Santa...Por Sangre

SANTA…POR SANGRE

“Saint by Blood”

From man’s earliest moments we were taught that atonement required sacrifice. Before the fall, man entered the world peacefully, brought forth from the dirt of the earth with life breathed into him. Woman was formed from man’s rib while he slept (a literal dream come true and mankind’s first answered prayer). Afterwards, we were told, “To the woman He said, ‘I will make your pains in childbearing very severe; with painful labor you will give birth to children.’” (Genesis 3:16a) Working the ground just for food became toilsome and arduous, we were removed from Paradise and a flaming sword blocked our pathway back. Much was sacrificed, and we were just beginning. Abraham was given an object lesson of not only God’s provision but also of His mercy, whilst also painting a picture of the things to come. Abraham’s long awaited gift from God was a son, Isaac. And some time later, came a test. “Then God said, ‘Take your son, your only son, whom you love–Isaac–and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.’” (Genesis 22:2) The ask strains credulity and is only surpassed by the response. “Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey.” (Genesis 22:3a) On the third day of their journey, Abraham left his servants behind with the donkey and took his son, the wood and fire and a knife up to the mountain that God showed him. Isaac, understandably confused, asked his father, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7b) Abraham’s reply is instructive, “Abraham answered, ‘God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.’” (Genesis 22:8a) As they say where I come from, “You ain’t just whistlin’ dixie.”

We know that God stayed Abraham’s hand from killing his son Isaac. He showed mercy on Abraham and kept him from such a painful moment. And we also know that God’s only son–whom He dearly loves– was not given such a stay of execution on the hill of Golgotha. As, again previewed, the example of Passover shows, those that are denoted by the blood of the sacrificial lamb are saved from the shadow of death. God has continually shown us that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23) and that payment must be made in blood. The Levitical rules of sacrifice in the Temple prove this thoroughly. Sin costs something. Let it no more be said there exists such a thing as a “victimless crime”. Christians should know that for every crime there is a penalty, and for every wayward thought or action there exists judgment. Our rejoicing springs from the fact that someone else has stepped in already to pay that debt. There’s a very “churchy” term for this, propitiation.

We reduce the reason for rejoicing when we begin to explain away the consequence of sin. If sin has no cost, then the sacrifice has less merit. By attempting to absolve ourselves of the guilt we’ve done our work to earn, we diminish the magnitude of the gift we’ve been given. So stop it! One of the gravest mistakes we can make is to attempt to only take on the world on our own terms. Humble acceptance of the enormity of existence and our small part of it opens doors, it doesn’t close them! And the first step toward this humble acceptance is to understand there exist consequences for our actions. We don’t get to define terms, we don’t get to limit impact, we don’t get to demand outcomes. Our entrance onto the world stage is not world stopping, our exit from it is not world ending, our lifetime in it is not world defining. (More on this next week) What we must understand is that any meaning our life is to obtain is what it is granted. We are limited in this way because we are not free and independent beings. We have been bought and paid for. And for that we should be thankful.

As entities, we are best understood as defective products. There is an exacting Quality Control criteria that we will never meet. And, broken items that we are, we have but one fate awaiting us, the furnace. BUT. There is one who stepped in to buy us in all of our brokenness. Not cheaply, not in bulk, and not without cause. There is an old Japanese art called Kintsugi, it is the process of taking broken pottery and mending it with a lacquer mixed with silver, platinum, or gold. The effect is not to disguise the item’s broken history but to highlight it and accentuate its transformation. The repaired piece is made more valuable, not in spite of, but because of its old imperfections. “But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’’ Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?” (Romans 9:20-21) Not only are you redeemed from the bleak fate to which you were destined, you are made whole, not to disguise your broken past, but to accentuate your transformation. You are made more valuable, not in spite of, but because of your old imperfections. “But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

As stated above, and bears repeating as it’s critical to our understanding, the price paid was not a cheap one. It was the bill announced at the Fall of Man, the one portrayed with Abraham and Isaac on the mountain, and the one foretold at Passover. You were bought with blood, from a blameless and innocent sacrifice. “In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:22) But we are interminably wicked, and if we had to account for our sins with the blood of the innocent animals required in the Law, then our body count would suffocate us. And what hope would we find amidst so much death? What future could we seek within such wreckage? We would remain stagnant and still. But the one who purchased us looks for us to be something more. “The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:13-14)

For redemption there must be sacrifice. Our God is righteous and just and sin is a serious business. The two cannot coincide, which is a bummer of a deal for us. But our God is also merciful, gracious, and, most importantly, loving. He does not wish to see us consigned to our fate. But it begs a certain question, does it not? If the price has already been paid, then what does He want from us? A shepherd boy and musician, a warrior and a poet, a king and a servant already answered it for us, “You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.” (Psalms 51:16-17) David wrote those words under the weight of his adultery and murder. Our sin should weigh as heavy on our heart. And our path out from underneath it is the same as his. We celebrate this week a child born of a virgin and laid in a manger. Never forget why He came here to begin with. He had a mission. Not merely to spread a message of love, or to encourage kindness and understanding. “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10) And ever the dutiful Son, He saw His mission to completion. “When He received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” (John 19:30) So what should be our response? Why not take a cue from the angels who announced His birth? “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angle, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom His favor rests.’” (Luke 2:13-14) You have been purchased with the redeeming blood of a perfect savior. Given freedom from the condemnation brought about by your past. Granted a future impossible to obtain otherwise. To God be the glory, made even more perfect in our weakness. And to His Son, by whom we must be saved. Merry Christmas to you, because it is for you it exists.

Jordan Williamson