Good Friday

I really enjoyed the Good Friday service tonight.

I wanna head to bed soon, so I'm gonna make this short, but there was one thing that jumped out at me that I really wanted to post about.

The pastor was up front, starting his sermon, and he said something along the lines of, "Jesus wasn't punished because of anything He did. He was punished because of OUR sins." Now this isn't too radical of a phrase or anything, for a lot of people it's just common knowledge, but tonight it just HIT me and I had this image fill my mind of a room with four people in it.

The first...me.
Second...a judge.
Third...an "abuser" (like someone who punishes someone else).
And fourth...Jesus.

We were all standing like someone would be in a trial. I was in chains, the judge behind his podium thing, and Jesus in chains as well, with the abuser between us.

The judge called my name and then started listing things.

"Rachel...you have lied to your parents."
The abuser looked at me, but then turned and punched Jesus in the face.
"Rachel...you have said mean things to others about those you don't like."
Jesus was slapped.
"Rachel...you have put the blame on others and hurt those you love, even when most of it is your fault."
The abuser cracked Jesus' jaw.

Thinking about it like that...just REALLY got to me. MY issues. MY mistakes. MY faults. MY sins...Jesus got beaten because I lied to a friend. Jesus was laughed at because I have made fun of others. None of the things were His fault. But He CHOSE...it just amazes me. I mean, I've known this how many years of my life? But there are moments that it just gets to me all over again.

That image keeps going through my head over and over...Jesus being hurt every time one of my sins are read aloud. Just...WOW.

And I LOVE Jesus, I love Him SO much. I'm SO thankful that he died for me!!! But...what about those that aren't? What about those that don't care? That don't appreciate it? That can't understand? That refuse to love God? He died for them too...and I have to admit, that's hard for me to understand. I try to put myself in these scenerios, to help me feel things and understand more. So I would like to believe that I would take the blows for a friend I love and who I know cares about me and is truly sorry. But would I take the punishment of someone who's torn me down? Made me feel like I have as much worth as a piece of TRASH? I don't think I could.

But Jesus did...wow...just WOW.

It just hit me hard tonight...