Sacrifice

These are a few of my thoughts as I think about Jesus' sacrifice today, Good Friday. Today is the day that we remember the sacrifice of Jesus. We remember today the nails in His hands and feet. We remember the crown of thorns, the whipping, the mocking of the guards and crowd. Today we remember the price that had to be paid for our rebellion against God. And I find myself both thankful and sad...Because where would I be with out the Cross? What hope would I have without the Cross? I am not foolish or arrogant enough to think that I could make myself good under my own strength and so I am truly thankful for the gift that Jesus has given me. Without his sacrifice I would be without Hope, without peace, and without relationship with my Lord. It is by His sacrifice that I gain all these things and yet it is hard to feel like I am worthy enough to gain reconciliation. The amazing thing is though, I am not worthy of an of the mercy shown me, I am not worthy of the gift that is offered...At least I am not worthy because of anything I have done, rather God sees me as His child and it is by this gift that He can cleans my life and restore me to relationship with Him. I do not deserve the gift that God offers but it is through His mercy and grace that He gives it. All He asks is that I repent, that is turn away, from my old life...The life I lived seeking the things that were to make me happy, a life that was only devoted to myself. Today of all days seems like a Good day to remember the life that we had and to remember the sacrifice of Jesus so that we may live.

It has been many years since I came to Jesus and He made me clean and as I sit here on Good Friday I think of the journey of my life, the trails and paths that I have walked during my life and I think of the choices I have made and I am thankful. Even though I have not always lived a life that has reflected Jesus, I am thankful that in spite of my own faults God has been with me bringing me through those hard times. I am thankful that I have a patient God who loves me and is working to form me more into the image of His Son, so that my life would be one that reflects the love of God into the world around me.

Today we remember the Cross and the sacrifice of Jesus, we remember that Jesus' death on the Cross was for each and everyone of us. And so as we remember the sacrifice of Christ today and the resurrection of Sunday let us make our prayer to be more like Jesus. Let us remember the life of Christ and remember that we are meant to be like Him not like the world. To belong to Christ means to follow Him and live a life that reflect Jesus. I leave you with the words to a song by Todd Agnew called "My Jesus":

Which Jesus do you follow?
Which Jesus do you serve?
If Ephesians says to imitate Christ,
Why do you look so much like the world?

Chorus:
Cause my Jesus bled and died
He spent His time with thieves and liars
He loved the poor and accosted the arrogant
So which one do you want to be?

Blessed are the poor in spirit, do we pray to be blessed with the
Wealth of this land
Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousness
Do we ache for another taste of this world of shifting sand

Chorus:

And who is this that you follow
This picture of the American dream
If Jesus was here would you walk right by on the other side
Or fall down and worship at His holy feet

Pretty blue eyes, curly brown hair and a clear complexion
Is how you see Him as He dies for Your sins
But the Word says He was battered and scarred
Or did you miss that part
Sometimes I doubt we'’d recognize Him

Chorus:

Cause my Jesus would never be accepted in my church
The blood and dirt on His feet might stain the carpet
But He reached for the hurting and despises the proud
I think He'’d prefer Beal St. To the stained glass crowd
But I know that He can hear me if I cry out loud

I want to be like my Jesus
Can I be like You
I want to be like my Jesus

He is Risen!