Your gratitude for what God has done is a reflection of the thorough nature of your understanding of what the cross accomplished.
Scripture Focus: John 12:28; Isaiah 53:5; Revelation 5:9
"Father, glorify Your name.' Then a voice came out of heaven: 'I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again (John 12:28).'"
"He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed (Isa. 53)."
"Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation (Rev. 5:9)."
Can it really be said that the Father was glorified by the death of His only Son?
Yes.
That's what the Bible teaches. And Jesus didn't reluctantly acquiesce to His death. He was focused and passionate about bringing God glory. And the primary way Jesus brought glory to the Father was through the sacrifice He would make.
Piper says, "The deepest reason we live for the glory of God is because God lives for the glory of God. We are passionate about God's glory because God is passionate about God's glory."
So again, how is the Father glorified? By the Son dying. Why did He die? For our sins. To be your substitute.
Isaiah 53 says, seven hundred years before Jesus died, "He was pierced through for our iniquities, crushed for our transgressions, and the punishment for our peace fell upon Him and by His wounds we are healed."
Three time in that one verse we read the word "our." He took our place. That's why we sing hallelujah for the cross. It's not just that He won the victory and beat Satan. No, no. He stood in your place.
That's why Paul says, "He died for me. Therefore, I'll live for Him."
Your gratitude for what God has done is a reflection of your understanding of what the cross accomplished.
Barabbas was freed. Jesus is killed. And to a degree, all of us could look like Barabbas does and say, "I live because that man dies in my place."
What's the source of our comfort?
Our greatest trouble Jesus has already taken away. We face trouble in this life, but our ultimate trouble, God has borne in His Son at the cross.
And if Jesus can pray in the midst of far greater trouble than you or I have ever experienced, "Father, glorify Your name," should that not be our heart as well?
And only because He bore your trouble can He say to you through His Word this morning: Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God.
1. Is your gratitude for the cross proportional to your understanding of what happened there?
2. Can you say with Barabbas, "I live because that man died in my place"?
3. Do you trust Him this morning with your trouble—because He has already borne your greatest trouble at the cross?
Stay dialed in