July 1: Affirming His Grace.
HIS MISSION.
"It is expedient for you that one man die for the people."--John 11:50
A close relative told me of the impact a particular lecture had on him many decades ago. In order to visually illustrate the inclusivity of God's grace, the professor took a piece of chalk and started walking all around the room, drawing a straight horizontal line on the walls, doors, windows, the complete circumference of the venue, until everyone in that audience found themselves sitting inside the parameters of the line. "All are included in God's grace" the professor said.
So what, exactly, qualifies us as recipients of God's grace? After the resurrection of Lazarus, the chief priests and Pharisees got together and planned to kill Jesus (see John 11:47-53). The chief priest, Caiaphas, said to them, "You know nothing at all nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people" (verse 49, 50). John adds an extremely important note: "Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (verses 51, 52). Caiaphas, unknowingly, had just prophesied what the mission of Jesus was! To die for the people! His statement is repeated after Jesus' betrayal: "It was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people" (John 18:14). Jesus died for the human race to undo what Adan and Eve had done. Jesus is the Second Adam, whose victorious death on behalf of the human race was even more complete than Adam's utter failure as representative of the race. Paul explains: "So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:18, 19). It's not about what qualifies us, but who qualified for us! He died for the people. And that, my friend, includes you!
My Response:________________________________________________________
HIS MISSION.
"It is expedient for you that one man die for the people."--John 11:50
A close relative told me of the impact a particular lecture had on him many decades ago. In order to visually illustrate the inclusivity of God's grace, the professor took a piece of chalk and started walking all around the room, drawing a straight horizontal line on the walls, doors, windows, the complete circumference of the venue, until everyone in that audience found themselves sitting inside the parameters of the line. "All are included in God's grace" the professor said.
So what, exactly, qualifies us as recipients of God's grace? After the resurrection of Lazarus, the chief priests and Pharisees got together and planned to kill Jesus (see John 11:47-53). The chief priest, Caiaphas, said to them, "You know nothing at all nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people" (verse 49, 50). John adds an extremely important note: "Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad" (verses 51, 52). Caiaphas, unknowingly, had just prophesied what the mission of Jesus was! To die for the people! His statement is repeated after Jesus' betrayal: "It was expedient for one man to die on behalf of the people" (John 18:14). Jesus died for the human race to undo what Adan and Eve had done. Jesus is the Second Adam, whose victorious death on behalf of the human race was even more complete than Adam's utter failure as representative of the race. Paul explains: "So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous" (Romans 5:18, 19). It's not about what qualifies us, but who qualified for us! He died for the people. And that, my friend, includes you!
My Response:________________________________________________________
RSS Feed
