To Encourage You

John 18:7-8 “So he asked them again, ‘Whom do you seek?’ And they said, ‘Jesus of Nazareth.’ Jesus answered, ’I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.’”

The mob who was seeking Jesus in the account above was seeking Him for one purpose: to kill Him.  They wanted nothing more than to destroy His life.  Jesus knew this, but He also knew that His followers, who were with Him at that moment, were in jeopardy as well.  He acted to protect them, saying in essence “Take me, but let these men go.”  When He said this, He was speaking way beyond that instance in time. He was speaking for all those for all time who would follow Him.  He said this for our sake, i.e.,  “take Me, Who have never committed a sin, and let these men and women, who are sinners, go.” 

Do you realize this?  Do you realize what He has done for us?  “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21).”  He stepped into our world for the sole purpose of giving Himself up on our behalf.  He willingly allowed Himself to be taken so that He could tell the Father “You can let these people go.” 

Although the wages of sin is death, and God is just and will punish all sin, He permitted Jesus to take our guilt and punishment for us – and to let us go.  When it comes time for our physical death, Jesus has said, “let these people go!”  Jesus knew that though He would die, He also would rise again.  And now we know that “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:24). And neither will it hold any who follow Him, for He has said “let these people go.” 

Freedom in Christ is a wonderful thing.  Sin has no hold on the believer, for he or she is free from it – free from its hold and free from its penalty.  Because Jesus was taken, it must “let us go.” 

So, do you know this freedom; freedom from fear, freedom from sin, and freedom from death?  You can have it for the asking, if you go to the only One who has the power to say of you “let this man or woman go” for He was taken to His death to make this possible for you and me.