For Our Sins

He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 

Isaiah 53:8 

Christ died for our sins. This is at the heart of the message of the Scriptures. Therefore, the concept of substitutionary sacrifice runs through the Bible from start to finish. Christ came for us, lived for us, suffered for us, and died for us. As our text puts it, ’For the transgressions of my people He was stricken.’ Thus we understand that it was our sins that nailed Christ to the cross. We need to feel the weight of that responsibility because it is the logical extension of the law, which is the schoolmaster that brings us to Christ. We cannot rightly understand that Christ was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and be cold towards Him. The Suffering Savior draws us to Him. He has done for us what no one else in heaven, earth, or hell could do. He has received the punishment we deserved. He has endured the lash, the shame, the spitting, the pain, the ridicule, the agony, and excruciating death for us. Therefore we cannot prize Him too highly or value Him too greatly. Christ is all. 

Our Good and Gracious Savior, 
we rejoice that You were willing to endure great suffering for us. 
We praise You that, by it, 
You have acted as our great Substitute. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning