“Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, ‘It is finished!’ And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. (Matthew 28:5-6)
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.” (Galatians 2:20-21)
Because He died, we can live. Because He obeyed, we can be forgiven. Because He was condemned, we can be saved.
Following Jesus is not about better, faster, stronger, higher. It is about recognizing our helplessness, admitting our guilt, and receiving His sacrifice on our behalf. Everything depends on the crucifixion and resurrection. Everything. That means nothing is left to depend on us. Grace is something we receive, not something we earn.
We do not come to the cross as worthy people, promising to do better. We come as desperate beggars, acknowledging our need and seeking God’s empowering grace.
Herein lies the tremendous hope: since nothing depends on us, since everything depends on God, victory is certain! We have an ironclad guarantee of forgiveness, grace, and eternal life, if only we will receive Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf.
If you have never received the gift of salvation, we invite you to do so now. Simply, confess your sins to God and ask Him to reign as Lord in your life.
For those who are already believers, imagine nailing to the cross the sins that weigh you down and condemn you. Remember that Jesus has paid the cost for those sins, so you don’t have to. Jesus has borne their burden, so your conscience need no longer be weighed down. Jesus will carry us to heaven, so we need not try to “earn” our way there. Cast your cares on Jesus and hear Him say, “It is finished.”
Prayer
Lord Jesus, You are my only hope. Realizing all that You have done for me on the cross brings great joy and peace to my life. I can count on You. My access to the Father, assurance of forgiveness of my sins, entry into eternal life – all depend on You. I trust You, I give You my life anew, I worship You for what You have done.
* Daily Readings are not based on the sequence of events during the Passion Week, but instead to reflect on and then prayerfully consider applications of some of the aspects and events of this sacred week.