Thank Jesus

“But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.  Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.” – 2 Corinthians 3: 15-16

This week, is Holy Week.  This week is known across the world as the days leading up to Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection.  Over the course of these next few days countless sermons, articles, blog post’s, and various other treatise will be written and orated about those few chapters we have in the scriptures that give us insight into the passion and love of our Savior; and for all that we write, preach and publish about Christ: yet still, we can hardly scratch the surface to tell what he truly has done for us. 

In the Old Testament and to the Jewish people, God was not only scared and holy, but he was feared (in a terrifying sense).  They reverenced Him and his name; so much so that they would not even write the consonants in his name.  There was also a distance between them and God.  God would speak to the people through the prophet.  They only atonement that was offered was through a priest.  There was a veil in the temple that separated the people from the holiest of holies and only certain ones were able to go in.  The idea that any man could have a personal relationship with God was not even on the table.  When Moses came down from the mountain the glory of God shown so bright on his face that they could not even look on him.  Moses had to cover his face with a veil.  There was glory in the Jewish law, there was glory in the sacrifices, but continuing thereby only resulted in a temporary solution to a permanent problem and continued to embolden the fact that there was indeed separation between God and man.  There was sacrifice, there was devotion, but there was a lack of intimacy; and God wanted far more for his creation than to have a long distance relationship with them. When Christ went to the cross the veil was done away with.  He was the instrument of reconciliation between God and man.  He gave us free access to the Father, a personal relationship with God; something that would have been inconceivable to the Jewish nation of old.  It’s not that God didn't want us before and then one day woke up and wanted us.  No, he made man perfect, we sinned, and God went about bringing us back to that perfect state (spiritually) ever since.  This plan of salvation and reconciliation was built upon the cornerstone; Jesus, our Savior, our Emmanuel (God with us). 

A personal plan, for a personal salvation, requires a personal commitment.  The Bible never suggests that Christ is an all-expense paid trip to sin and sin again.  As if to say “have fun, I got the check!”  If that was true, I wouldn't want to be a Christian; because we would be promoters of evil.  Jesus wants you to take up your cross and follow him, and he is not asking of us any more than he didn't do himself.  When Christ went to the cross he did it because God wanted him to, he didn't want to, but God wanted Him to.  He willing laid down His life, for you and me; and if we want real salvation, if we want the Spirit of the Lord, we must lay down our plans, ambitions, wishes, everything we have: just like Jesus did.  You must die to the: world, yourself, and sin to then be raised anew.  Then the Spirit of God comes in, the separation is gone, and a beautiful relationship begins.  For this we can thank Jesus, and thank him this week, every week, every day.