No Risen Sin

No Arisen Sin “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) Many years ago in a land far, far away a debt of great price was paid. A man called Jesus, who walked the hills and veils of Judea, walked calmly into death and destruction. He entered the City of Jerusalem. Unarmed, innocent of any wrong doing and with deep love He entered the temple. Inside, He expounded on the proficients of old. He taught of the proclaimed messiah and of the Kingdom of God. He broke no laws. He worked miracles beyond the power of mortal man. Yet, The Jewish leaders perceived Him as a threat to their religious/economic system. Through retrial, false witnesses and crooked judicial system, He was found innocent but, nonetheless, roman rulers ordered His crucifixion simply to appease the Jews and keep peace in Rome. As Jesus The Christ hung on the cross, the Jewish leaders proclaimed that He was guilty of blasphemy—a mere man, claiming to be God. In short, they pretended that He was dying for His own mistakes and as a law breaker. They should have been more perceptive. Their tragic misconceptions were predicted centuries before, as recorded in the treasured 53rd chapter of Isaiah: “We hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. . . . we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted” (vv. 3-4). He who knew no sin died upon the old rugged cross because all of human kind’s sin fell upon Him. No other could endure such sin and no other could pay the sin debt due from all. “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities” (v. 5). “For the transgression of my people was he stricken” (v. 8). The penalty for sin has been death since the fall in Eden, and even though “he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him” (vv. 9-10). He was the lam without blemish given as an “offering for sin” (v. 10) and “he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (v. 12). Justice has been served unjustly by a pure and perfect sacrafice.! “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many” (v. 11). Furthermore, through His death, even our griefs have been borne and our sorrows carried (v. 4). In addition to all this, our peace has been gained through His chastisement and our healing has been accomplished with His stripes (v. 5). Such humble willingness of one man to die so that all men could be free of sin and inherit life everlasting is incomprehensible to us. Necessitated because “all we like sheep have gone astray,” God’s justice has been satisfied, because Christ, in love, has taken upon Himself “the iniquity of us all.” As in the hymn: “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my life, my soul, my all.” God gave his son a ransom for all. Annually we stop to celebrate life and to remember and give thanks to our Lord Jesus. Know God, know peace. 0418-2019 BLL