Come and Die

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“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ [who loved me and gave himself for me] lives in me.” —Galatians 2:20

As they made their way up Mount Moriah, Isaac asked his father a question that should have brought a cold chill to Abraham’s heart. “‘The fire and wood are here,’ Isaac said, ‘but where is the lamb for the burnt offering’” (Genesis 22:7). But such was Abraham's faith in God that his next words were not words of dread, but words of profound trust: “Abraham answered, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son’” (22:8).

God’s instructions to Abraham to offer his only son as a burnt offering is one of the many scarlet threads of redemption that cover the pages of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation. Isaac, on his way to his death, is spared when God provides the ram caught in a nearby thicket. Blood is shed, but not Isaac’s.

Every breath that you and I take is one breath less. And any one could be our last. Like Isaac, we were on our way to our deaths. But God, rich in mercy, provided His own sacrifice, Jesus, to take our place. Blood was shed, but it wasn’t ours. It was the blood of Jesus.

Peter writes: “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree...” (1 Peter 2:24). But there is more than just forgiveness of sins involved here. Oddly enough, at the cross we avoided one death to embrace another. The verse goes on: “...so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.”

Jesus came to offer us life at His expense. John writes, quoting Jesus, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). But He also asks us to die to sin and to selfishness. Paul writes: “…count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires…but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life…” (Romans 6:11-13).

Jesus told His disciples that commitment came at a cost (Matthew 10:16-49).  “All men will hate you because of me…A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master…If the world hates you,” He warned, “…keep in mind that it hated me first” (Matthew 10:22, 24; John 15:18). He would model by His death what might be required some day of them. His call was a call to share His cross. It was a call to die: “…anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:28).

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote, “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die” (The Cost of Discipleship, 1937). Bonhoeffer was living in the United States at the beginning of the Second World War, but chose to return to Germany. He felt that he would have no right to help in the restoration of Christian life in Germany if he had not shared in the suffering of his own nation and her people.  Bonhoeffer not only lived what he believed but was executed in Germany in 1945, just before the end of the war, because of those beliefs. He was thirty-nine years old.

One of the many reasons Good Friday is an essential celebration is that it reminds us not only of Christ's death as our substitute, but it also reminds us that we have been spared so that we can die to sin and to self, so that we can live righteously and so that we can embrace personal sacrifice, as we walk in the way of Jesus.

What better time to renew that commitment to “die” and to live like Jesus than on the day set aside to remember what it cost Him to make living abundantly, and dying daily, possible.

Embracing Death

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“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” —Philippians 2:8

In the space of one week three people I knew well, along with the stepfather of a friend, died.  Death isn’t usually so busy during an average week in my life. It was unsettling. But though we try hard to minimize it, death is inevitable. Even our language is designed to avoid its reality. We talk about people “passing away” or “promoted to glory” or “in a better place” or “with the angels.”

In a sense, death is the final frontier (with apologies to Star Trek fans) and we are not eager to talk about it, or to cross its boundaries. In some cultures even the mention of the word is frowned on just in case it invites “the grim reaper” (yet another way to avoid calling death what it is) to come and collect another trophy.

But Jesus embraced it. As God-become-Man He identified with us right to the last excruciating breath, crossing our final frontier just as we will someday cross it, but via suffering that we can only imagine. 

One of the big discussions of our generation has revolved around physician-assisted death—the right of people in extremis to legally end their lives at their own convenience. The argument is that when the end is inevitable and the pain is too much, people need to have the opportunity to end the suffering as quickly and efficiently as possible.

When we look at the cross we find a Saviour who “suffered” the cross and refused to excuse Himself from any of its torment. The Scriptures tell us that He would not even accept drugged wine to ease His pain (Matthew 27:34). The cheap wine given to the Roman soldiers would have been laced with something bitter such as myrrh or wormwood to dull His senses.

Matthew Poole commenting on this, writes: “Certain it is, that it was an ordinary favour they showed to dying persons, to give them some intoxicating potion, to make them less sensible of their pain. It is probable it was something of this nature; but our Saviour was not afraid to die, and so had no need of such an antidote against the pain of it; he refused it.”

He felt more than we will ever be called upon to feel and, as one commentator suggested, refused comfort so that we could find that comfort.

Jesus called death what it was, embraced it, and then crushed it so that we might never have to fear it.

Paul writes, quoting two Old Testament prophets: “‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54b-57).

Who's Keeping Watch?

“Because the Lord kept vigil that night…” —Exodus 12: 42

Tucked away at the end of Exodus 12 is a verse that is easily skipped over. 

This chapter describes the last plague—the plague to end all plagues—the death of the firstborn of animals and humans. The ritual needed to prepare for this disaster—and to prevent it from impacting the Hebrews—is described in detail.

As God had promised, the angel of death passed over Egypt at midnight. The Almighty kept His promise, “When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down” (vs. 23).

This last plague was enough for Pharaoh. He urged Moses and the Israelites to go—and go quickly. They did, not even adding yeast to the next day’s bread that was waiting in their kneading troughs (vs. 34, 39). They needed to go before Pharaoh changed his mind again.

Of course the symbolism of this “pass over” drives us to the cross, illustrating what Christ did, and will do, for us. The destroyer cannot touch us. As believers we are covered by the blood He shed on Calvary.

But what struck me is a phrase that appears in the final instruction that Moses was given just at the end of the chapter. “Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honour the Lord for the generations to come” (vs. 42).

The Passover continues to be an important observance for orthodox Jews to this day. I don’t know if they “keep vigil” as part of their observance, but the phrase caught my eye. It suggests that every year, in celebration of the night the destroyer passed over Egypt and did not touch any of the Hebrews because of the blood of the lamb on the doorpost—the night God Himself kept vigil to make sure that none of them were touched—the Jews held what we used to call a “watchnight service.” They watched, waited, remembered, celebrated, kept vigil until midnight as part of their observance of the greatest moment in their history.

We used to celebrate the “watchnight service” in our churches as December 31st rolled into January 1st. At midnight we met in the auditorium to welcome in the New Year with a prayer and praise service. I don’t know how the tradition started. It’s not a bad one, but perhaps it is misplaced. Perhaps it is on Good Friday that we, as redeemed believers saved from the touch of the destroyer because of the blood of Jesus Christ, ought to be keeping vigil in celebration of the greatest day in our history.

The tendency is to limit our Good Friday observance to an hour so as not to inconvenience anyone or intrude on family get-togethers, or, as in my experience, to ignore it altogether. But perhaps we need to learn a lesson from the Hebrews of ancient days. If they were to keep vigil to remember how God saved them from physical death, how much more should we keep vigil to remember how Christ has saved us from eternal death and has given us new live at the cost of His.

The Innocent For The Guilty — Part 1

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“…when I see the blood…” —Exodus 23:13

Hidden in the horrendous events of Exodus 11 and 12 are some of the most precious Gospel promises that God could ever give.

            As the Hebrews come to the end of their sojourn in Egypt, and as God came to the end of His patience in dealing with Pharaoh, Moses received instructions on how the people were to prepare for the Passover. They needed to be ready for that moment when the angel of God would pass over Egypt and take the first-born from every family, every flock, every herd. The lamb was to be sacrificed and its blood sprinkled on the doorposts of every Hebrew home. 

            “The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt” (Exodus 12:13).

So Moses passed on the message and the people prepared for an event that has remained a sacred celebration for Jews since that time. Moses said: “When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your homes and strike you down” (Exodus 12:23).

“…when I see the blood…”

When, at last, we stand before God, those of us who know Jesus as Lord and Saviour will worship Him without fear. When He looks at us He will see, not our sins, but the blood of His Son—and will pass over. This theme becomes a constant in Scripture.

1 Peter 1:2, “…who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood.”

Ephesians 2:13, “But now in Jesus Christ you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.”

Revelation 1:5, “…To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.”

We rail at being passed over for a promotion, or for not being recognized for work well done, or being overlooked when invitations are extended to some special event. But this one time, when it comes to the judgment for sin, being passed over is a really, really good thing.

What a promise, what a privilege.

What a relief!

And So It Begins

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“And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” —Genesis 3:15

I have a set of old rusty keys. I also have some nice shiny ones. They come in handy. And, oddly enough, they connect to Calvary.

As far as the historical record is concerned the story of the cross begins in Genesis with the first couple and the first sin. But God’s plan to deal with what He knew was inevitable actually was in place before time was established and history was first recorded. This is suggested in Revelation 13:8 when John refers to the “…the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”

It’s a pity. If there had been no sin, there would have been no need for a Saviour to come and take our punishment upon Himself; no need for a cross upon which He would have to die.

James Kennedy remarks in Cross Purposes, Discovering the Great Love of God for You, that we seldom, if ever, hear the word sin used today—not even from some of our pulpits. Many people go so far as to deny that such a thing as sin exists. We have invented more acceptable terms to describe it—and excuse it. Kennedy once used the following example to illustrate sin’s existence.

“I remember…saying,...‘ I wonder if I may see your keys. Do you have a key ring?’ The man reached into his pocket and pulled out a key ring. I said to him, ‘If there’s no such thing as sin, sir, tell me, why do you have these?’ He was speechless. He has keys because he has locks. And why does he have locks? Because he has things locked up. And why does he have things locked up? Because there are people who would steal them if he didn’t. And why would they steal them? Because they’re sinners. That’s why” (page 23).

It’s hard to argue with the logic.        

Adam and Eve decided to steal God’s glory by competing for His position by doing what He had forbidden them to do. Satan had made this claim, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). The first couple fell for the lie. We’ve been falling for the same lies ever since.

Their decision made Calvary necessary. Our decisions, as sinners who have followed the path of our ancient ancestors, made Calvary necessary. From the beginning of recorded history God promised the coming of a Saviour (Genesis 3:15). Satan would try to destroy Him, but He who would conqueror death on one glorious Resurrection morning would also conqueror Satan and sin on one strangely glorious dark and deadly Friday.

Perhaps our need to reduce the cross in our worship, and in our practice, is related to our desperate need to deny the sin in us that made the cross necessary.

But all of us must confess to having keys—and the locks that make the keys necessary. Every time we lock or unlock a door we are reminded of sin.