Week Twenty-five of Cultivate Delight, where we are actively planning our spiritual endeavors this coming week with the goal of a consistent time spent engaging our hearts with Christ in his word, in prayer, in reflection, and in music. Below are some starting points for reflection, and I hope you find them helpful. The goal is to not just rush through these and then get on with your day. Take your time and reflect throughout the week on these items.
“God never showed his hatred of sin so much as he did in Christ. When God sent his Son into the world to die for man’s sin, he is saying, “they shall see the extent to which I hate sin in how I deal with my son.”
― Jeremiah Burroughs, The Wonders of Jesus
Bible Reading
Liturgy – New City Catechism
Question 25: Does Christ’s death mean all our sins can be forgiven?
Yes, because Christ’s death on the cross fully paid the penalty for our sin, God graciously imputes Christ’s righteousness to us as if it were our own and will remember our sins no more.
2 Corinthians 5:21
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Prayer
How do we contemplate this amazing truth of Jesus on the cross? How do we stop ourselves from letting the impact of this historical event fade into the background of noise that is all around us? May it never be Lord. May we never ever lose sight of the heinousness of Jesus hanging on the cross and enduring the full wrath of God. May we never let this drift away from our heart and may it never lose its impact on our life. He who knew no sin was made sin. It’s not that he just took sin upon himself, but that he was made sin. When the Father looked upon his perfect holy Son, he only saw the filth and wretchedness of our sin. The Father therefore laid upon his Son the full wrath of punishment for this sin. Our sin.
Yet, Jesus tells us that he freely chose this path. He chose to forgo everything to become sin and endure the full penalty. He chose to take our rightful punishment. Why? So that we can become the righteousness of God. When the Father looks upon us, he only sees Jesus! He only sees the righteousness of Christ crying out that the punishment for sin is paid in full. The tempter, the deceiver, the enemy of all that is holy will try to convince us otherwise, but Jesus shows the scars on his hands and his side. It is finished. It is finished indeed.
So now we can sing praises to our Jesus with every breathe that we breathe. Every moment that we have can be lived in righteousness. We are now enabled to serve the Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. We have the righteousness of Christ and sin has no claim over us. We are no longer a slave to sin, but a slave to righteousness. Lord, change our hearts to better understand this truth. To better see the wonder of Jesus and the forgiveness of our sin. Let us see and understand the cost. And may we come humbly before the throne of God pointing simply to Jesus. Empty hands, but hearts full of Jesus!
Worship
Jesus Messiah
He became sin
Who knew no sin
That we might become His Righteousness
He humbled himself and carried the cross
Love so amazing
Love so amazing
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
His body the bread
His blood the wine
Broken and poured out all for love
The whole earth trembled
And the veil was torn
Love so amazing
Love so amazing, yeah
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
All our hope is in You
All our hope is in You
All the glory to You, God
The light of the world
Jesus Messiah
Name above all names
Blessed Redeemer
Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners
The ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
Jesus Messiah
Lord of all
You’re the Lord of all!
The Lord of all