At - One - Ment

God cares best through Jesus.   

And what a gift Jesus gives through His atonement.  

Have I lost you?  Perhaps -- for atonement is an big word -- and a bit odd.  But atonement is a critical word for grasping Jesus, and His Work -- specifically Jesus' Work on the Cross.  For the central to Jesus' Work of the Cross, is Jesus' willingness to enter our estrangement, our separation, our sin -- reconciling all things -- achieving atonement -- at - one - ment -- amid the brokenness of our lives

In essence Jesus achieves atonement -- at - one - ment -- by absorbing our brokenness, so we might not be broken.  But it’s at a price.  For as Jesus absorbs our brokenness -- Jesus is no longer whole, pure, sin-less -- but broken, soiled and sinful -- cut off from a pure, holy God -- forsaken!  

But please understand:  Jesus became forsaken for us!  Why?  So that we might not be forsaken -- but reconciled, healed by God.

Isaiah 53 says it best:  “Surely he took up our pain and bore our suffering…He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.  We all like sheep have…turned to our own way, and the Lord…laid on him (on Jesus) the iniquity of us all…”  (Isaiah 53:4-6).

        

A few years ago the water heater in our basement ‘gave out,’ spewing lots of well water and sentiment all over the lower level of our house.  Frankly I freaked out – not quite sure what to do – as dirty, smelly water went everywhere.  And so I wracked my brain for a big clean up device to clean up a big mess; I mean a mop and bucket weren’t going to do it.

But then it popped in my brain: we have sheets, lots of sheets; sheets will do the trick! And so ran up stairs to where Robin keeps our sheets – our pure, clean, lovely sheets – and grabbed an armful – and carried them down to the basement.  And you guess it: I plopped them down on the floor – pushing them in the direction of the dirty water.  And bingo:  the sheets worked, absorbing the dirty water, cleaning up our dilemma. 

But at a price – as my wife quickly reminded me -- as our once pure, clean, lovely sheets – became smelly – filthy – ugly sheets – given up -- sacrificed for our mess.  

On the Cross Jesus is given up, sacrificed for our mess.  But praise God!  From Jesus’ sacrifice, atonement occurred – at-one-ment happened – reconciling us to a Holy God!  

Be reconciled to a Holy God!  Offer your mess, your brokenness to the Savior -- and know atonement -- at - one - ment -- becoming whole, healed -- saved -- through His amazing, redeeming, absorbing -- Work On the Cross!