“Look,
the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29 NIV).
As we approach Holy Week, I would like for
you to think about Jesus as our sin offering. Up until His coming to earth, the
Jews had to make offerings in order for their sins to be forgiven. Jesus was
the Lamb of God, a sin offering that would do away with all the burnt
offerings. He took on Himself all of our sins, so that we might have
everlasting life.
Sin cost Jesus His life, and should not be
taken lightly. You were bought with a very high price indeed.
Let
us take a look at what Jesus did for you as a sacrifice just so that you could
be forgiven of your sins. These are some of the humiliating things that
happened to Jesus before He died. “The
men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him” (Luke 22:63 NIV).
They continued to say insulting things to Him. “Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed
and mocked him” (Luke 23:11 NIV). “They all condemned him as worthy of death.
Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their
fist, and said, Prophesy! And the guards took him and beat him” (Luke 14:64
NIV). “He had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified” (Mark 15:15
NIV).
“They
put a purple robe on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the
Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on
him” (Mark 15:18-19 NIV). “And they crucified him” (Mark 15:24 NIV). Jesus
suffered all of this for you and me. He took on himself the sins of the world.
Then He willingly gave His life.
I am so hoping that after reading this you
are realizing that God cannot abide sin. Sin separates you totally from God.
But because Jesus died on that cross, you can be forgiven if you repent and
genuinely intend to change your ways. Just saying flippantly, “Forgive me” is
not enough. You must be sincere and truly intend not to give in to that
temptation again. It is of the utmost importance. Jesus did not suffer all of this
for you to take sin lightly. It is so very important for you to be praying and
asking God to help you not give in to temptation. He told His disciples that
very thing on the evening He was arrested.
Take
time this week to thank God for giving His son as an atonement for our sins.
Dear
Lord,
Thank
you so much for giving your Son as a sacrifice for our sins. Help us not to
take this lightly, but to be in prayer that we won’t give in to temptation.
In
Jesus’ name,
Amen
