For Me

Hi folks ... Easter is upon us! Here in the Philippines, because of being a Roman Catholic country, Easter is one of the main events of the year. The whole world stop to remember Easter. You can go to Santiago today and (amazingly) the streets are empty and there are no tricycles or jeepneys anywhere. Most people attend church to remember the Lord on the cross.

But superstition and misunderstandings mingle with the Easter story here. For example, today I saw a large group of people walking down the street. On closer inspection I saw two young men lashing themselves as they walked along. Blood was pouring from their backs and they continued their painful lashings. I felt like opening my window and shouting, "Hey, you don't have to do that! The reason Jesus went to the cross is so that you don't have to. He has taken you pain ... and he really doesn't need you to take more pain." What a totally screwed up and pathetic way to think ... that somehow by causing ourselves pain we might achieve salvation and holiness.

The message of Easter is of mercy and grace. Mercy - we deserved to die in our sin without Christ and live for eternity with no hope. Grace - He took our sin, took our guilt, took our sorrows and took our sickness to the cross ... and because of this we qualify for forgiveness, peace, hope and an eternity in heaven.

When you think about it in it's simplest and purest essence, Easter is an incredible deal for you and me. Jesus died ... so we can have life. He suffered ... so we can have peace. He became a curse ... so we can live in blessing. He took sickness upon himself... so we can be healed. He took our shame ... so we can live a life of honour. He took the place of a servant ... so we can become sons. He went to hell... so we could dwell in heaven.

I love the way the New Living Translation puts it in Isaiah 53:

He was despised and rejected — a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.

He was despised, and we did not care.

Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins!

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole.
He was whipped so we could be healed.

All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word.
He was led like a lamb to the slaughter.
And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

Unjustly condemned, he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants,
that his life was cut short in midstream.
But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people.

As I write out these profound yet beautiful verses, tears are running down my face. We cannot begin to imagine what He went through for us. Don't get the impression that somehow he embraced His fathers plan of the cross like an ill-informed martyr. He was a man; He was afraid; He knew that He would suffer real pain, real rejection and real brutality. This is why he cried out to His father in Gethsemane, "Father, if there is any other way, please let this cup of suffering pass me by." Roughly translated, "If there is a plan B where I can avoid this agony, show me father."

But there was no plan B. Only one way. But as we look at the cross this Easter, remember this. We are not only saved by His death, but we are saved by His life. Jesus only hung on the cross for a few hours, but if in the previous 33 years He had committed one single sin, the plan of salvation was over. Death would have won and Jesus would still be behind the stone. But, because of the victory over sin in His life Jesus was victorious over sin in His death! Hallelujah!

And what is our part of the deal? What does Jesus get from us? What is the cost we pay for such an amazing salvation? What does the Lord require of us?

Why did Jesus die? Why did He go through such agony and dejection? The answer... to see you and me forgiven, cleansed, healed, fulfilled and walking in His ways. Isaiah continues his prophetic declaration...

But it was the Lord’s good plan to crush him and cause him grief.
When he sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied.
And because of his experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins.

When the Lord sees us live for Him .. He is satisfied. When He sees us walk in His ways ... he is satisfied. When He sees people cry out to Him to have their sins forgiven .. he is satisfied. He says, "It was worth it."

Live your life under the shadow of the cross my friend. For there you will see unconditional love, passion beyond words, power to deal with the past, grace to bring us through today and hope that will see us spend an eternity in His presence.

A beautiful modern Hymn by Stuart Townsend describes what I am trying to say with these lovely words:

Behold the Man upon a cross
My guilt upon His shoulders
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no powr's, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom

Selah...