Wrap Your Head Around THIS!

 

Trying to fully grasp the reality of Jesus dying for you, truly understanding the depth of His sacrifice, can be overwhelming. It is a mystery that humbles the heart and calls for a response of awe. The core of our faith is rooted in this powerful truth: Jesus, the Son of God, died to save us from the judgment and penalty that we deserved for our sins. This single act, which defies human comprehension, forms the foundation of our salvation. It is through His death that we are able to experience grace, reconciliation, and eternal life.

To understand the significance of His sacrifice, we must first reflect on the gravity of sin and its consequences. From the beginning, humanity was created for perfect communion with God. Adam and Eve lived in an environment where God walked with them, where they were without shame or separation. But when they chose to disobey God, sin entered the world. It brought with it not just disobedience, but separation from God, as God is holy and cannot tolerate sin in His presence. This is the reality of our condition: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). This includes everyone, without exception. We all fall short of God’s perfect standard.

The consequences of sin are severe. The Bible is clear that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is not merely physical death, but spiritual death, which is eternal separation from God. The consequence of living in sin, apart from God, is an eternity under His judgment. Without a way to reconcile ourselves to God, we would be left hopeless, unable to save ourselves or undo the damage of our wrongdoing.

However, the love and mercy of God do not leave us in this hopeless state. In His infinite grace, God made a way for us to be reconciled to Himself. He sent His Son, Jesus, to bear the weight of our sin and to take the punishment that was meant for us. The apostle Paul describes this great exchange in 2 Corinthians 5:21: “For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” Jesus, who was without sin, took on the burden of our sin, and in exchange, He offers us His righteousness. Through His death, the penalty for our sins was paid, and we are given the opportunity to be restored to God.

This sacrifice was not just a simple act. Jesus did not merely experience physical death. His death involved much more. Jesus bore the full weight of God’s wrath against sin. This was a cosmic transaction in which the eternal Son of God took upon Himself the sins of the world. Jesus did not die just for good people, nor for those who might deserve it, but for sinners, people who were hostile to God and who, in their sin, deserved judgment. The Bible makes this clear: “But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8,). Jesus did not wait for us to clean ourselves up. He loved us in our mess, in our brokenness, and He died to bring us back to God.

As we consider the depth of His sacrifice, we must also reflect on the reality that Jesus’ death was the fulfillment of the law and the ultimate sacrifice for sin. In the Old Testament, the Israelis were required to offer animal sacrifices as a temporary means of atoning for sin. But these sacrifices were never enough. They were a shadow of the ultimate sacrifice that would be made in Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 9:22, we are reminded, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” Jesus, by His death, fulfilled what was required by the law. His blood was shed once and for all, and through His sacrifice, the forgiveness of sins was made available to all who would believe in Him.

The truth of Jesus' death on the cross is powerful, but the message doesn’t end there. Jesus did not stay dead. His resurrection three days later is the proof that His sacrifice was accepted by God the Father. It is through His resurrection that we find hope for our own lives. As the apostle Paul writes in Romans 6:4 , “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” Jesus' victory over death offers us victory over sin. Through His resurrection, we are given the promise of eternal life. Because He lives, we can live in freedom from sin and death.

Understanding what Jesus did for us changes everything about the way we live. His death for us is not just an event to remember but a reality that should shape how we live every day. When we accept Jesus' sacrifice and receive His gift of salvation, we are given a new beginning. The old life is gone, and the new life has come (2 Corinthians 5:17,). We are no longer under condemnation, but we are made right with God through Jesus Christ. We have been given the Holy Spirit to guide and empower us to live in a way that honors God.

But living in light of Jesus' death is not simply about believing a set of facts or going through the motions of religion. It is about being transformed. When we understand the depth of God’s love for us, it compels us to live differently. As the apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:1: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” In light of the great sacrifice Jesus made for us, our response is to offer our lives as a living sacrifice. This means that every part of our lives—our thoughts, actions, and decisions, should reflect the love and grace we’ve received through Jesus Christ.

Living a godly life is not about trying to earn God's favor or prove ourselves. It is a response to the love and grace God has already shown us. As we grow in our understanding of what Jesus did for us, our love for Him grows, and this love compels us to walk in obedience to Him. Jesus said in John 14:15 , “If you love me, keep my commandments.” Our obedience to God flows out of our love for Him. It is the natural result of a heart that has been transformed by His grace.

As we seek to live out the implications of Jesus’ death, we are reminded that we are called to share this good news with the world around us. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not just for us to enjoy in isolation—it is a message that is meant to be shared. Jesus came to save sinners, and He calls us to take that message to others. The Apostle Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:20, “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be reconciled to God.” We are His ambassadors, called to spread the message of reconciliation and hope that is found in Jesus Christ.

Trying to wrap our heads around Jesus dying for us may never lead to complete understanding, but it should lead us to deep gratitude and reverence. His sacrifice is the greatest act of love the world has ever known. Through His death and resurrection, we have been given a new life, free from the penalty of sin, and empowered to live for Him. As we live in response to His love, we honor the One who gave everything for us. And as we share this truth with others, we participate in the ongoing work of reconciliation, bringing more into the freedom and life that Jesus offers.

 

 

 

I hope this message blessed you. If so, please leave a comment. I look forward to hearing from you.



The images are AI generated on chatgpt at my direction. That first one is a "copy" of a scratchboard "painting" I did when I had a vision in 1997. This image is much cleaner, blood and wound wise.