"This One's Dying FOR ME"

"Word of God speak, would you pour down like rain, washing my eyes to see your majesty
To be still and know that you're in this place, please let me stay and rest in your holiness
Word of God speak." Casting Crowns - Word of God Speak

John 1 tells us that the "Word of God" is Jesus. He came to die for us and take away our sins.
I'm sure I speak not just on my own behalf that I take this for granted. Our "sin" is seperation from God. It provokes the wrath of God - his righteous anger - this is NOT GOOD!

In the Old Testament there were many gruesome ways they had to kill and sacrifice animals to allow the blood of these animals to mask over their wrongs.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus%201&version=NIV

These people SAW the effect of their sins, they felt and knew the reality of what they were doing, where as today we no longer SEE and EXPERIENCE the terrible truth of what we a re doing and have done. As Christians I feel that in our little Christian "bubble" we shrug off our faults and say "God loves me anyway" or to each other "God loves you anyway". Yes, true.
BUT
he doesnt love our sins.
We need to be FREE of them and the only way to GET RID of our sins, not just cover them over was JESUS.
If the most perfect sacrifice on earth was not enough, and could only mask our sins, then something more was needed, a sacrifce so pure, Jesus.

He was the LAMB of God.
He came to save us and so we may not be condemned but have eternal life forever.
Eternal life means that we will be united with God forever - never seperate from Him, even by the power of death it has no hold on us with the stronghold of Jesus.

Romans 6:23 says that:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

So the Word became flesh, human, and was offered as a sacrifice to heal and wash away our sins .

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus did not come and be the perfect sacrifice through his own will, but through his fathers will. God told him to come here and do this for us - he was dreading the pain and the suffering and DID NOT WANT TO ENDURE IT. But through obedience to his father God he took his instructions even at his darkest, most hurting and worrying moments.
He declared this in Matthew 26:

v39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."
v42 He went away a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

Not by Jesus' will but by God's will.
Not by OUR will but by God's will.

During a sacrifice the person offering the sacrifice would lay their hand on the head of the sacrifice as to declare "this one's dying for me".

So lay your hand on the head of the Lamb of God and declare "this one is dying for ME."

xxx