Blessed be His name, there was no reason for Him to die. He was not touched by original or personal sin, so death had no claim on Him. No one could justly take His life, for He wronged no one. No one could overpower Him unless He chose to surrender to death. Yet, one sins and another suffers.

We offended justice, but Jesus satisfied it. No amount of tears, offerings, animal sacrifices, or incense could remove sin. Jesus was cut off for us, and God’s wrath was turned away because sin was dealt with once and for all. How wise God’s plan is, where substitution is the certain and swift path to atonement!

Look at His humility, bringing Christ to wear a crown of thorns and die on the cross! Look at His love, leading the Redeemer to lay down His life for His enemies! But it's not enough to just marvel at the sacrifice of the innocent for the guilty. We must be sure we are included in this redemption. The Messiah died specifically to save His church; do we share in the salvation He purchased?

Was Jesus our representative? Are we healed by His wounds? Missing out on His sacrifice would be terrible; better not to have been born. While this is a serious question, we can answer it clearly and without doubt. For all who believe in Him, Jesus is a present Savior, and His blood has reconciled them to God. Let those who trust in the Messiah’s death rejoice in remembering Him. May their gratitude lead them to fully commit to His cause.