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She walked through her life with an empty feeling inside. She had been used by men all her adult life until the day she met Jesus. It was an unforgettable day! The Pharisees were ready to stone her because she was found with a man in an adulterous situation. They dragged her to Jesus in front of a crowd. She had never been more humiliated.
But instead of agreeing with the Pharisees, Jesus looked at the group saying, “Let the one here who is without sin, cast the first stone.” There was a stony silence as one by one, members of the crowd walked away! Then, he looked at her and quietly said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.” stop
Months later, He was crucified! She could hardly believe it. What did it all mean? Here He was dead! This Man who was more than human was dead.
But two days later? The tomb was empty!
What did that even mean? What happened on the cross and in the days after?
What happened when Jesus died? Why did He need to rise from the dead?
His death paid the price for sin for all mankind…and infinite payment for sin by the infinite GOD-man who had lived a perfect life on earth for 33 years, perfect in thought, word and deed. On the cross, He was separated from the Father when He carried the sin of the world…past, present, and future. When He said, “My GOD, my GOD, why have You forsaken me?” It was the first time in all eternity that they had been separated! Why? Because GOD can’t look on sin.
Over the period of time while Christ was dying, the price for sin was paid in blood, it was accepted, the veil in the temple that prevented access to the Father was torn from the top down, an earthquake hit and Jesus died.
The message of the resurrection? Jesus' payment for sin was accepted! He was victorious over sin & death. Share on XOn Sunday morning, Jesus rose from the dead. The message of the resurrection was that Jesus’ payment for sin had been accepted. He had been victorious over sin and death. The message of the resurrection is that we now have new life in Christ. Jesus has provided forgiveness through Christ. It is radical. It is undeserved and free!
This passage in Hebrews is one of the best descriptions of what happened:
And every priest stands daily at his service,
offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.
But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins,
he sat down at the right hand of God,
waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time
those who are being sanctified.
Hebrews 10:11-14Therefore, brothers,
since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,
by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain,
that is, through his flesh,
and since we have a great priest over the house of God,
let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith,
with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water.
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,
for he who promised is faithful.
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,
not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,
but encouraging one another,
and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:19-25
Amen! Happy Easter to you!
thanks for stopping by tara:)
This is such a good post, Martha! I like how you think about what the crucifixion would have been like from the perspective of the woman, and I love the verses from Hebrews. Any Good Friday services I have been to tend to focus on the accounts from the Gospels but these verse sum it up so well! Happy Easter to you!
thanks lesley:) the drama of the cross in relation to the sinner…which all of us are even though not all of us are as aware as we need to be! who were Jesus’ best friends when He was on earth? the religious people? they kept all the rules and were quite satisfied with their attempts at righteousness. they didn’t like the message of Jesus at all! in fact, they hated it! those who loved Jesus were the sinners…the overt and obvious sinners. it took me years to realize it, but when I did, it hit me. He didn’t come to save the self-satisfied or the self-righteous, but those who were well-aware of their sinfulness!
i love Hebrews for the way it explains so clearly what happened on the cross! it is a book written to the Jewish people and it explains so clearly how so much of the Old Testament is fulfilled in Christ. it has other treasures as well, of course, but i love it for that reason especially:)