the Third Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
John Gossner's Treasury
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all. 1 Timothy 2:5-6. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows. He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. Isaiah 53:4-5.
That our Savior, though true God, yet also was true man; that He felt as a man; that He had assumed true human nature which was capable of sufferings; was demonstrated throughout His whole life, and especially in the last days of His passion. Therefore the Apostle Paul says in plain words that the man Jesus Christ who was in the form of God, and whom he elsewhere calls ’’God blessed for ever," made Himself of no reputation and humbled Himself. As God only He could not suffer. But His love compelled Him, nevertheless, to redeem men by suffering, and to show them His love by dying, inasmuch as He Himself suffered that penalty of death which they had deserved. In order to do this. He must needs assume human nature and clothe Himself in our misery and weakness. Who among us would suffer himself to become a reptile? And yet this would by no means be as degrading and as humiliating for us as it was for the Son of God to become man; to be in the likeness of condemned sinners and to die as a malefactor; to sweat blood in the agony of death; to fight against death; to feel Himself forsaken by God; to be cursed and rejected by His own creatures; to be stricken, wounded, spat upon and counted among transgressors. All this, and much more did the God-man do for thee, O soul. All His agony, all His sorrows, all the bruises and wounds that thou seest upon Him, were caused by thee. All this did He voluntarily suffer for thee, that He might thereby redeem thee and prepare for thee joy and salvation.
What language shall I borrow
To thank Thee, dearest Friend.
For this Thy dying sorrow,
Thy pity without end!
O make me Thine forever,
And should I fainting be.
Lord, let me never, never.
Outlive my love to Thee.
