The Curse and Humiliation of the Cross
Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash.
What is the most shame filled and humiliating experience you have ever had? What is the most shameful and humiliating experience anyone could ever have?
Exposed guilt creates shame deep within us. We are guilty because of our sinfulness and brokenness. Our condition of sin and guilt and the sin that has been committed against us can bring about deep shame. We can experience feelings of fear and shame, humiliation, abandonment, and rejection.
In the days of Moses and the law, God spoke to the Israelites about punishment that was deserving of death. God told Moses the body of the condemned who was hung upon a tree as a sign “shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.” (Deuteronomy 21:23, ESV).
The curse and humiliation of public guilt and consequences was so monumental that it was limited to one day according to the Jewish law.
Quoting Deuteronomy, the Apostle Paul wrote this about the cross of Jesus, saying, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13, ESV).
Jesus experienced the curse and humiliation that we deserve because of our guilt. Jesus experienced everyone’s curse and humiliation on the cross when he died for us. Jesus took on the worst of the worse. Jesus shouldered all shame, humiliation, abandonment, and rejection.
The Apostle Peter wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24, ESV).
The curse and humiliation of the cross brings about the healing, salvation, and restoration that we need as Jesus has paid the price and has taken on our guilt and consequences upon himself in his crucifixion on the tree.
May we experience freedom from the curse of sin and death and shame and humiliation as we trust in the completed work of Jesus on the shameful cursed tree of the cross.
A Collect for Holy Saturday: “O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).
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Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash.
