Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins.

“...He poured out His life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:12 (Transgressors are those who have sinned.)

Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins. What does this mean? It is hard for our human minds to fully comprehend the great gift of God’s love for us.

The Bible says we have all sinned; we ourselves know that we have all done or thought things that are wrong. The wages of sin is death; without God’s mercy, we all deserve the punishment of hell, of everlasting condemnation. But God loved us so much that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to take our punishment. “He (Jesus) was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.” Jesus deserved to be worshipped, but when He came to earth He was rejected by men.

Jesus was condemned to death on a cross. What was a cross? It was a long piece of wood stuck into the ground, with another piece of wood nailed across it; in ancient times the Romans used it as a way to put criminals to death. It was an agonizing way to die; the criminal was nailed to the cross and they died slowly hanging on the cross.

Why would God allow His beloved Son Jesus to die this way? There is only one reason — because He loved you and me and everyone so much that He was willing to have His Son suffer and pay the penalty of our sins so that we could go free. “Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows...But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” How do we go free? By receiving in gratitude God’s free gift; by asking forgiveness of our sins; by receiving Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

So, this week, let us pray and

• Thank God for the wonderful gift of His Son Jesus Christ
• Thank Jesus Christ for His loving death on the cross for us
• Worship God for how wonderful He is

We have so much to thank God for — life, and health, and the air we breathe, and the food we eat. But most of all is the gift of eternal life — of forgiveness for our sins — of living in heaven forever as His children because of the death of Jesus Christ for us on the cross.

May God bless you,