Friday, March 5, 2010
Luke 13:31-33 At that time some Pharisees came to Jesus and said to him, "Leave this place and go somewhere else. Herod wants to kill you." He replied, "Go tell that fox, 'I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal.' In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day-- for surely no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!"
"I MUST KEEP GOING" -- BECAUSE IT IS THE ONLY WAY
Jesus was also determined to keep going to Jerusalem because He understood that His death on the cross was absolutely necessary for mankind. There was no other way to fix the relationship between God the Father and the human race. That relationship had been ruined by the disobedience of all people. The Creator could not gaze upon the hateful wars, the crime and lovelessness, the anger and brutality which had characterized humans since the fall into sin, and look the other way. He rightly demanded satisfaction for what had been done to Him -- His laws that had been broken, His pure love for people which had been scorned and despised.
Who would set things right? Certainly not those who had sinned. Even their best works were disappointing. But there was One who was acceptable to Him -- acceptable, in fact, on behalf of everyone -- His own Son, Jesus Christ. He alone "had done no violence and there was no deceit found in His mouth." Only He could offer Himself to reconcile us to God.
The Lord said, "I must keep going." And it was true. He was the only One who could go and do what needed to be done.
Nevertheless people still try to offer substitutes for Christ. Even we who know better can get caught up at times in making excuses for our sins, or in thinking that good behavior now will make up for bad behavior in the past. The real answer always, though, is to lay our sins on Jesus. He is the only one who can atone for them. And He has!
