Sunday's a comin'

A dear friend asked me this morning what the life, death and resurrection of Christ mean to me. Pretty big topic to put into to a single blog. But, here it goes. Thank you for the challenge DJG-M.

There is so, so much that happens hundreds of years before the birth of Christ that makes this weekend so significant. Perhaps the most important is WHY the life, death and triumph of Christ was even necessary.

When the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years, the Law was given to Moses from God Himself. Many times we hear only of the 10 commandments, but there were actually 613 rules in the Law. The Law contained the rules for the Kingdom of Heaven. They explained the way in which they were to live so as to provide maximum health, morality, and prosperity. When these rules were violated, the Law also explained the penance to cover each sin. Sometimes a sin could be covered by the blood of an ox, two doves, a ram, or a lamb. Whichever was sacrificed, the offering had to be FLAWLESS - no diseases, no broken bones, and with a perfect coat. If the animal was flawed it would have to die for it's own sin and therefore could not cover the person making the sacrifice. Imagine how painful it would be to have to give up your best every time even when a seemingly minor offense was committed.

God does not, and never did, want sacrifices. Instead, He wants our hearts to be turned toward Him. He wants an intimate relationship with His children. Any relationship requires time spent together. In the system of sin and sacrifice for atonement, we approach the altar as sinners trying to cover our sins. This sin offering is a constant reminder of the Law and our inability to follow it. It is only through the death of a perfect animal that their sin is covered so that they could come near the Presence of the Lord. Even then, they were separated from the Glory of the Lord by an enormous curtain. This was more symbolic than anything as God can't be stopped by a piece of cloth.


If the goal was to have a continual, growing, intimate relationship with God, then the system of sacrifice for atonement failed. Well, that is actually not true at all. The system, the Law, did not fail. We failed It. Instead of allowing us the relationship God sought, it actually drove us away from Him. After all, none of them could and none of us will ever be able to meet the standard of the Law.

Jesus came because we can't do it on our own. Jesus came because we can't measure up to the demands of perfection that God requires. Jesus came because God loves all of His children and wants that relationship with all of us. Jesus came to be our scapegoat. Jesus came to take the penance for our sins. Jesus came to eliminate the shortcomings of the old system - sin, suffering, death and the power of the devil. Jesus came to remove all of those things and to replace them with righteousness by demonstrating the grace, mercy and love that is God.

By living a perfect, sinless life, Christ is the perfect, spotless sacrifice that is able to cover sins. As a perfect lamb covered the sin of a man in the old system, the perfect Lamb of God is able to cover the sins of all mankind. But, even better than that. The perfect Lamb of God does not just "cover" our sins but removes them from us. In Christ, our sins are justified - just as if we'd never done it. Our sins are gone and we are washed clean.

So, the question remains. What does it mean to me? Personally. It is more simple than we think. While God's original plan is perfect and works in the Kingdom of Heaven, mankind ruined it. I am filled with sin and hung a giant curtain between myself and God that prevented His Glory from shining on me. Despite all of my errors, God still loves me and wants that relationship with me. And I can prove it. I cannot imagine giving my son up for anything. But God did that for me. And you. This weekend, when I think of Christ suffering on the cross that I nailed Him to the first emotion is sorrow. I'm remorseful for the pain I caused Him and others in my life with my mistakes. Then I am filled with repentance, a desire to not repeat those mistakes but to use them for good.

With Christ's death, the entire Spiritual world changed. The curtain that hid the glory of God was torn in half. Instantly the power, mercy, grace, and love of God became available to the world; for every person who wants it. What does Easter mean to me? It means that my God loves me, wants to be with me, empowers me, protects me. It means that Jesus is Risen. That I am forgiven and I may approach God with freedom and confidence. It means that I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. It means that I am a new creation in Christ.

It means that I am thankful that 2000 years ago they didn't know that Sunday was a comin'.