By Pastor Don Schatz

The Fourth Servant Song

“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  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 her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  By oppression and judgment he was taken away.  And who can speak of his descendants?  For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken.”
Isaiah 53:5-8 New International Version

Scripture speaks of Jesus who came in our place.  We benefit from what he did for us.  Scripture speaks of participating in these events through baptism.  The ‘Jesus Vicarious’ experience grabs hold of me in Baptism and makes what he experienced part of my experience.  Just so, the benefits of that experience—eternal life, forgiveness, salvation—are mine as well.

“My song is love unknown, My Savior’s love to me, Love to the loveless shown That they might lovely be.  Oh, who am I That for my sake My Lord should take Frail flesh and die?”  “Here might I stay and sing, No story so divine!  Never was love, dear King, Never was grief like thine.  This is my friend, In whose sweet praise I all my days Could gladly spend!”  It is a beautiful Lenten hymn.

Do it!  Spend YOUR days gladly in the company of Jesus.  It’s not pretend.  It’s the new reality of life in Christ, the embrace of the Father, the Breath of peace that is the Holy Spirit.  This is the same Spirit testifying to your spirit at this very moment:  “You are a child of God!”

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado