Lent 2022: Jesus as Sacrifice

Editor’s Note: Lent is a season of personal reflection. As Advent provides a time to prepare our hearts and minds to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Lent offers us time to reflect on our sin, and the need for our Savior’s death and resurrection on the cross.

This year, our weekly reflections will focus on the mercy of God. In His goodness, God has displayed mercy towards us from the start. He knew sin would enter the world and created a means to have right-standing with Him. In the coming weeks, we will spend time remembering God’s mercy and His pursuit of us—from our sinfulness and need, to the institution of sacrifices for the Israelites, culminating with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross. God has been always kind, always just, always loving, always merciful.

Last week, we put ourselves in the place of a lost sheep that God pursues and finds. This week, the apostle Peter reminds us we are all sheep who are going astray.

Jesus as Sacrifice

“’He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed.’ For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”

I Peter 2:22-25, quoting Isaiah 53

Reflect:

1.  You may have noticed in this translation that the sheep were going astray. It was an active situation of straying. What is something that is happening for you right now, this week, where you are straying? Sinning?  Jesus bore those sins so that we could live for righteousness. What righteous choice, by Jesus’ strength, do you want to do instead?  How can you create your own “But now…” chapter of your faith story?

2. What new awe do you have for Jesus, being reminded by scripture that he didn’t return insults or threats?  If Jesus entrusted himself to God as his judge, what do you think he wants each of us to do regarding judgment of others?  What specific circumstance is God bringing to your mind?

 “My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.”

1 John 2:1-2

Reflect: John calls Jesus both “the Righteous One” and our “advocate.”  Jesus’ righteousness is presented in stark contrast to our sinfulness. Even good people have sin.

1.  To atone means to compensate, to make amends. What is the largest chasm you can think of?  The largest number or price tag you can imagine? The most horrendous wrong?  Write those down. Contemplate the immensity of them.  Then recognize that Jesus is greater. He paid for the sins of the whole world!

2. Who “in the whole world” still needs to hear the good news of Jesus’ atonement?  Make a list. Pray that all may hear.

This week’s scriptures provide precious insights into our Savior—the righteous one, our advocate, the shepherd and overseer of our souls.  Spend time praising our Savior using these names.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, You are our perfect sacrifice. You are the righteous one who advocates for us with Your heavenly Father. You are the Great Shepherd, the one who pursues us, finds us, brings us back to the fold. You are the overseer of our souls. Because of your atoning sacrifice, we are healed. You are the hope of the whole world. We bow in awe of you, in devotion to you, in silence before you, the lamb who was slain.  Amen.

Additional scriptures: Luke 22:32-43, Isaiah 53:6-12, Genesis 22:1-14

*New International Version of the Bible was used for scriptures in this piece.

Good Friday

On Good Friday, we witness unanswered prayer. Nailed to a cross and slowly suffocating, the Son cried out to the Father with a chilling question: “My God,” He gasped, “My God, why have You forsaken Me?” And there was no response to the “why”. No dove descending. No booming voice.” Pete Greig, God on Mute  

Jesus was sent from heaven to earth to live and die for our sins.  That was the Father’s plan all along.  Jesus, son of God, would be born in a lowly manger and grow up the child of a mere carpenter.  When he came of age, he began teaching and preaching about God and his plan to redeem his people, including of course, that he, the Son of God, would die and be raised again.  Jesus would also perform miracles in God’s name.  All of this and yet people did not really understand who he was, chose to ignore it, or call him a liar for claiming to be the Messiah.

Jesus had many followers, including his twelve disciples, Jesus’ closest friends.  Regularly they were witnesses to his awesome miracles and teachings, and yet still they didn’t fully understand.  When Jesus told them that he would need to be killed and then raised again on the third day, his disciple Peter actually got upset with him for saying this (Mark 8:31-33). Mark 16:10 tells us that those who were his followers were mourning and weeping after his death. 

These followers of Jesus gave up everything to follow him: families, homes, material possessions.  They were devoted to him, to his teachings and to following him physically- telling others about the good news and the coming Messiah. So how did the followers and friends of Jesus process watching their teacher, their friend, die on the cross?

Many were probably at the scene of the cross; watching him suffer and ultimately die.  The one they had invested everything in, devoted their lives to, became close to even as a friend and confidant was now gone.  Many probably felt lost.  Their sense of purpose was gone.  The man that they thought was going to save them and become their Messiah was gone.

They met together to mourn this loss.  They cried and probably asked each other and God, “Why?” and “What now?”.  Maybe they felt angry at God, trying to reason with him, saying, “This wasn’t what was supposed to happen.  He was supposed to save us and be our mighty Messiah.” 

But what they didn’t realize is that it was never about their idea of what Jesus should be or do.  It was God’s plan.  His plan has always been to provide a Messiah, to save and redeem. 

Jesus revealed God’s plan to them many times, but they were blinded to the whole truth by their idea of what God’s plan should look like, not what it would actually look like. 

How many times have we been disappointed by God?  How many times have we questioned God’s will and goodness?  “God, you promise good to your people, you promise to give us hope and a future, but this can't be good,” or “God, why would you allow this to happen?  How could this horrible loss be part of your will?” 

Many of our questions to God are the same his followers had at the time of Jesus’ death. We can ask those questions, but eventually, we have to recall the truths we know about God.

God is a good God (Psalm 100:5).  He does love his people (Psalm 86:15).  He promises to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), but it doesn’t always look the way we feel it should look. 

You see, God can see the big picture.  We only see a pinhole of what he sees.  He has a plan for his people, his creation.  One that is beautiful and filled with his glory, but we might not get to see his vantage point this side of eternity. 

Jesus’ followers had to wait three days.  Three days of darkness, sorrow, confusion and disappointment.  At the end of those three days there was beauty- Jesus was raised from the dead and God’s plan for redemption was revealed, but first they had to sit in the heaviness of their confusion and loss. 

God promises that all will be revealed to us, but it may not be until we get to heaven (Luke 12:2).  He may ask us to sit in the sorrow, disappointment and confusion for some time.  He warns us that this world will give us trouble (John 16:33), but he also promises to be with us (Joshua 1:9). Our creator, our Heavenly Father, who loves us so much that he sent his son to die for us (John 3:16) so that we could be saved from the bondage of sin and live in communion with him, promises to walk with us.  He gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to bring his peace and joy (John 15:11; Romans 15:13), even when it seems impossible.  We can come to Him with our sorrow, our confusion, and our disappointment.  He promises to comfort us and to give us rest (Matthew 11:28).

The waiting is hard.  The loss often feels unbearable.  But we are never alone and we will one day see the big, beautiful picture of God’s story.  Your disappointments, your losses are not for nothing.  They are part of the beautiful story God is writing.  Take heart that God is always good, even when we don’t understand it. 

Reflections for Lent: Psalm 22

Editor’s Note:

Each Friday of the Lent season leading up to Easter, we have shared a passage of scripture that helps us reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. From before time, through Old Testament to New, this plan for God in the flesh to step down to earth and provide redemption has always been. This is the final week of Lent reflections*, and as we read the passage and think through the questions that follow, we invite you to reflect on what Christ did and His great love for us this Easter season.

The final reflection comes from Psalm 22. Written by David, in the most general sense, this psalm reflects his cry to God to save him from his enemies and ends with him thanking God for that salvation.  In a larger sense, this psalm, better than any other psalm, serves as a direct link between the Old Testament and Jesus’ passion.

Psalm 22

1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

    Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?

2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,

    and by night, but I find no rest.

3 Yet you are holy,

    enthroned on the praises of Israel.

4 In you our fathers trusted;

    they trusted, and you delivered them.

5 To you they cried and were rescued;

    in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

6 But I am a worm and not a man,

    scorned by mankind and despised by the people.

7 All who see me mock me;

    they make mouths at me; they wag their heads;

8 “He trusts in the Lord; let him deliver him;

    let him rescue him, for he delights in him!”

9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb;

    you made me trust you at my mother's breasts.

10 On you was I cast from my birth,

    and from my mother's womb you have been my God.

11 Be not far from me,

    for trouble is near,

    and there is none to help.

12 Many bulls encompass me;

    strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

13 they open wide their mouths at me,

    like a ravening and roaring lion.

14 I am poured out like water,

    and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax;

    it is melted within my breast;

15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd,

    and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

    you lay me in the dust of death.

16 For dogs encompass me;

    a company of evildoers encircles me;

they have pierced my hands and feet—

17 I can count all my bones—

they stare and gloat over me;

18 they divide my garments among them,

    and for my clothing they cast lots.

19 But you, O Lord, do not be far off!

    O you my help, come quickly to my aid!

20 Deliver my soul from the sword,

    my precious life from the power of the dog!

21     Save me from the mouth of the lion!

You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!

22 I will tell of your name to my brothers;

    in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

23 You who fear the Lord, praise him!

    All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him,

    and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

24 For he has not despised or abhorred

    the affliction of the afflicted,

and he has not hidden his face from him,

    but has heard, when he cried to him. 

25 From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

    my vows I will perform before those who fear him.

26 The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied;

    those who seek him shall praise the Lord!

    May your hearts live forever!

27 All the ends of the earth shall remember

    and turn to the Lord,

and all the families of the nations

    shall worship before you.

28 For kingship belongs to the Lord,

    and he rules over the nations.

29 All the prosperous of the earth eat and worship;

    before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,

    even the one who could not keep himself alive.

30 Posterity shall serve him;

    it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;

31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,

    that he has done it.

Reflection questions:

1. Jesus quoted David’s words in verse 1 while he was on the cross [Matthew 27:46]. What other verses in Psalm 22 point to the events of Good Friday?

2. Even as David is in distress, he chooses to praise God and remember His goodness. What characteristics of God does David reference in this passage?

 3. While praising God, David points to the finished work that will ultimately come through the cross. Through Jesus, salvation is available for all. How can you live in light of this truth this week—is there some truth you need to remember in your own walk with Jesus? Is there someone in your life who you can pray for, remind, tell for the first time, or in some other way show how greatly they are loved by the Savior?

*Although this is the final Lent reflection, check back next week, as three of our writers share thoughts on Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.