Battle scars

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John 10:11).

In the year 1386, Switzerland fought a decisive battle for independence from Austria at the city of Sempach. The Swiss were facing defeat as the Austrians charged, spears leading the advance. It was then that Arnold von Winkelried rushed towards the Austrians, grabbed as many spearheads with his hands as he could, and deliberately plunged them into his own body. As he died, the weight of his pierced body pulled a large number of Austrian weapons down and out of the fight, opening a hole through which the Swiss soldiers charged, granting them a decisive victory.

In a similar way, our Lord Jesus was born on earth to go ahead of us into battle with the forces of evil. We are all sinners, and sin brings with it the promise of eternal death in hell. On our own, defeat was certain. But Jesus used His own body to keep the eternal death brought by sin from reaching us. Through the beatings, through the crown of thorns, through the nailing to the cross, Jesus placed His body in harm’s way in order to protect us and ensure victory in the struggle. When Jesus died, His body carried the danger of our sins down into the grave where they can no longer hurt us. Then on the third day, Jesus rose from the grave alive once more. Jesus still bears the scars of this battle—He tells us behold My hands (John 20:27), hands which still show the marks of the crucifixion. But our sins, as terrible and powerful as they were, could not keep our Lord in the grave. His love for us compelled Him not only to die for us, but to continue to live for us as well. Jesus promises, because I live, you also will live (John 14:19). And Paul tells us, Christ Jesus, who died--more than that, who was raised to life--is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us (Romans 8:34). Every day, Jesus listens to your prayers for forgiveness and gains for you the Father’s mercy. Jesus died to save us from the death of our sins, and He lives to make sure that we can join Him to celebrate the victory in heaven. Please join me in praying,

Dearest Lord Jesus, we thank You for going before us and suffering the injuries of sin that should have been ours. We thank You for single-handedly winning us freedom from the oppression of our sins and the death that they threatened us with. We thank You for rising from the grave to open heaven for us. Help us to never take Your sacrifice for granted, by always holding before us the bloodstained cross along with the empty tomb. Forgive us, keep us faithful, and when our time has come, welcome us home to Your victory celebration. Amen.