“Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” John 12:27

I was recently asked about the work of Christ on Calvary and what all that might entail. To understand the depths that our Lord went to while on the cross is more than our minds can comprehend! We all understand that love was the ultimate, motivating factor of God sending His only begotten into the world as it was with Christ willingly condescending to our low estate for the salvation of the People of God. We also know, by Jesus Christ’s own words, that He did indeed finish the work he was sent to do, and then sealed it when He arose on the third day! Some might say, “That’s enough for me!”, but I submit to you that the Bible furnishes so much more in between the “bookends” of the eternal covenant and the eternal presence of the children of God in Heaven.

Christ the Sin Bearer! “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

This verse is often misquoted as “…he became sin for us…”, but that misquote completely changes the meaning behind that verse! The God of all glory MADE Christ to be sin for us. That “made to be sin” is rendered as Christ being made the sin bearer for us! The sin bearer takes on the wrath of the judge against the sin being carried. Isaiah said “…he hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” ISA 53:7 Again, the word “laid” is an indicator of how Christ, the sin bearer, and God, the divine judge, came together that day on Calvary because of our sinful separation, and Jesus was “…wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities…” Isa 53:5 You cannot separate Christ being the sin bearer from God being the divine judge when it comes to the work of Christ on Calvary! Furthermore, by His being made to be sin for us, we are made the “righteousness of God in Him”!

Christ Satisfied Divine Justice! “Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul and offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.” Isaiah 53:10

Did God find joy in the act of “bruising” Jesus? NO! God moved that day as the Divine Judge toward His Son while He hung on the cross, finding pleasure NOT in the act of bruising, but in the RESULT of the bruising! God knew that His divine justice would be completely satisfied at the work of His Son, and that the result of that would be “…and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more…”!

Christ Did It Alone! “I have trodden the winepress alone;” Isaiah 63:3  “But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood” Hebrews 9:7

The Lord testified to His aloneness in His work to show that He needed no one to do any of the work for Him! There was no one who COULD do the work set before Him! Isaiah says, “And I looked, and there was none to help; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mine own arm brought salvation unto me; and my fury, it upheld me.” Isa 63:5 You see, THE Lamb of God was the only one who was able to save the People of God from their sins, and wash them white as snow, and satisfy the righteous judgment of God, and make them accepted in the Beloved, and present them as spotless before God! He never need anyone to help Him secure eternal redemption for us!

Christ Finished the Work! “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” John 19:30

No greater words could be found! He finished ALL the work! He left nothing to “chance,” he left nothing to US! This declaration by a victorious Saviour brings the greatest comfort to the little Child of Grace who has brought their faith to bear in realizing that Jesus paid it all! There is not one little child of Grace that was overlooked. There was not one sin that was not atoned for. His work was a complete work; a full work; a finished work!

Christ Rose Again! “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” Matthew 28:6

Just thinking of this verse makes my heart skip a beat. Can you imagine – the women are headed to the tomb one last time to anoint His burying. But they meet an angel instead, who tells them He’s risen! Oh my! The very foundation of all His work is testified this great and grand morning when they find that He has risen! I once heard someone say that Christ only rose for the body. How can we diminish such a paramount occasion? Paul said He “…was delivered for our offenses, and raised again for our justification…” Rom 4:25 My friends, the Lord rose on the third day, defeating the grave and declaring that ALL the family of God is just in His sight! What a morning!

Christ is Coming Again!  “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

He’s coming again, my fellow sojourners. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb 13:5 My friends, He won’t leave our side in life, and He won’t leave us behind in death! He’ll waft our soul to Heaven’s pure world we when pass this veil of tears. Moreover, He will come again to lay claim to the purchased  possession that one, last day when time shall cease and we shall hear a shout from the heavens and look up to see our victorious Saviour coming to raise up “…our vile bodies that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…” Phl 3:21 Then, the final piece of the Work of Christ will be completed, and all the saints shall stand in Heaven, completely victorious by the Hand of the Lamb of God.

Man of Sorrows, what a name for the Son of God who came!
Ruined sinners to reclaim. Hallelujah! What a Saviour!
When He comes, our glorious King all the ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing: Hallelujah! What a Saviour!