“But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.” – Isaiah 53:5

This Sunday is Easter Sunday. There is probably nothing more joyous than reflecting on the incredible victory over death that gives each of us our promise of everlasting life. But there is no resurrection without the pain of death. This aspect of Holy Week is not a fun reflection, but it is a vital one. Jesus was not simply killed. He was spit on, beaten, lashed by a whip laced with shards of broken bone, crowned with a knotted ring of sharp thorns, and nailed to a cross. No, he was not simply killed, he was humiliated and tortured to death. But that was not the worst of the pain. I want to share with you the first two verses of a poem by Joseph Hart:

See how patient Jesus stands,

Insulted in his lowest case!

Sinners have bound the almighty hands,

And spit in their Creator’s face.

With thorns his temples gored and gashed

Send streams of blood from every part:

His back with knotted scourges lashed,

But sharper scourges tear his heart.

It is that last line I want us to pay special attention to today. In all that suffering, the worst pain existed in the heart of the one who loved those that tortured him. I imagine many men throughout history have endured physical pain equal to that of a Roman crucifixion. However, no one but Jesus has endured the pain of every sin of every man being laid upon his shoulders. Before you celebrate the empty tomb, make sure you take time to mourn the fact that it is by his wounds that you have been healed.

Almighty God, how could You love such broken people?! How could You pay such a price for such sinful beings?! Your love is beyond comprehension!

In Christ’s Service,

Pastor Shane Cannon