He was the King, yet was a pauper. He owned the world, yet had no place to lay his head. He was the source of human life, yet submitted to a common criminal's death. He rescued his friends, yet his friends deserted Him in the end. He was a man, and He was God.
On this day in history, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the son of a carpenter, died at the hands of the Pharisees and Romans, suffering to the last on a cross. He was a common man, with an uncommon heritage: His father was the Creator of the world, infinite master of the Universe. Christ stepped from the heavenly realm into human form, still imbued with His ultimate power and love.
But He was killed.
How is a day good if it marks the death of the Son of God?
Because this was the day that you were you were forgiven. Today you were set free from sin.
Throughout history, wrongdoing has always required a blood sacrifice for forgiveness; on this day in history, the pure and sinless blood of God was spilled, covering and repairing the scars, past, present and future, caused by sin. There was incredible love shown on that cross; this God-man died on behalf of the entire world. Other religions have gods who died for various reasons, but never have any of those gods died because they loved every single person in the world.
But Christ did. His bloody suffering washed you clean--He took the punishment that was yours from the day you were born. The thorns in his head, the nails through his wrists and his ankles, the shards of metal and glass left in his back by the executioners' whips; but at the end of it all He said, "Father, forgive them."
Today, the Lord died, but today you were set free.
Freedom from your sin is an incredible gift--go ahead and take it.
We live because He loved.
