bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12

Because Jesus Christ suffered and died upon the cross, shedding His holy and precious blood for our sins and rising again in victory, He spoils the dominion of darkness and executes judgment upon this earth.

The Apostle Paul writes of Jesus’ victory in this way: “Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; and having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:14-15).

Jesus paid in full the just punishment for our sins and the sins of the whole world when He was numbered with the transgressors and nailed to the cross to suffer and die in our stead. He there poured out His soul unto death that He might redeem us and bring us back to God.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan used the commandment of God to bring sin and eternal damnation upon all mankind (Genesis 3). “The handwriting of ordinances … was against us,” for mankind through Adam broke God’s holy commandment.

On the cross, Jesus Christ the righteous made atonement for our sins and the sins of the whole world and satisfied God’s just wrath against us (1 John 2:1, 2). Thus Satan’s work and power over us was defeated and cast off, and a door was opened unto us to receive pardon, forgiveness and everlasting life through faith in Christ Jesus (cf. Hebrews 2:14-17).

As a result of Jesus’ work when He suffered and died upon the cross and then rose again from the dead to intercede for us before the Father with His shed blood, those who by God’s grace and mercy are brought to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus are delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the eternal kingdom of Jesus, the Son of His love (cf. Colossians 1:12-14). Thus, Christ Jesus spoils Satan’s kingdom and delivers those who place their trust in Him and His blood shed upon the cross for the sins of the world.

But those who spurn God’s gift of salvation and continue on in disobedience and rebellion shall be judged and condemned on the Last Day when the crucified and risen Christ returns to judge this world in righteousness and equity (cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; Hebrews 2:3). Why? Because they have not believed on the name of Christ Jesus, God’s only begotten Son and their only Savior (cf. John 3:18)!

O crucified and risen Savior, grant that I not continue on in my disobedience and rebellion but truly repent of my evil ways and trust in You and Your redeeming work for my salvation. Amen.

[Scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible.]

“7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:7-14 (Read 1-21)

Why did Christ Jesus come into the world and suffer and die on the cross for our sins? Why did He send men to preach the Gospel to us and then give us His Holy Spirit to bring us to know and trust in Him? Why has He “laid hold of” and saved you and me?

We are not saved by our own righteousness under the law, for even our best righteousness does not measure up. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23); and even our best righteousnesses “are like filthy rags” in His sight (Isa. 64:6).

That is why the Apostle Paul, even though he more than anybody could boast of his righteousness under the law, ceased trying to be counted righteous by his own works and placed his confidence in the perfect righteousness of Christ and in Christ’s atoning sacrifice upon the cross for the sins of the entire world of sinners.

Paul wrote: “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith” (Phil. 3:4-9).

Yet, though Paul placed no confidence in his own works for salvation, he knew that Christ had taken hold of him and saved him that he might live for Christ. Christ “died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again” (2 Cor. 5:15).

To the Ephesian believers, he wrote: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Eph. 2:8-10).

And so, Paul, knowing that Christ died for him and redeemed him that He might live for Christ in accord with God’s perfect will, sought to live for Christ — to attain the holy and sinless life for which Christ had redeemed him and which he will have in the resurrection (cf. v. 20f.).

Neither the Apostle Paul nor any believers today have attained perfection already in this world. We continue to come short. That is why we do not trust in our own works but continue to trust in Christ as our Savior, that we might be clothed in His perfect righteousness (cf. 1 John 1:5 – 2:2).

The apostle writes: “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (v. 12).

Paul had a goal in mind. Christ died for his sins that He might walk in fellowship with God and do that which is pleasing in God’s sight. Paul knew his failures and shortcomings and trusted in Christ Jesus, his perfect Savior. But Paul also sought to live for Christ and walk in righteousness and holiness already now in this world. Why? Because that is the reason for which Christ laid hold of him through the preaching of the Gospel and saved him from sin and the eternal torments of hell.

Rather than dwell on his sins and failures, Paul left them at the cross of Jesus and moved forward in living for his Savior. He pressed on toward his goal of being like Christ.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (v. 13-14).

And Paul urges us to think in the same way. “Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you” (v. 15).

You and I are redeemed by Christ. Being sinners, we trust in Christ alone for our salvation. We seek to be found clothed, not in our own works and righteousness, but in the perfect righteousness of Christ.

But at the same time, we know that Christ redeemed us that we might live for Him. We long for the day when we are changed and become like our Savior, but even now we press toward that goal and seek to live for Him, leaving our sins and failures at the cross of Jesus and pressing on toward the goal — “for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

O Lord Jesus Christ, let us be found clothed in Your perfect righteousness, but also move us to live for You and seek to lay hold of that for which You have laid hold of us. Amen.

[Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]

“15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. 16 And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy. 19 While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that just Man, for I have suffered many things today in a dream because of Him.” 20 But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor answered and said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They said, “Barabbas!” 22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” 23 Then the governor said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they cried out all the more, saying, “Let Him be crucified!” 24 When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.” 25 And all the people answered and said, “His blood be on us and on our children.” 26 Then he released Barabbas to them; and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered Him to be crucified.” Matthew 27:15-26

After examining Jesus, Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, knew that He was not guilty of any crime — especially not of a crime deserving of death. Even his wife knew that Jesus was innocent and begged Pilate to have nothing to do with the condemnation of Jesus. And so, in an attempt to appease the Jews and release Jesus, Pilate offered to do according to his custom at the Passover and pardon and release one prisoner to the people.

Matthew tells us in verses 15-18 of our text: “Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to releasing to the multitude one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. Therefore, when they had gathered together, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release to you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?’ For he knew that they had handed Him over because of envy.”

The choice seemed obvious. Barabbas was a notorious prisoner who was a robber, a rebel and committed murder in the rebellion (cf. John. 18:40; Mark 15:6-7; Luke 23:). Jesus’ alleged crime was His claim to be the Messiah, the true Son of God and the King of a spiritual kingdom made up of all who hear and believe His words.

We read in Luke 23:13-19: “Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, ‘You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will, therefore, chastise Him and release Him’ (for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast). And they all cried out at once, saying, ‘Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas’ — who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.”

If you were in the crowd outside the Praetorium on that first Good Friday and you heard these words of the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, offering to release unto you either Jesus or Barabbas, what would you say? Would you ask that Jesus, who was innocent and without sin, who claimed to be the very Son of God, be released unto you? Or would you join the crowd in asking for Barabbas?

And, what would you say after the crowd asked for Barabbas and Pilate asked what he should do with Jesus, who is called Christ? Would you join the crowd in crying out of Jesus, “Let Him be crucified”?

We say that we would not. But, if we remember why Jesus was crucified and condemned, we must admit that every time we sin, we do say of Jesus, “Crucify Him!” When we sin, we add to the burden of His cross!

Now, if you were Barabbas, in a prison cell and chains, expecting to die for your crimes, what would you do if the soldiers came and set you free — if they told you that you had been pardoned by the governor and were free because an innocent man by the name of Jesus was being crucified in your stead? How would you feel?

Isn’t this exactly what has happened to each and every one of us? We are guilty of sin — we have broken God’s Law and are guilty of insurrection (rebellion) against God Himself! Which commandments have we not broken? We deserve to be condemned by God to the eternal fires of hell which He prepared for the devil and his evil angels!

But what has happened? God’s Word of the Gospel has been proclaimed to us — we have been told that God punished His own dear Son, Jesus Christ, in our stead — that Jesus suffered upon the cross the full punishment for all our sins which we deserved (cf. Isa. 53:4-6).

In Galatians 3:10-14, we read: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them.’ But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for ‘the just shall live by faith.’ Yet the law is not of faith, but ‘the man who does them shall live by them.’ Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

And, in 2 Corinthians 5:21, we read: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Instead of condemning us to the eternal fires of hell which we deserve, God instead reaches out to us in mercy and offers and gives to us pardon and forgiveness for all our sins. He offers and gives to us eternal life instead of death and damnation.

Now, we don’t know for certain what happened to Barabbas after this, but we might just consider a couple of hypothetical possibilities. What if Barabbas had rejected Pilate’s offer of pardon and forgiveness? What if he had said, “I want to be tried and judged on my own merits”? There seems to be little doubt but that he would be condemned and probably put to death — possibly even on a cross.

What if he accepted his pardon and went back out robbing and killing and rebelling against the Roman Government? Would he not be arrested again and condemned for his new crimes?

What about us? Christ died for our sins and rose again and God reaches out to us with His offer of pardon and forgiveness when we repent and look in faith to Christ Jesus. What if we say, “No, thanks. I will stand before the judgment seat of God on my own merit”? The Bible is quite clear. If we refuse to accept God’s pardon through faith in Christ, we stand condemned on our own merits and will be punished for not believing on the name of God’s only begotten Son and our Savior.

As John 3:16-18 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

And, what if we accept God’s pardon but then use our gift of freedom to intentionally continue on in our sinful ways? Will we not be judged and condemned of God for continuing to rebel against Him?

The Scriptures leave no question about the end result. Hebrews 10:26-29 says: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace?”

It is true that we by our sins are guilty of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. With the crowd on Good Friday, we by our sins say of Jesus, “Let Him be crucified!”

But because Jesus went to the cross for us, we, who are guilty like Barabbas, have God’s gracious offer of pardon and forgiveness through faith in Christ Jesus! When we trust in Christ, God graciously forgives our sins against Him, and He offers and gives to us everlasting life with Him in heaven.

Let us give thanks unto our Savior for bearing upon the cross the guilt and punishment for our sins that we might be acquitted and partake of the everlasting blessings of heaven through faith in Jesus’ name. And, let us use our lives here in this world to the praise and glory of Him who has redeemed us and set us free.

Oh, dearest Jesus, we thank and praise You for bearing upon the tree of the cross the guilt and punishment for all our sins that we might be pardoned and forgiven through faith in Your name. Amen.

[Scripture is taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.]