Easter Reflections
I’m sure I’ve heard the following as a sermon illustration before, but I have never really thought about it too much. However, I was thinking yesterday about the notion of sin having a physical effect on your body. I’m not talking about stress – I mean, what if every time you sinned, it left a scar on or mutated your body in some way. We start off beautiful and fully made in the image of God, and as we sin and rebel against Him, we become uglier and more disgusting. If beauty is the goal of our society, as it so often seems to be, talk about motivation to be holy and righteous! What a different world we might live in. Well, that isn’t what happens to us, but as we know, God doesn’t look at the outward appearance – he looks at the heart. And we scar and mutate our heart every single day, we just think it’s hidden from sight. Now, if you’ve seen The Passion, picture what Jesus looked like by the time he reached Golgotha to be crucified. He has been so abused, you simply can’t imagine another wound could be cast upon his body. Every inch is covered – and all of the ugliness that should be ours he took upon himself. This Easter I am overwhelmed with His sacrifice and filled with joy. He is my hope and my Azazel.

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. - Isaiah 53:5