“ ....making peace by the blood of His cross.”
Colossians 1:20, ESV
As Good Friday approaches, I want to take a minute to remind us all of why it’s ‘good.’ Certainly the picture of an innocent and naked young man, publicly nailed to a cross, an especially cruel and shameful way to die, seems anything but ‘good’ to me.
But then I remember that Jesus wasn’t just a young man, He was the only begotten Son of God. He wasn’t an unlucky bystander, murdered by politicians, liars and criminals; He was intentionally sacrificed, by God, for the sins of mankind. And, while he was innocent in Himself, He was made to be the cumulative sin of all humanity, that we might all be made the righteousness of God in Him.
This small portion of Paul’s epistle to the Colossians above, holds life changing truths. They’re important enough to think about deeply and often.
Let’s start with the cross. If we’re not wise we can think the scene I mentioned above, with it’s rejection, shame and death is the entire point; but it isn’t. I can recall my life, before I became a believer, thinking that however misguided this action might seem to me, that it was certainly a proof of a great love. But that’s just a bit sentimental. We’ve all heard and probably said ‘Jesus loved me so much’ and then stretched our arms out in reflection of Him hanging on the cross member of a cross.
He does love us much, but it’s not sentiment only. It’s a legal reality, upheld by the blood that poured out of Him as He hung there. That thorny crown pushed down upon His head certainly caused blood to be shed, but that wasn’t enough for the task at hand. Though he bled, as he bled from the nail wounds in his wrists and ankles, that wasn’t enough either. He was still alive and as long as he lived His body fought to stay alive. It wasn’t just the spear jab in the side after He had given up His own life to the Father-though all of those things openly demonstrated the great truth: The Life is in the blood and without the shedding of blood- the giving of a life- there is no forgiveness of sins.
It was the pouring out of that Holy Life that bought us a salvation so full and free, it’s value cannot be measured.
The scripture says in another place that Jesus, once and for all, sat down at the right hand of the Father, having offered up His own blood.
But unlike the blood of bulls and goats, this sacrifice went further. There’s not just a temporary reprieve of an almost clean conscience here. This sacrifice was powerful enough that it enabled a change of nature. An exchange of nature’s. Our old nature that was bent towards sin and punishment was replaced by a new life that replicated...was...His own.
Our spirit, made alive with His Spirit, bears witness within us that we have been reconciled into peace with Him, and if we have peace - that wholeness that comes from being properly re-membered and joined together- then we ultimately have peace and wholeness with all those around us.
It’s a great truth and a great gift that we’ve received. Let us all remember, especially throughout this week, that this is not just some slick story we’ve been told. This is the drama of the planet’s redemption. That cross, that blood bought us all an unfading peace strong enough to last for all eternity.