You've Been Pushed Aside From an Oncoming Bus. Now What Do You Do?

Mutilated, unrecognizable, and dead.  That was what had become of a doctor on a TV drama after he pushed a female stranger out of the way of an oncoming bus.  The stranger was so brokenhearted.  This man she did not know saved her life.  She felt like he was her knight in shining armor and that she loved him.  Now he was gone and she could not accept his death.  She felt terribly grieved and guilty.  She sat and cried day after day on a bench outside the hospital where he had worked and died.  Finally one of the doctor's friends exhorted her, telling her that while he was dead, she was alive due to his valiant act.  She should not waste her days crying and grieving. Instead she should enjoy the life that he had made possible for her.

Watching this, I could not help but think about the parallel between this scene and what Jesus has done for us.  Before we knew of Him, before we were even born, Jesus sacrificed Himself for us.  He was brutally beaten, almost to death.  Then He willingly hung on the cross and accepted the punishment for all of our sins.  He did this out of love so that we could have eternal life with Him.

The girl on the TV show couldn't sleep.  Her savior's heroic action and tragic death were all she could think about.  How does Jesus' act of love make you feel?  Do you feel thankful?  Indebted?  Grieved?  Guilty?  Unworthy? Disbelieving?  Indifferent?

This may be something that you have never thought about, or not thought about in a long time.  With Easter approaching, I think it is a good time to ask ourselves what Jesus' sacrifice means to us, personally.  How does it really make you feel?  Then, I think it is important to read the Bible and understand how God intends us to see His Son's sacrifice.  Here are a few verses to get you started:

"Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.  Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory." 

Romans 5:1-2

"So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."

Romans 5:11

^"We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin." 

Romans 6:6-7

"Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water."

Hebrews 10:22

^"If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

Romans 10:9

So, if you have indeed confessed Jesus as your Savior there is no need to look at the cross and feel guilt, shame, or sadness.  May you look upon His death and resurrection with joy, peace, and thankfulness this Easter!