GOD HAS COME TO US

Ron Gray, Missions & Outreach Pastor

"Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering." Isaiah 53:4

This weekend when we gather we will remember what Jesus Christ has done on our behalf. Together we will proclaim as a part of the Apostles Creed that, “he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, he descended into hell.”

When I read the gospel accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus, one of the things that strikes me is that he did not hesitate to go to the people he came to save. The story of Zacchaeus comes to mind.

Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector who had enriched himself by taking advantage of his fellow citizens in Jericho. He was despised and rejected by everyone in the city. When Jesus arrived in Jericho, the crowd that gathered to see him was not inclined to make room for Zacchaeus to be a part of the occasion. Quite the opposite. I imagine that they went out of their way to make sure he couldn’t join in. He was short, so people most likely intentionally stood in front of him. So, Zacchaeus climbed a tree to get a better view. Jesus made a point of going to that very tree. He called Zacchaeus down and informed him that he would be staying at his house.

The crowd was shocked! Why on earth would a righteous teacher intentionally go to be with a sinner? Why on earth, indeed! There would be no earthly reason for Jesus to do that….but there was every Heavenly reason! Jesus explained it this way. “Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” (Luke 19:9-10).

The reason Jesus came was to bring salvation to us. In order to do so, he had to join us where we are. When Jesus Christ came into the world to bring salvation, he was met with violent resistance. As John put it, “He came to his own, and his own rejected him.” (John 1:11) Rather than being received and celebrated, he was rejected and suffered at the hands of those he created. Yet, it was through suffering that he brought us life.

“He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried, he descended into hell.”

At the heart of this portion of the Creed is the fact that Jesus came to where we are. He came to us and took upon himself the suffering that was ours. He came to us and, in the crucifixion, bore the consequences of our sin and rebellion against God. He came to us and took upon himself the death that was ours. Jesus descended into hell because that is where we have fallen.

It is enough that he came to us in our plight…but there is more. Much more. He has joined us in the abyss of the human condition but he has not remained there. He conquered all of those things and ascended victorious, and he has brought us with him into that victory!

That is worthy of celebrating and declaring.