THE GREATEST EXCHANGE!

When I think about what Christ did on the cross, these lyrics to a song comes to mind and it says, “Freely you gave it all for us, surrendered your life upon that cross. Great is the love poured out for all; this is our God. Lifted on high from death to life, forever our God is glorified, servant and King, rescued the world, this is our God!”

 We therefore begin our journey in John 3:16 which states that

“¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  (NKJV)

This showcase of unfathomable sacrifice of a life for a life was because He who is called Love found your life worth dying for; John 15:13. Now, beloved, if for a minute you think this was an easy feat, Luke 22:44 TPT would not have described Jesus’s intense agony of spirit as he prayed, asking for the cup of agony to be taken away from him with the graphic physical imagery of His sweat becoming drops of blood and for an angel of glory to strengthen Him. Therefore, I reveal to you this Jesus who took our place in the greatest exchange in history!

2 Corinthians 5:21 – God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

This Jesus, the one who is sinless, guiltless and faultless, was on trial for our sakes. He was being tried by guilty, flawed men who had a preconceived verdict that He was already guilty in a pretence of adjudication for all to see. However, isn’t it interesting that the irony here is that Jesus was the only one qualified to judge them? The real judge of the world was being judged by His world, having been condemned and made sin for us; He carried the shame, fear, lack, limitations and guilt that was due to us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

Mark 15:33-34 – “33 For three hours, beginning at noon, darkness came over the earth. 34 About three o’clock, Jesus shouted with a mighty voice in Aramaic, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?”—that is, “My God, My God, why have you turned your back on me?”   (TPT)

 Beloved, I believe this is when the greatest exchange took place. Jesus received in his physical body all the judgements that humanity deserved for its sins, including God’s wrath and the consequences of disobedience that were due to you and me. One too intense to carry, so he had to ask the Father why He had been forsaken and, with a loud voice, breathed his last. His blood had to be shed as an atonement for sin, as a sealant for the new covenant, because in the blood there is life, and His was the only blood that was stainless, a worthy sacrifice. I’m glad about the new covenant because it is established on better promises. God freely gives us salvation, life, forgiveness and every heavenly spiritual blessing.

Isaiah 53:4-5 NKJV says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, which is why by His stripes we are healed.

 Notice ‘we are healed’, not ‘were healed’ in the past tense. Therefore, today and forever, our healing has been secured in Christ’s body. I’m grateful that although Jesus died for love, he didn’t remain dead or in the grave. He rose on the third day, like scriptures foretold, to fulfil them. Jesus had completed His work when He said, “It is finished.” The debt had been paid in full on the cross, scripture had been fulfilled, the veil of separation had been torn, an exchange had taken place, and we will no longer be defeated. Restoration back to the default settings of God’s original intent for us as it is written. This is what Jesus, in the greatest exchange, purchased for you and me. Hallelujah!