Lent Book: https://www.thegoodbook.co.uk/an-ocean-of-grace
My jottings:
(Comments welcome)
Ocean of Grace (45): GOOD FRIDAY – Our
Greatest Glory (p149ff)
The cross is indeed a glorious meeting of
mercy and justice. This is captured in Psalm 85v10:
You, Lord,
showed favour to your land;
you
restored the fortunes of Jacob.
2 You forgave the iniquity of your
people
and
covered all their sins.[b]
3 You set aside all your wrath
and
turned from your fierce anger.
4 Restore us again, God our Saviour,
and
put away your displeasure towards us.
5 Will you be angry with us for ever?
Will
you prolong your anger through all generations?
6 Will you not revive us again,
that
your people may rejoice in you?
7 Show us your unfailing love, Lord,
and
grant us your salvation.
8 I will listen to what God the Lord says;
he
promises peace to his people, his faithful servants –
but
let them not turn to folly.
9 Surely his salvation is near those
who fear him,
that
his glory may dwell in our land.
10 Love and faithfulness meet together;
righteousness
and peace kiss each other.
11 Faithfulness springs forth from the
earth,
and
righteousness looks down from heaven.
12 The Lord will indeed give what is good,
and
our land will yield its harvest.
13 Righteousness goes before him
and
prepares the way for his steps.
As Romans 3 argues, the cross is God’s just
way of justifying (declaring righteous) the unjust (sinners) by faith in Jesus
(the righteous one). (See especially v26). See also Romans 4v5: God justifies the ungodly, their faith is
credited as righteousness (justification / justice).
We may glory / boast / delight in the cross of
Christ (Galatians 6:14). Its surprising hidden glory re-writes all our notions
of greatness and power. What looks like humiliation and shame is victory. As
Jesus is degraded, he is exalted. Here is the glory of the crucified God! It
turns out that self-sacrificial service, self-giving, pouring out your life and
rights for the sake of others, is the most glorious God-like thing you can do.
Hymn: I will glory in my redeemer
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR4wRqL0Cn0
Words: https://sovereigngracemusic.org/music/songs/i-will-glory-in-my-redeemer/
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