On a hill outside Jerusalem…
Two thousand years ago, on a hill outside of Jerusalem, our Lord Jesus was crucified on a cross. The mighty lion of Judah, the Messiah, the King of Kings became the Lamb of God, the perfect, sinless sacrifice who suffered, bled, and died for our iniquity.
Isaiah 53:5 reminds us that “he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” What a powerful and sobering passage to meditate on as we remember the incomprehensible suffering He endured for the sake of our redemption.
His body beaten, torn, and broken for us. His blood shed and poured out. Mocked, reviled, spit on, betrayed. Abandoned, denied, accused. All this and more because of His great love for us.
Praise God that He did not leave us in our sins. Jesus accomplished the ultimate act of love by becoming a man, living a sinless life, and dying a horrific death that He did not deserve. By His stripes we have been healed. Every lash, every burdened step, every pierce of the nails was a proclamation of love.
On this Good Friday, we remember that we are no longer slaves to sin but have been purified by the blood of the cross – the beautiful, glorious cross.
A means of death became one of life. The rich words of this hymn say it well:
“On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
Till my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown.”