Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4, NIV)
As a man among men, when it comes to Jesus, it is common that we “esteem him not.” As we considered yesterday, looking only upon his appearance, with no attention to the miracles he worked or the words he spoke from God, Jesus is only middling. Maybe less than that.
So those in his time who read heresy into his words and devilry into his healings had nothing on which to base respect for him. They not only cast him aside, they looked to kill him. The gospels record their success.
When we think of Jesus’ road to the cross, however, we must be careful not to regard him as only a caddy of crucifixion’s weight. Yes, he carried his physical cross as far as he could. It cut furrows into his already striped shoulders and sat heavily on his weakened bones.
But what Jesus took up more than that were our infirmities; he bore our sorrows. Submitting to violent punishment, Jesus went to Golgotha with the pain of the world on his shoulders.
Experts tell us that roughly 100 billion people have been born throughout history. Let us suggest that the average historical lifespan is 40 years or so, maybe 15,000 days as a round number. Then let us make the modest estimate that each person has sinned once a day in word, thought, or deed. That would bring our conservative estimate of the number of the world’s sins to 1.5 quadrillion, each with a consequence affecting another. What a mountain of potential for infirmity and sorrow!
We cannot fathom what Jesus did for us, not really, even when we know they are our infirmities and our sorrows. In fact our error is in seeing Jesus’ assignment on the cross as only something done for us personally. It was done for us personally, but its wonder rests in the fact that it was done universally. Christ gave all, for all.
We err, too, when we consider him only “stricken by God.” He was this, according to God’s plan. But if we back up in our theology to some logical place of seeing it as “God’s plan” apart from it being God’s gift and Jesus’ gut-wrenching sacrifice, we miss its very essence.
“Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18). This was God’s plan, but it was certainly no drill performed dispassionately. Jesus was gravely afflicted by our sin and our sorrow for our salvation. If we’re not rejoicing over that, we are missing the stunning nature of the price that was paid to purchase our souls.
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Jeff Hopper
September 3, 2013
Copyright 2013 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.