Yet

A small word, yet big truths. I think the prophet Isaiah would agree. Each time we find the word “yet” in Isaiah 53 it is a cause for worship.

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

While the Lord Jesus was suffering on the cross there were those passing by who derided Him. They shook their heads and were full of scorn for the One who claimed He would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days. Here he was, they thought, shamefully hanging on a cross unable to save Himself. “Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save.” All along He was bearing our griefs and our sorrows. It was because of our sins He was hanging on that cross. He did not save Himself so that He could save us. “Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.”

“He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth.”

When I think about that appalling scene where a whole battalion of Roman soldiers is gathered around the Lord Jesus, I am awed at His silence. They stripped the holy Son of God, put a purple robe about Him, fashioned a crown of thorns for His head and placed a reed as a scepter in His hand. Thus arrayed, they bowed before Him in mockery saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they took the reed and beat the crown of thorns into His head. They spit on Him and beat Him and scourged Him. Then they crucified Him.

The words the Lord Jesus said to Peter come to mind. “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father and He shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” “Yet he opened not His mouth.”

“He had done no violence, neither was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him.”

The Lord Jesus was not dying for His own sin, but for ours. No one that he came into contact with could bring one accusation against Him. The Jews brought false witness after false witness before the tribunal in order to find some charge to condemn Him. “But they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.” Three times over in Luke 23, Pilate stated that He didn’t find any guilt in the Lord Jesus and neither did Herod. One of the criminals hanging beside Him railed at Him. “But the other rebuked him, saying, “Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.” Even a Roman centurion who witnessed the death of the Lord Jesus confessed, “Certainly this was a righteous man.” Heaven itself opened up on more than one occasion to declare, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased.”

Yet, this One who “always did those things that pleased the Father,” was the One that it pleased the Father to bruise. It was the will of the Lord to “put Him to grief.” Not me, but Him. My soul can only sing in some heavenly language that I cannot fully comprehend. There are no earthly words – no earthly language – that could express the worship due Him. But let us try.

The Power of God

The theme of power runs throughout the book of Ephesians. There are five words used to describe power, strength, might, authority or the effectual working of it in the Greek language. All five of these words are found over 20 times in the short book of Ephesians. Four of these words are contained in one verse of chapter one where Paul prays that the saints may know “the exceeding greatness of His power to usward who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” Paul first shows us what the power of God has done for us, then what it is presently doing in us, and, finally, what it enables us to do – all to the praise of His glory.

In chapter one, the apostle Paul sets forth all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ Jesus; chosen to be holy, predestined for adoption, redemption through His blood, and an inheritance sealed with the Holy Spirit. The only thing that could accomplish this for us is the immeasurable power of God, the same power that “He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places.”

Paul recalls to our minds what we once were in Ephesians two. Dead in our trespasses and sins, we were separated from Christ and without God in this world. We followed after the prince of the power of the air and fulfilled the lusts of our flesh. In short, we were utterly depraved and without hope. Does it surprise us then that it would take the power of God, the very power that raised Christ from the dead, to give us life, seat us in heavenly places with Christ, and make it possible that children of wrath should walk in good works? This power has brought those that are far near, united Jew and Gentile into one new man, given us access to the Father through the Spirit and made us “fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.”

Not only has the power of God brought all this about for us in the past through the work of the cross, but in chapter three Paul declares that even at the present time this power is at work in us, strengthening the inner man so that we may know and understand the immeasurable love of Christ and “be filled with all the fullness of God.” Let’s rethink that a moment. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is now, this moment, working in us for the express purpose of revealing the vast and unfathomable love of Christ so that we may be filled with the virtues and excellencies of Christ. Oh, if only we could be here, drinking this truth in moment by moment. This can only be a foretaste of heaven.

In chapter four, five and six this power enables us to live with our brethren in unity and equips us with spiritual gifts to build up the body of Christ. It is the strength needed to turn from our wicked works and walk in the light. It is the power needed for a wife to submit to her husband, for a husband to sacrificially love his wife, for a child to obey his parents, and for a slave to obey his master as he would Christ.

Paul wraps up his letter with three power words in one sentence. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.” The efficacy of His power is so complete that we can withstand the principalities and powers and the rulers of darkness that work against us. Outfitted in the whole armor of God, we are able to stand before Satan himself.

I can only say with Paul, “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."

Accountability

I just had a moment of enlightening. It doesn't happen too often so I'm writing it down so I can see it in black in white. I have been reading a book called, "The Pursuit of Holiness" by Jerry Bridges. He commented that often, when we sin, we say things like, "I failed," or "I was defeated by that sin," and thereby place blame on something outside of ourselves. This rang a bell for me. It sounds so much better than, "I disobeyed God," which would shift the responsibility where it ought to be - on me. Sin cannot defeat me any longer. I choose to sin. I don't think this is semantics. This is how I hold on to those sins that I lament so loudly over. I hear a convicting voice saying, "Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin." I need to hold myself accountable for my sin and remember that Jesus suffered for it so that I don't take it lightly. And then rest in His amazing grace.

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary