THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTS DEATH - THE PASSION

Away with Him! Away with Him!! Crucify Him! The crowd shouted on their voices. And then he was crucified, He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit. The story of Christs death calls for deep reflection.

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In human cruelty, Jesus was dragged out of the city. He went through excruciating pain just for our sake. He was cursed that we might be blessed (cursed is he that is hung on a tree). He was stripped naked, they parted his raiment and cast lots, crowned Him with thorns, and went through series of suffering for the salvation of humanity, all because of His love for us.

In the words of Isaiah - He was despised, oppressed , afflicted 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. He has borne our grieves, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

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He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. A man who knew no sin, Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him. (Isaiah 53). In spite of these, then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

God before the Cross brought punishment as the consequence of sin, but after the cross, He left us with His forgiveness. The Scriptures says that without the blood, there's no remission of sin. The soul that sinneths shall die. That is, the wages of sin is death.

On the other hand, the gift of God is eternal life. His death redeem us from death and brought us into eternal life. 2 Corinthians 5:8-10 “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. (KJV)

The greatest form of death is absence from his presence. It became expedient for him to give his life to us. It was first experienced by our first parents (Adam and Eve), though they were living but they were dead.

We are called once again in this season to cherish the Old Rugged Cross. Our salvation is hooked up to the cross for on it our Lord died and his blood, shed. The Cross is an instrument of salvation for it’s by this holy cross that he redeemed the world. The Cross is a trophy of Christ's victory that we must venerate (for devil fears this holy instrument).

How then do we respond to His death?

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2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. The Scripture says that its through His sacrifice that many shall be justified. That is, our justification is not of self, neither is it hinged on the fulfillment of a long list of Laws as requirements (THE OLD COVENANT ) BUT on Him alone whom Justifies us through His blood (a function of divine grace) which is in the New Covenant.

Vs 17-18 says Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

Paul will say in one of his Epistles that its no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me because this life I live now, I live by FAITH in Christ who died for me. For Paul, that was his response to Christ death for him total submission to God, not living for himself but for the loving Father who gave His life that His Children might be salvaged.

We become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, for it is written He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin (for the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all); that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Finally, do we like the crowd, say Away with Him! Away with Him? Is there any how weve participated in crucifying Him the second time through our words or actions? Do we still live our lives as though He never died for us? This calls for self examination.

As we anticipate His resurrection, we pray that our Lord in His infinite mercies will continue to show us His salvation, grant us the grace to crave and know him more and therefore, be transformed by the Power Of Jesus Resurrection so that at the end, we may be among the chosen ones.

Grace to you all!