Today we think again on your great sacrifice, Lord Jesus.  This event was, from the world’s point of view, the devestating defeat of God in the total and twisted triumph of Satan as he killed the author of life.  This was the ultimate example of good being conquered by evil.  Jesus died, he did not save himself, he lost.

However, with your resurrection and following revelations, Lord Jesus, it is clear that in your weakness as a human being, you were able to strike at the most vulnerable point of Satan’s plan. Your obedience, your love, your living in truth rather than what was seen, your living for your Father, not for people—these all struck at Satan’s eager desire to reverse with rebellion the roles God gave.  Satan wanted to be like God and by killing Jesus, seemed to put himself over God.

However,  we praise you, Lord, that Satan’s attack became the means of Jesus’ taking upon himself the guilt of all mankind, of paying the price of pardon that all may have life eternal.  Satan desired to defeat with death the giver of life, and in doing so fell into his own trap of destruction, bringing the final defeat and condemnation upon himself and his followers.

Praise be to you, Lord Jesus, for your willingness to suffer on every level: physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually, relationally, trinitarily.  We cannot begin to grasp even in a rudimentary way the anguish you endured in becoming sin, being crushed by the wrath of God, being torn out of the fabric of the Trinity, suffering absolute aloneness, as well as the great physical suffering of scourging, beating, and crucifixion.

You, Lord God, are astonishing in your love, for all three of you suffered greatly in the death of Jesus. You also were wounded in the rending of the triune Godhead as He became sin and you had to turn away.  You, too, suffered in pouring out your wrath on Jesus, your only and dearly loved Son.  You, too, presumably suffered in the three days Jesus was buried and was probably in Hell, fighting the final battle for salvation against the devil and death.

And you, too, rejoiced in the resurrection, the final triumph of good over evil, the final and full solution to the problem of evil in a twisted world originally created pure by your good desire.

You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, are to be worshipped, praised, honored and glorified for your incredible, illogical, unfathomable, overwhelming love!  We bow before you this day, giving you honor and praise for your wisdom, commitment, follow-through and grace.  What a wonderful God you are, we rejoice in you, we exalt you, we lift up your name, we glorify you!  May you be continually honored and exalted today in our thoughts, words and actions.