"I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have kept me this night from all harm and danger; and I pray that You would keep me this day also from sin and every evil, that all my doings and life may please You. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen." (Luther's Morning Prayer)
Monday, February 12, 2024 - Day 43 (Through the Bible in a year readings for today: Leviticus 14; Matthew 26:55-75)
HE DESERVES DEATH
But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, “I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.” Jesus said to him, “You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven.” Then the high priest tore his robes and said, “He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. What is your judgment?” They answered, “He deserves death.” (Matthew 26:63-66 ESV)
They could find nothing to charge Jesus with other than their hatred and jealousy. Then the high priest asked THE question.
...”tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God.”
It was the question that was on everyone’s minds. The answer Jesus gave was all they needed. And how did they respond? With more hatred and jealousy that concluded with “He deserves death.”
This statement was, of course, the wrong answer, for Jesus was/is the perfect, holy, innocent and eternal Son of God. In another sense, this is the right answer. As our substitute, Jesus did deserve death because that is exactly what we poor, miserable sinners do deserve. We thank God that our substitute experienced the death of hell for us and spoke what should be our eternal words: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46 ESV)
1 O dearest Jesus, what law hast Thou broken
That such sharp sentence should on Thee be spoken?
Of what great crime hast Thou to make confession,
What dark transgression?
3 Whence come these sorrows, whence this mortal anguish?
It is my sins for which Thou, Lord, must languish;
Yea, all the wrath, the woe, Thou dost inherit,
This I do merit.
5 The sinless Son of God must die in sadness;
The sinful child of man may live in gladness;
Man forfeited his life and is acquitted;
God is committed.
(“O Dearest Jesus, What Law Hast Thou Broken,”
Lutheran Service Book #439)
O dearest Jesus, thank You for taking what I deserved on Your shoulders when You died on the cross. I am truly sorry for my part in Your innocent sufferings and death. Please forgive me and use me to proclaim Your great love and mercy to others. Amen.
Pastor David Paape
Daily Bible Reading Chart covering the entire Bible in one year.
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