It wasn’t the nails that held him to the tree
Posted By Bishop R.D Grant on August 24, 2008
Jesus made his mission clear when he began his ministry, he said according to St. John 3:14-17
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved”.
It was done because God cares! He cared about his creation that he sent redemption through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus’ coming was prophesied according to the scriptures. The old Testament and all prophets, pointed to his coming, offering salvation to the entire world.The Bible says that a body was prepared (Hebrews 10:5). Christ came down through forty two (42) generations counting from Abraham, that the scriptures might be fulfilled (St. Matthew 1:17).
Jesus said my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work (St. John 4:34). Jesus was a willing servant, and an obedient vessel o the command of his father. The book of Hebrews 10:7 records him saying, “then said, I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God”. Jesus’ love for us, cost him his life. He died that you and I must live.
He became our Passover that was sacrificed for us (I Corinthians 5:7), who was offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation (Hebrews 9:28). He made it abundently clear that it was not the nails that held him to the tree, for he said in St. John 10: 18 “that no man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father”.
When the roman soldiers came to arrest him, Christ said to Peter, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? But then how shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” (St. Matthew 26:53-54). So you see, Jesus could have come down. But he was obedient to the will of the Father.
It wasn’t the nails, but it was love and mercy that held Christ to the tree. As the songs continues saying, “He could have come down, but sinners would still be lost”. It was Jesus’ love for the world. And it is for this course that he endured the cross.
It was love that he had for us that he said while nailed to the tree, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do” (St. Luke 23:34). It was love that he had for us that he said to His Father, “into thy hands I commend my spirit” (St. John 23:46).
To this we say, thank you Lord for loving us that you gave your life that we might have life and have it more abundently (St. John 10:10).
COGSOC Copy Rights © August/Ab 2008
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