The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 19:3,
"And they slapped him in the face."
Those who did the slapping were Pilate's soldiers. The One slapped was the Son of God! It took place when the leaders of the Jews brought Jesus to Pilate to have him put to death.
This account is provided to us in John's gospel - a book that begins with these words, "In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." John 1:1-4. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the creative agent within the Trinity. All things that exist have been created through him.
Mankind literally slapped his Creator in the face! What drove the Jews and the Romans to treat the Son of God this way is what drives us all - it was not just them. It is all of us. We all have a sinful nature that has prompted us to turn our backs on God. We all have a sinful nature that has compelled each of us to live our lives in enmity against him. Here we see just how ugly that sinful nature is.
However, it is that very sinful nature of mankind that God exploited to make it possible for people of faith to cross over from eternal death to eternal life. How easy it was for God to use the self-seeking and hateful impulses of lost mankind to effect a sacrifice of himself!
The astonishing thing is that God did this very thing! The Father sent the Son to offer him as a sacrifice of atonement, paying for our sins! All he asks is that we embrace him in faith.
Think of the incomprehensible love the Lord has for us! He gave his life that we might have an eternal life, an abundant life! He gave himself for us… his creatures… that slapped him in the face!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"And they slapped him in the face."
Those who did the slapping were Pilate's soldiers. The One slapped was the Son of God! It took place when the leaders of the Jews brought Jesus to Pilate to have him put to death.
This account is provided to us in John's gospel - a book that begins with these words, "In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind." John 1:1-4. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the creative agent within the Trinity. All things that exist have been created through him.
Mankind literally slapped his Creator in the face! What drove the Jews and the Romans to treat the Son of God this way is what drives us all - it was not just them. It is all of us. We all have a sinful nature that has prompted us to turn our backs on God. We all have a sinful nature that has compelled each of us to live our lives in enmity against him. Here we see just how ugly that sinful nature is.
However, it is that very sinful nature of mankind that God exploited to make it possible for people of faith to cross over from eternal death to eternal life. How easy it was for God to use the self-seeking and hateful impulses of lost mankind to effect a sacrifice of himself!
The astonishing thing is that God did this very thing! The Father sent the Son to offer him as a sacrifice of atonement, paying for our sins! All he asks is that we embrace him in faith.
Think of the incomprehensible love the Lord has for us! He gave his life that we might have an eternal life, an abundant life! He gave himself for us… his creatures… that slapped him in the face!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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