let us not forget that the cause of the happiness we enjoy is solely the fact
that Jesus once extended Himself on the fatal tree for us.
See His arms forcibly stretched out on the cross.
The executioners seize the hammer and nails.
who can bear to look?
The horrible nails from the forge of hell are placed on His hands and feet.
The heavy strokes of the hammer fall - do you hear the sound?
They thunder on your heart, testifying of your sin in horrible language,
and at the same time of the wrath of Almighty God.
Remember that you aided in swinging those hammers…
the most awful act which the world ever committed is charged
to your account.
See, the nails have penetrated through, and from both hands and
feet gushes forth the blood of the Holy One.
Those pierced hands bless more powerfully than while they moved
freely and unfettered.
They are the hands of a wonderful Architect who is building the frame
of an eternal Church.
There is no help or salvation but in these hands.
The cross is then brought near to the hole dug for it.
Powerful men seize the rope attached to the top of it, and begin to draw,
and the cross, with its victim, is elevated to its height.
He hands between earth and heaven.
Thus the earth rejects the Prince of life from its surface…
…and heaven also seems to refuse Him.
See! His bleeding arms are extended wide;
He stretches them out to every sinner.
His hands point to the east and the west…
,…for He will gather His children from the ends of the earth.
So there stands erected the symbol of the New Covenant.
"I am crucified with Christ," exclaims Paul the apostle, and by these words
he points out the entire fruit which the cross bears for all believers.
His meaning is: "They are not His sins for which the curse is there
endured, but mine.
He who dies on the cross, dies for me.
Christ pays and suffers in my stead."
During that mysterious darkness which covered the whole land from
noon until 3 o'clock, our blessed Saviour was surrounded with the
most dreadful spiritual darkness as well.
He remained silent.
He was drinking the bitter cup of God's wrath against sin.
The powers of darkness fiercely attack Him.
He enjoys no contact with heaven.
It is the gloomiest period in His whole life.
But finally His agony is so piercing that He is forced to utter the most touching
words of grief.
His Father - His own Father - who had been with Him from eternity -
His Father, by whom He was always loved - has withdrawn His face.
And from Jesus' cross arises the most piercing & agonizing cry. (v. 46)
At 3 in the afternoon Jesus cried with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why
have You forsaken me?"
Luther one day sat thinking about those words.
He continued for hours without food, sat there still as a corpse.
Finally, in amazement, he cried out,
"God forsaken by God! Who can understand it?"
It was the saddest words that ever came from the lips of Christ during His
journey from the manger to the cross.
While in the Garden of Gethsemane He could still address God as Father:
"Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."
But now on the cross how different the cry:
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me."
How dreadful it must be to experience the withdrawal of the face
of Him whose favor is life, and in whose frown is death.
That was the heaviest wave that ever went over Jesus.
It made His last hour the hour of unspeakable suffering.
He had patiently endured His arrest & seizure,
the desertion by His disciples,
the cruel and unjust trial,
the mocking and spitting,
the whipping,
the carrying of His cross,
the taunts of the religious leaders,
the torture of crucifixion.
but when His Father hides His face from Him, He is overwhelmed.
To the Saviour this was truly the hour of darkness - of pain - of desertion.
that Jesus once extended Himself on the fatal tree for us.
See His arms forcibly stretched out on the cross.
The executioners seize the hammer and nails.
who can bear to look?
The horrible nails from the forge of hell are placed on His hands and feet.
The heavy strokes of the hammer fall - do you hear the sound?
They thunder on your heart, testifying of your sin in horrible language,
and at the same time of the wrath of Almighty God.
Remember that you aided in swinging those hammers…
the most awful act which the world ever committed is charged
to your account.
See, the nails have penetrated through, and from both hands and
feet gushes forth the blood of the Holy One.
Those pierced hands bless more powerfully than while they moved
freely and unfettered.
They are the hands of a wonderful Architect who is building the frame
of an eternal Church.
There is no help or salvation but in these hands.
The cross is then brought near to the hole dug for it.
Powerful men seize the rope attached to the top of it, and begin to draw,
and the cross, with its victim, is elevated to its height.
He hands between earth and heaven.
Thus the earth rejects the Prince of life from its surface…
…and heaven also seems to refuse Him.
See! His bleeding arms are extended wide;
He stretches them out to every sinner.
His hands point to the east and the west…
,…for He will gather His children from the ends of the earth.
So there stands erected the symbol of the New Covenant.
"I am crucified with Christ," exclaims Paul the apostle, and by these words
he points out the entire fruit which the cross bears for all believers.
His meaning is: "They are not His sins for which the curse is there
endured, but mine.
He who dies on the cross, dies for me.
Christ pays and suffers in my stead."
During that mysterious darkness which covered the whole land from
noon until 3 o'clock, our blessed Saviour was surrounded with the
most dreadful spiritual darkness as well.
He remained silent.
He was drinking the bitter cup of God's wrath against sin.
The powers of darkness fiercely attack Him.
He enjoys no contact with heaven.
It is the gloomiest period in His whole life.
But finally His agony is so piercing that He is forced to utter the most touching
words of grief.
His Father - His own Father - who had been with Him from eternity -
His Father, by whom He was always loved - has withdrawn His face.
And from Jesus' cross arises the most piercing & agonizing cry. (v. 46)
At 3 in the afternoon Jesus cried with a loud voice, "My God, my God, why
have You forsaken me?"
Luther one day sat thinking about those words.
He continued for hours without food, sat there still as a corpse.
Finally, in amazement, he cried out,
"God forsaken by God! Who can understand it?"
It was the saddest words that ever came from the lips of Christ during His
journey from the manger to the cross.
While in the Garden of Gethsemane He could still address God as Father:
"Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me."
But now on the cross how different the cry:
"My God, my God, why have You forsaken me."
How dreadful it must be to experience the withdrawal of the face
of Him whose favor is life, and in whose frown is death.
That was the heaviest wave that ever went over Jesus.
It made His last hour the hour of unspeakable suffering.
He had patiently endured His arrest & seizure,
the desertion by His disciples,
the cruel and unjust trial,
the mocking and spitting,
the whipping,
the carrying of His cross,
the taunts of the religious leaders,
the torture of crucifixion.
but when His Father hides His face from Him, He is overwhelmed.
To the Saviour this was truly the hour of darkness - of pain - of desertion.
Author Rowland Hill wrote this prayer: Oh, my Saviour, no tongue can describe, no
angel can fathom the abyss of Your suffering for me a sinner!
As I cannot reach the infinite height of Your love and Your glory in heaven, so I
cannot descend into the depth of Your sorrows when here on earth. I can only
wonder and adore!"
Why is He hanging on that cross, uttering those awful words, "My God, my
God, why have You forsaken me?"
It was not the nails which pierced His hands and feet…
…nor the agony of crucifixion, that caused this heart-rending cry.
No, He was now offering Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
As our substitute He suffered all that divine justice required to bring
the sinner back to God.
Here is the mystery: the Father bruises the Son, and puts Him to grief
for our sakes.
All the cries and tears of Him whom the Father appointed to accomplish
our salvation, were for us.
When He comes in the name of His Father to save us sinners, the Father
forsakes Him, because on His shoulders was laid the damning load of
human guilt.
He endured pain that we might enjoy pleasure.
He suffered the hiding of His Father's face that the light of that face might
shine upon us.
Indeed, "were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."
Now the unutterable anguish of Jesus is drawing to a close.
His words, "It is finished" (v. 50 - "cried out in a loud voice") must have
fallen on astonished ears that day.
The Sufferer who hangs on the cross has finished His mission on earth -
His wearisome journeys thru the land of Israel
His works of mercy and miracles.
His sorrows and agonies as our representative.
He has finished the great work of redemption
made an end to sin
made reconciliation between God and man
He has pointed out the way of peace
bound up the broken-hearted
reclaimed the wanderer
preached the Gospel to the poor
brought life and immortality to light.
The great atoning sacrifice is offered
the ransom is paid
divine justice is fully satisfied
the powers of darkness are vanquished
man is saved.
The last barrier in the way of the sinner's salvation is removed.
The gates of heaven are opened wide to us.
How serene, how full of confidence, how triumphant does Christ appear
in His last moments!
Behold the triumph of the Redeemer in His death!
He would not die until He knew that all things necessary for our salvation
were accomplished.
Then, with a loud voice, He exclaims, "It is finished!"
At the sound of this victorious cry, we believe that Satan and his legions
trembled and fled.
May this sound from the cross ever strike our ear like music.
It proclaims pardon, peace, and eternal life to a sinful, guilty world..
Come to the Saviour.
He will break your chains and give you rest, peace, joy, & immortality.
for with His dying voice, He says of man's salvation: "It is finished!"
Look again at the cross and listen to the last words of the Son of God.
They are not feebly uttered.
It is the voice of One who voluntarily expires. (v. 50)
"Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit."
How great and sublime are His parting words!
May the last words of Jesus be our support and our joy when we approach
the river of death.
Then, while relying on the merits of the Redeemer, may we say with the
love of God in our heart, "Father, into Your hands I commend my
spirit."
When we close our eyes on the passing scenes of earth, we will open
them in the splendour of eternal day,
and find ourselves face to face with Jesus.
So then, in health, in sickness, and in the solemn hour of death, let us
commit our spirits to the hands of our Heavenly Friend, and
all will be well.
angel can fathom the abyss of Your suffering for me a sinner!
As I cannot reach the infinite height of Your love and Your glory in heaven, so I
cannot descend into the depth of Your sorrows when here on earth. I can only
wonder and adore!"
Why is He hanging on that cross, uttering those awful words, "My God, my
God, why have You forsaken me?"
It was not the nails which pierced His hands and feet…
…nor the agony of crucifixion, that caused this heart-rending cry.
No, He was now offering Himself a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
As our substitute He suffered all that divine justice required to bring
the sinner back to God.
Here is the mystery: the Father bruises the Son, and puts Him to grief
for our sakes.
All the cries and tears of Him whom the Father appointed to accomplish
our salvation, were for us.
When He comes in the name of His Father to save us sinners, the Father
forsakes Him, because on His shoulders was laid the damning load of
human guilt.
He endured pain that we might enjoy pleasure.
He suffered the hiding of His Father's face that the light of that face might
shine upon us.
Indeed, "were the whole realm of nature mine, that were a present far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all."
Now the unutterable anguish of Jesus is drawing to a close.
His words, "It is finished" (v. 50 - "cried out in a loud voice") must have
fallen on astonished ears that day.
The Sufferer who hangs on the cross has finished His mission on earth -
His wearisome journeys thru the land of Israel
His works of mercy and miracles.
His sorrows and agonies as our representative.
He has finished the great work of redemption
made an end to sin
made reconciliation between God and man
He has pointed out the way of peace
bound up the broken-hearted
reclaimed the wanderer
preached the Gospel to the poor
brought life and immortality to light.
The great atoning sacrifice is offered
the ransom is paid
divine justice is fully satisfied
the powers of darkness are vanquished
man is saved.
The last barrier in the way of the sinner's salvation is removed.
The gates of heaven are opened wide to us.
How serene, how full of confidence, how triumphant does Christ appear
in His last moments!
Behold the triumph of the Redeemer in His death!
He would not die until He knew that all things necessary for our salvation
were accomplished.
Then, with a loud voice, He exclaims, "It is finished!"
At the sound of this victorious cry, we believe that Satan and his legions
trembled and fled.
May this sound from the cross ever strike our ear like music.
It proclaims pardon, peace, and eternal life to a sinful, guilty world..
Come to the Saviour.
He will break your chains and give you rest, peace, joy, & immortality.
for with His dying voice, He says of man's salvation: "It is finished!"
Look again at the cross and listen to the last words of the Son of God.
They are not feebly uttered.
It is the voice of One who voluntarily expires. (v. 50)
"Father, into Your hands I commend my spirit."
How great and sublime are His parting words!
May the last words of Jesus be our support and our joy when we approach
the river of death.
Then, while relying on the merits of the Redeemer, may we say with the
love of God in our heart, "Father, into Your hands I commend my
spirit."
When we close our eyes on the passing scenes of earth, we will open
them in the splendour of eternal day,
and find ourselves face to face with Jesus.
So then, in health, in sickness, and in the solemn hour of death, let us
commit our spirits to the hands of our Heavenly Friend, and
all will be well.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Columns Section: 世紀網站專欄區 世纪网站专栏区: 007-008 柏大恩 專欄 柏大恩 专栏 Pastor Don Baron Column 作者：柏大恩 柏大恩 Pastor Don Baron |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| The End is the Beginning - Matt. 27:27-56 |
The End is the Beginning - Matt. 27:27-56
(using quotes & paraphrases from Krummacher)
What a dying bed for the King of kings!
As often as we enjoy peace of heart,
or assemble to sing hymns of hope…
(using quotes & paraphrases from Krummacher)
What a dying bed for the King of kings!
As often as we enjoy peace of heart,
or assemble to sing hymns of hope…