Are you hurting and broken within?
Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin?
Jesus is calling
Have you come to the end of yourself?
Do you thirst for a drink from the well?
Jesus is calling

O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes
Come today, there’s no reason to wait
Jesus is calling
Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy
From the ashes, a new life is born
Jesus is calling

O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood…

Jesus knows exactly what we feel when we are mocked, bullied, accused of something we did not do, pushed around, ignored, disregarded in value, and openly attacked.  He went through all of that and more in His final days on earth as Son of Man.  Jesus felt every spike of the whip as it tore through his physical, human body.  His heart was broken at every slander and lie against God, His Father. 

As the Son of God, Jesus could have called the whole thing off, could have called ten thousand angels to turn the tables on his enemies and destroy them—but He did not.  His love for each one of us held Him there, silent against his accusers, as Messiah. 

We were on His mind as Jesus, who was without sin, became the sacrifice for our sins.

Mark 14, The Message

Condemned to Death

^53-54 They led Jesus to the Chief Priest, where the high priests, religious leaders, and scholars had gathered together. Peter followed at a safe distance until they got to the Chief Priest’s courtyard, where he mingled with the servants and warmed himself at the fire.

^55-59 The high priests conspiring with the Jewish Council looked high and low for evidence against Jesus by which they could sentence him to death. They found nothing. Plenty of people were willing to bring in false charges, but nothing added up, and they ended up canceling each other out. Then a few of them stood up and lied: “We heard him say, ‘I am going to tear down this Temple, built by hard labor, and in three days build another without lifting a hand.’” But even they couldn’t agree exactly.

^60-61 In the middle of this, the Chief Priest stood up and asked Jesus, “What do you have to say to the accusation?” Jesus was silent. He said nothing.

The Chief Priest tried again, this time asking, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed?”

⁶² Jesus said, “Yes, I am, and you’ll see it yourself:

The Son of Man seated
At the right hand of the Mighty One,
Arriving on the clouds of heaven.”

^63-64 The Chief Priest lost his temper. Ripping his clothes, he yelled, “Did you hear that? After that do we need witnesses? You heard the blasphemy. Are you going to stand for it?”

They condemned him, one and all. The sentence: death.

⁶⁵ Some of them started spitting at him. They blindfolded his eyes, then hit him, saying, “Who hit you? Prophesy!” The guards, punching and slapping, took him away.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Oh, what a Savior
Isn’t He wonderful?
Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen
Bow down before Him
For He is Lord of all
Sing hallelujah, Christ is risen

What exactly is our response to what Jesus did for us?  We believe what is said here in God’s Word by His gospel writers to be the absolute Truth, the Way to God who gives Life everlasting!  We shout hallelujahs as we respond in grateful praise for Jesus who willingly suffered, died for our sins, then rose again to prove who He is—Messiah—the One and Only who saves us!

O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ

O come to the altar
The Father’s arms are open wide
Forgiveness was bought with
The precious blood of Jesus Christ

The Father’s arms are open wide…

If we still think that Jesus couldn’t possible know how we feel today, couldn’t know how awful people have treated us, and couldn’t know what we need most—guess again, reread the passage slowly and prayerfully.  Jesus knows and Jesus loves because Jesus suffered all that a human body could before dying for our sins on a cross for all to see as a final humiliation.

His final words, “It is finished,” meant that all the sins of the world, past, present, and future, are paid in full for all who believe in the gift that God gave us.  The “finish” proclaimed a new beginning for each one of us who believe and realize the God knows us by name. The Finish signaled a new life with a new way of living.  The Finish provided an open door to God with a growing, loving intimacy with God.  The Finish gave us His constant Presence as His Spirit lives within our being. 

The Finish began new thinking that developed transformed minds to see our relationship with God more clearly.  The Finish cleanses hearts with knowing greater perspectives of Kingdom living, along with a complete restoration of all the broken parts mended together as we become whole and holy before God—all because of what Jesus did for us.

My Jesus knows just what I need…

Lord,

Thank you for all you endured mentally and physically, to set us free from the punishment for our sins that we deserve.  Thank you for defeating death and rising again to secure our hope of eternal life.  There is no one like you.  There will never be anyone like you.  To you be the glory, honor, and praise forever and ever, Amen