The wrath of God was satisfied with the suffering and death of Jesus. The holy curse against sin was fully absorbed. The obedience of Christ was completed to the fullest measure. The price of forgiveness was totally paid. The righteousness of God was completely vindicated. All that was left to accomplish was the public declaration of God’s endorsement. This he gave by raising Jesus from the dead.
– John Piper in Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die
Until he brings justice to victory; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.
– Matthew 12:20b-21 (ESV)
When Jesus returns he will usher in a new day where justice reigns. Not an enforced justice that would require constant fighting, but justice that will flow from each redeemed heart, so that all the world is filled with justice.
A world where there is no more injustice, no more oppression, no more abuse, no more mistreatment, and no more victims. But rather love towards each other, joy in one another, peace towards each other. A world where patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control towards all is an everyday continuous reality.
He will bring justice to victory.
No matter what injustice we may face today, we have a great hope for the future!
To be in His presence is everything you could desire, everything you could hope for. This is the apex. This is heaven’s heaven – to be with Christ, to be His bride, to be in perfect communion with Him, to enjoy knowing Him and seeing Him and loving Him and praising Him and communing with Him uninterrupted – forever basking in His smile and bathing in His glory and feasting in His presence…
– Joel Beeke in How Should We Consider Christ in Affliction?
What we need is more of the love of Jesus– Phil Ryken in Loving the Way Jesus Loves
He will not quarrel (strive, argue) or cry aloud (shout), nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised (battered) reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench. – Matthew 12:19-20a ESV (NKJV/CSB/others)
These words are a prophecy from Isaiah 42 that Jesus quotes in reference to himself. They show a contrast to gentleness, what gentleness is not.
Jesus does not quarrel (strive, argue, fight, brawl). He does not cry aloud (shout, yell, rant, scream). In other words, he is not a loud-mouth. All of this is the opposite of gentleness. When we are yelling or loud or quarreling with people, we are not being gentle.
But Jesus was gentle with people, and we are given two great pictures of his gentleness. First, a bruised or battered reed is easily broken, but Jesus is so gentle he doesn’t break it. Second, a smoldering wick is ready to go out, but Jesus carefully blows it back to life.
These pictures are about people. Jesus reached out to bruised, battered, and smoldering people with a gentle love that healed, restored, and revived. This gentle love gave new life to the hurting, weeping, sick, and oppressed. This gentle love gave forgiveness to the sinner.
More often than we think, the people around us are bruised, battered, smoldering, weary, tired, and fragile. We need to follow Jesus’ example and treat one another carefully, with great gentleness that builds up and gives life.
In what situations in your life do you need to rest in the gentle love of your Savior?
In what situations are you tempted to quarrel or yell?
In what specific ways can you treat others carefully this week to build up and give life?
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle (meek) and lowly (humble) in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
– Matthew 11:29 ESV (KJV/NASB)
Jesus tells us that he is not a harsh taskmaster. He is not a demanding tyrant. Rather he is gentle and lowly, providing our souls with rest.
If you think him a harsh taskmaster, then that is how you will treat others. But if we grasp that Jesus is gentle towards us – if we rest in his gentle heart, then we can learn from him and share his gentleness with those around us.
Do you think of Jesus as a harsh taskmaster or as a gentle rest-giver?
In what current situation do you need to come to Jesus to find rest for your soul?
In what relationship in your life do you need to share the gentleness of Jesus?
He is risen, so we can have:
Forgiveness of Sins
Removal of Guilt
Cleansing from Shame
Righteousness in Christ
A New Life in Christ
A Relationship with God
Victory over Sin
Victory over Satan
A Mediator with God
Intercession by Christ
The Sending of the Holy Spirit
The Way to Heaven
The Return of Christ
Personal Resurrection
Hope in Death
Confidence in God’s Word
Mercy or Grace
A Strong Basis for Our Faith
Numerous Reasons to Sing
If Jesus is dead and gone, we have:
No Forgiveness of Sins
No Removal of Guilt
No Cleansing from Shame
No Righteousness in Christ
No New Life in Christ
No Relationship with God
No Victory over Sin
No Victory over Satan
No Mediator with God
No Intercession by Christ
No Sending of the Holy Spirit
No Way to Heaven
No Return of Christ
No Personal Resurrection
No Hope in Death
No Confidence in God’s Word
No Mercy or Grace
No Basis for Our Faith
No Reason to Sing
Here are some good posts for your reflection today:
It Was My Sin That Held Him There: Weeping at the Foot of the Cross – Greg Morse (DG)
We Are Barabbas – Dave Furman (Crossway)
Let Us Never Grow Weary of the Cross – Kevin DeYoung
10 Things You Should Know about the Cross – Patrick Schreiner
Brian J. Mikul 