The primary purpose of the Spirit is: to guide / tell / make known the truth to you. John 16:12-15 (NIV) 12  “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14  He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15  All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 22 - Our Justification Through Faith in Christ We believe that for us to acquire the true knowledge of this great mystery the Holy Spirit kindles in our hearts a true faith that embraces Jesus Christ, with all his merits, and makes him its own, and no longer looks for anything apart from him. For it must necessarily follow that either all that is required for our salvation is not in Christ or, if all is in him, then he who has Christ by faith has his salvation entirely. Therefore, to say that Christ is not enough but that something else is needed as well is a most enormous blasphemy against God— for it then would follow that Jesus Christ is only half a Savior. Summary Today we return to that tension filled last night Jesus spent with His disciples before facing the cross. So much of John's gospel - from chapter 14-17 - is dedicated to what Jesus taught that night. These words are heavily laden with theology, so much so that we can only really chew on a couple of them at a time without being overwhelmed. So you can imagine what is was like for these disciples to hear this all for the first time, late at night, with all of the fear and trepidation caused by the plotting going on around them. Jesus could sense this in them. He had more to tell them, but it was "much more than they could now bear." But taking a break wouldn't be a problem, Jesus said, even though this was the last opportunity He'd have to teach them with His own words. It wasn't a problem because the "Spirit of truth" was coming to "guide them into all truth." We've looked before at the word that Jesus used to describe the Spirit that's so nuanced it's hard to translate: Paraklētos . Some translations go with Advocate , others use Comforter or Helper , and they're all right! The Holy Spirit is all of those things! But today's passage helps us see what the primary purpose of the Spirit is: to guide / tell / make known the truth to you. A literal translation of the Greek word means one who comes alongside and calls out. This is exactly what the Holy Spirit - the Paraklētos - does as He kindles faith in your heart. Dig Deeper One of the things we'll see this week as we work through Article 22 of our Confession is that the primary reason you have faith and have come to know and understand the truth about the justification you've gained from Jesus' death, resurrection and ascension is because the Holy Spirit has made it known to you. It's not that you're smarter or more observant than other people; the reason you have faith is because it's been given to you. But how does the Spirit do this, and how can you increase and grow this faith that you've been given? Certainly, our omnipotent God can do this any way He likes, and many people have been brought to believe suddenly and miraculously when the Holy Spirit unexpectedly showed up in their life. But these sort of 'Damascus road experiences,' like what happened to the Apostle Paul (Acts 9), don't happen often. So even though the Spirit isn't limited in His abilities to make these truths known, most of the time He uses what have come to be called the ordinary means of grace : the preaching of the Word, the participation of the sacraments, and the discipline that comes from living in the fellowship of believers. So this means that if you want to build and increase this faith you've been given (which the Bible often commands you to make every effort to do ), you need to expose yourself to these elements often. Keep reading the Word every day, as you're doing right now, and regularly gather with the saints on the Lord's Day to hear these truths proclaimed. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sent us the Spirit of truth; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will make it your habit to participate in the ordinary means of grace that the Spirit uses to build up your faith; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Luke 4

You have peace with God because of Christ's sacrifice for you. Matthew 1:20-21 (NIV) CONTEXT: Mary has just informed Joseph that she is pregnant through the Holy Spirit, and Joseph understandably is dubious and plans to quietly send Mary away. 20  But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered— the “just for the unjust,” in both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.” He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore we rightly say with Paul that we “know nothing but Jesus and him crucified”; we consider all things as “dung for the excellence of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We find all comforts in his wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever. This is also why the angel of God called him Jesus— that is, “Savior”— because he would save his people from their sins. Summary You go to work because there are certain benefits that you receive, whether it be insurance, mileage expenses, vacation time, etc.  As we take a look at Christ’s sacrifice for us and the salvation He gives through His blood, we see there are benefits we receive.  Yesterday we took a look at how Christ’s “one and only sacrifice…renders believers perfect forever ,” seeing how God will complete the work He has begun in us.  Today, we turn to another benefit we receive from Christ’s sacrifice, and a very important one at that.  In the beginning of Matthew, when the birth of Jesus is announced to Joseph by the angel of the Lord, the angel tells Joseph what he is to name the child to be born: “... you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."  The closing part of Belgic Confession Article 21 takes up this verse, stating: “This is also why the angel of God called him Jesus - that is, ‘Savior’ - because he would save his people from their sins.”  Through our Lord and Savior’s sacrifice on the cross for us, He saves His people from their sins and so reconciles us to the God we so willfully rebelled against, giving us an amazing and gracious gift - peace with God!  Dig Deeper Peace with God is truly an amazing and gracious gift, an amazing benefit that we receive from Christ’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf.  Because of mankind’s rebellion against God, our relationship with Him had been broken by sin, we stood condemned.  But God, out of His great love for us, sent His only eternally begotten Son to reconcile us to Himself through His precious blood shed on the cross, giving us peace with God.  Now, as a believer, you have been washed with Christ’s blood, you have been clothed with His righteousness, and you have been adopted into God’s family.  This God whom you now have peace with through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, you can call Father, your Heavenly Father!  Perhaps there are times where you feel like you’ve messed up too much, or where you feel like you don’t belong.  In regards to the first, of course you need to repent, but also remember as David writes in Psalm 103:8-13 how God is “merciful and gracious,” how “as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.  As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him ."  When you feel like you don’t belong, look to your Heavenly Father with whom you have peace through Christ, and remember His love and care for you, ever resting in His loving arms. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sent His Son, born of a virgin to save His people from their sins; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for giving you peace with Him, and pray that you'll remained focused upon it despite the ups and downs of life; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Luke 3

God will bring to completion the good work He began in you. Hebrews 10:11-14(NIV) 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. 14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered— the “just for the unjust,” in both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.” He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore we rightly say with Paul that we “know nothing but Jesus and him crucified”; we consider all things as “dung for the excellence of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We find all comforts in his wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever. This is also why the angel of God called him Jesus— that is, “Savior”— because he would save his people from their sins. Summary Yesterday we explored Christ’s one and only sacrifice, learning that we have no need to invent any other means of reconciliation since Christ has "offered for all time one sacrifice for sins." This is summarized in our Confession where it says that “We… have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever.” One of the amazing things about the Greek language is what its various tenses can convey. Whereas English only has past, present and future tense verbs, Greek has an extra tense used to indicate an action that has been done in the past, but has ongoing significance.  So, because of Christ’s sacrifice, an action completed once-for-all in the past, “he has perfected [past tense] for all time those who are being sanctified [ongoing significance.” I love how Richard Philips addresses how both can be true in his commentary on Hebrews: “In the eyes of God you have been made perfect because you are in Christ; you are a beneficiary of his perfection.  Of course, there is a process that is not yet complete, but a Christian’s sanctification is so certain of achievement that it is now viewed as accomplished: ‘You have been made perfect.’” Dig Deeper As believers, we wrestle and struggle against sin throughout our lives.  We are continually being made to be more and more like our Lord and Savior through the working of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes we fail, we sin, and we can become discouraged.  Thanks be to God for His amazing grace that we can repent for those times we sin and that our God is faithful and just to forgive when we turn and repent. This particular benefit reminds us of those beautiful truths in Jude 24-25: “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen,” and Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." You are still shedding what is of the old self, and so when you do mess up, repent, rest in God’s grace, and remember that “he who began a good work” in you “will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who accepted the once for all sacrifice for sin made for us by Jesus Christ; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for patience, perseverance, and a desire to more and more resemble your Savior; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Luke 2

Stop exhausting yourself by trying to do what Christ has already done. Hebrews 10:11-12 (NIV) 11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered— the “just for the unjust,” in both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.” He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore we rightly say with Paul that we “know nothing but Jesus and him crucified”; we consider all things as “dung for the excellence of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We find all comforts in his wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever. This is also why the angel of God called him Jesus— that is, “Savior”— because he would save his people from their sins. Summary One of the main points made in the book of Hebrews is the “once for all” nature of our Lord and Savior’s sacrifice on our behalf. We see this theme especially taken up towards the end of the book in the first part of chapter ten.  Throughout the opening verses, we are pointed back to the Old Testament, to all the sacrifices that were made and how they could not take away sin. “But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year," chapter 10 begins, "for it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." A few sentences later, the verses we just read give a stark contrast: “Every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God…” (ESV). Christ laid down His life once for all; His one and only sacrifice took away our sins, which the sacrifices made by the priests year after year with the blood of animals could never do. And so the our Confession reminds us: “We…have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever.” Dig Deeper This is important for you to remember: that Christ’s one and only sacrifice takes away your sins. You need continual reminders of this, because at various times over the course of history, people have tried to invent all sorts of other ways of reconciliation, other ways of salvation. But it’s not just consolidated to history.  Even in our world and culture today, people claim that there are many ways to God, many ways of salvation.  Some think if they’re good enough, that’ll get them to heaven, but that’s not what God’s Word tells us.  Our Lord and Savior, during what is known as the Upper Room Discourse, tells His disciples that He alone is “the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 ESV). This claim is utterly offensive to the world, the culture around us, and yet it is the truth. In a world that finds this truth completely offensive, may the Lord strengthen you and help you to stand firm in this truth, in the truth of His Word.  May you boldly declare that He alone is “the way, and the truth, and the life,” that He alone is the only way “to the Father,” and that it is His one and only sacrifice that takes away your sins! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, and our Savior who victoriously sat down at His right hand while He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your faith in Christ's one completed sacrifice will grow in strength; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Luke 1

Find the comfort you long for in the wounds of Christ. John 1:29 (NIV) The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered— the “just for the unjust,” in both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.” He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore we rightly say with Paul that we “know nothing but Jesus and him crucified”; we consider all things as “dung for the excellence of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We find all comforts in his wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever. This is also why the angel of God called him Jesus— that is, “Savior”— because he would save his people from their sins. Summary John the Baptist boldly declared these words the day after he had told the priests and Levites who were sent to him from Jerusalem who he was and who he wasn’t.  This declaration of John regarding our Lord’s sacrifice as the Lamb of God for sin reminds us of one of the many comforts we have in, as our Confession put it, in the wounds of our Savior. At first glance, you may wonder what sort of comfort we could have in the wounds of our Lord and Savior, but this isn’t the only place we are reminded of it. The Heidelberg Catechism’s famous first question asks us: “What is your only comfort in life and in death?”  The answer follows: “That I am not my own, but belong - body and soul, in life and in death - to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.  He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood…” This comfort is found in the wounds of Christ. Dig Deeper How is it, though, that Christ’s wounds comfort you? It’s not something that we think about enough, especially with how painful of a death our Lord and Savior suffered on our behalf, taking the full wrath of God on our sin upon Himself.  But the more you reflect on our Savior’s death, the more you'll come to find how it is that His wounds comfort us, and the different ways they do so. The song, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us” tells us of a couple comforts we have in Christ’s wounds, the first of which is: As wounds which marred the Chosen One Bring many sons to glory. The final verse reminds us of another: I will not boast in anything: No gifts, no power, no wisdom; But I will boast in Jesus Christ: His death and resurrection. Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer; But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom As John the Baptist reminded us, Jesus is "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"  Jesus is the Lamb who takes away your and my sins, His wounds have brought us into God’s Kingdom, His family, making us sons and daughters! These are just two among many comforts we have in Christ’s wounds; may we take time to reflect on all the many ways Christ’s wounds comfort us, brothers and sisters. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sent His Lamb to take away the sins of the world; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will not boast in anything other than Christ's death and resurrection. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Philemon

Find Confidence in Christ! Philippians 3:7–9 (ESV) 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered— the “just for the unjust,” in both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.” He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins. Therefore we rightly say with Paul that we “know nothing but Jesus and him crucified”; we consider all things as “dung for the excellence of the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We find all comforts in his wounds and have no need to seek or invent any other means to reconcile ourselves with God than this one and only sacrifice, once made, which renders believers perfect forever. This is also why the angel of God called him Jesus— that is, “Savior”— because he would save his people from their sins. Summary In our world today, we talk about the value of things, from a house that someone just bought, to a new car, to the value of a great deal like a buy one get one free, or a value menu at a fast food restaurant. We're always on the lookout for the next great value. Today's passage comes right after Paul had recounted all the things he at one time valued. But after he came to know Christ, that which he valued changed greatly. He writes, “But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith." What Christ has done for you - having clothed you in His righteousness alone through His atoning death on your behalf - this is where you must find your true value, and this is where you must place your confidence, not in anything you could ever do on your own. Dig Deeper If we’re honest with ourselves, there can be times when we can slip into the mindset of wondering 'Have I done enough?' or 'Have I done enough good over the course of my life?' The enemy perhaps comes and tells us the lie that we haven’t done enough, and that we’re not good enough. But it’s important for you and me to remember where our confidence lies; that we are to rest in Christ’s righteousness alone. As the hymn “The Solid Rock” reminds us: My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, But wholly lean on Jesus’ name. Likewise, in verse four: When He shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in Him be found; Dressed in His righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before the throne. Far from making you complacent, this should spur you on to gratitude, so that you're living out of gratitude for what Christ has done for you through the enabling and empowering work of the Holy Spirit. So when the enemy would tempt you, accusing you that you haven’t done enough, look to Christ, to His atoning sacrifice for you, remembering that He is your confidence. May you declare with Paul, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who provides righteousness on the basis of faith; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will consider everything the world values to be a loss, and that your value will come from the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Colossians 4

Find true forgiveness through true confession. 1 John 1:8-10 (NIV) 8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered— the “just for the unjust,” in both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.” He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins. Summary How often do you think about your need for a Savior? How often do you think about your sins? The Apostle John is quite clear in what we need to do to receive God’s grace. In order to be forgiven, we must confess our sins. When you confess our sins, God is faithful and just and will forgive you your sins. There is no greater promise anywhere. God’s promise is true, and it is amazing. It is life changing. When you confess your sins, God will forgive you your sins. You are then given new life in Jesus Christ. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection, you can be purified from all unrighteousness. Truly, your sins can be forgiven! Dig Deeper As we have seen this week, Jesus’ sacrifice was necessary for our salvation. He is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek who offered the sacrifice for our sins. It only needed to be offered once because Jesus was the perfect sacrifice. He offered up his life as ransom to pay the debt of our sin. A debt that he did not owe, but paid willingly by the pouring out of his precious blood. The pain he endured on our behalf is staggering. He endured physical pain through beatings, being nailed to the cross, and being pierced. He endured mental anguish through betrayal by a friend, and abandonment by his disciples. He suffered the weight of our sin. As our Confession says, “And he endured all this for the forgiveness of our sins.” In order to receive this grace, confess your sins. Acknowledge that you needed Jesus to endure all of that so that you could be saved from your sins. Ask God for forgiveness, by confessing your sins, and you will be forgiven in Christ Jesus. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Holy God, Lord of justice and grace; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: I confess that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. Please forgive me of my sin; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Colossians 3

You are never alone because of Jesus. Matthew 27:46 (NIV) About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. So he paid back what he had not stolen, and he suffered— the “just for the unjust,” in both his body and his soul— in such a way that when he senses the horrible punishment required by our sins his sweat became like “big drops of blood falling on the ground.” He cried, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Summary These are the last words that Jesus speaks while on the cross in the gospel of Matthew. They are heartbreaking words: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? What must Jesus have been feeling at that moment? He endured so much suffering, and was hanging on the cross for hours. The pain, the torment, the loneliness. Eventually, he speaks these words, and not long after, he gives up his spirit and dies. Jesus is directly quoting Psalm 22:1, which is a psalm of lament. Lament is crying out to God in grief while wrestling with his goodness. Dig Deeper The Belgic Confession speaks of Jesus’ suffering, not glossing over the anguish he felt. Again, think about what Jesus was feeling in his final moments: the weight of sin which was not his; paying a debt that he did not incur; the righteous being crucified for the unrighteous. As he is hanging on that cross, enduring the physical pain of the nails and the beatings, there is the mental anguish as well. To the point that he cries out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” We know that God never forsakes or abandons us. The cross is the perfect example of that truth. Through Jesus’ suffering and death, we see the perfect love that God has for his people. Which is why it is important for us to remember that Jesus’ sacrifice involves so much more than just his death. He came to earth as a child, born of the virgin Mary. He lived a perfect life; he never sinned. He was then betrayed, arrested, abandoned by his disciples, beaten, mocked, and unjustly condemned. All of that happened before his crucifixion. Jesus did it all with a purpose. He offered himself up as a sacrifice to save God’s people from their sins. Jesus’ sacrifice shows us God’s love. “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).” You are never alone because of Jesus. Even when you are in life’s darkest valleys, know that God is with you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our ever-present God; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I trust in your presence, knowing that I am never on my own; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Colossians 2

True gratitude requires continual reminding of what Jesus did for you. Isaiah 53:4-12 (NIV) 4 Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering, yet we considered him punished by God, stricken by him, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away. Yet who of his generation protested? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished. 9 He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand. 11 After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. For it is written that “the chastisement of our peace” was placed on the Son of God and that “we are healed by his wounds.” He was “led to death as a lamb”; he was “numbered among sinners” and condemned as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, though Pilate had declared that he was innocent. Summary The book of Isaiah is filled with prophecies of the coming Messiah. One of the most well-known prophecies speaks of a child who will change the word; “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Is. 9:6). Perhaps we may gloss over then, what Isaiah prophesies regarding what will happen to that child. The Messiah will take up our pain and will bear our suffering. The prophet continues on to say that the Messiah will be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. There is a reason for this suffering: his punishment brings us peace, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah’s prophecy of the Messiah should be cause for celebration, but also pause. In order for the Messiah to save us from our sins, he also had to suffer. Dig Deeper When was the last time you were punished? Did you deserve to be punished? Did the punishment fit the crime? The suffering that Isaiah prophesies about regarding the Messiah is unjust. Jesus did nothing wrong. As we looked at yesterday, he was perfect, he committed no sins. Yet he was punished, and endured significant suffering on our behalf. It may be easy to skip over what Jesus went through to save sinners, but he suffered immensely so that you might be justified. He was betrayed by his friend, arrested, abandoned by his disciples, beaten, mocked, spit upon, unjustly condemned, nailed to a cross, mocked some more, pierced, and died because of our sin. Jesus endured all of that because of our sin; for "the transgression of my people he was punished." We rightfully praise God for the amazing grace we receive in Jesus Christ. But do not forget or overlook what Jesus went through on your behalf. The grace you've received came at a costly price. Jesus suffered. Because he suffered, you can have the forgiveness of sins. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The God of all knowledge, who foretold through the prophet Isaiah of what was to come; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I never forget the suffering that Jesus endured by taking my sin on himself; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Colossians 1

Be reminded of just how much you are loved. Hebrews 7:25-28 (NIV) 25 Therefore Christ is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. 26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 21: The Atonement We believe that Jesus Christ is a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek— made such by an oath— and that he presented himself in our name before his Father, to appease his wrath with full satisfaction by offering himself on the tree of the cross and pouring out his precious blood for the cleansing of our sins, as the prophets had predicted. Summary The book of Hebrews is a rich teaching of Jesus’ role as priest for the people of God. He was unlike any priest that had come before because he was holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. In other words: he was perfect. The priests of the Old Testament would have to offer sacrifices for their own sins before they could offer sacrifices for the sins of the people of God. Jesus was perfect, he was without sin, so no sin offering was needed on his behalf. The priests of the Old Testament would have to offer sacrifices day after day. Those sin offerings only accounted for the sins that had been committed, and would have to be repeated the next day. Jesus only needed to offer a sacrifice once. His offering was enough to cover the sins of the whole world, forever; though it is only guaranteed to those who confess Jesus as Lord. Dig Deeper Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins was not a bull or a lamb or doves. Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins was Himself. Let me write that again, because it is startling: Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins was Himself. A sacrifice had to be made to appease the Father’s wrath. The priests of the Old Testament would offer bulls on behalf of the people and themselves. They would do this day after day. Jesus offered himself on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. He poured out his blood. He died. All of this he did for the people of God. Jesus did it willingly. Do you know how much God loves you? He loves you so much that he sent his Son to die on the cross for your sins. Do you know how much God loves you? Jesus went to the cross knowing full well what he was going to endure, so that you could be saved from your sins. Jesus’ sacrifice was himself. It was enough to cover our sins completely. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus, the Lamb of God ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I praise you for the sacrifice you made; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Philippians 4