Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Matthew 27:1-2 Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor.
PRIVILEGED TO SERVE OUR GOD
Since that fateful day long ago when our first parents sinned, all people born into the world have been born as slaves of sin. We all might be pictured as forlorn prisoners with hands tied behind our backs, driven onward and forward to a gloomy dungeon by the brutal taskmaster, Satan, who is standing by cracking his whip.
That, in a very real sense, would be our fate were it not for our merciful God. Our only future would be an eternity of woe and suffering in hell's dark dungeon. Thanks be to God this is no longer the case! His only begotten Son descended to our sin-cursed world from His rainbow-circled throne. He volunteered to take upon Himself the punishment we rightly deserve. He let Himself be bound with ropes by His foes, flogged, and driven onward and forward to a tortuous death. Because of Jesus' atoning death on the cross we’ve been freed from sin's punishment. Through faith in Him we've become slaves of righteousness privileged to serve our God in love without fear in holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.
Thou, ah! Thou, hast taken on Thee Bonds and stripes, a cruel rod;
Pain and scorn were heaped upon Thee, O Thou sinless Son of God!
Thus didst Thou my soul deliver From the bonds of sin forever.
Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 151:2)
