What We Find at Calvary

"And sitting down they watched him there," Matthew's Gospel records. But what did these people see? Some thought - a failure. Others - a victory. What do we find at Calvary? Three observations: God's Powerful Sovereignty, God's Perfect Holiness, and God's Passionate Love.

No matter what the devil did, he could not stop the plan of God for the salvation of mankind. He could try to detour the plan as in the days of Abraham, Sarah, and Hagar. No success. He could try to defile the plan as he did when tempting Jesus in the wilderness. No success. He could seek to destroy the Savior as he did when Herod ordered the deaths of the innocents in Bethlehem. God's plans will not be thwarted by the devil or anybody else. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. When you look at Calvary, remember this.

God's holiness is perfect. No other sacrifice would satisfy the holiness of God! The blood of bulls and goats could do nothing to take away sins, they simply pointed to the coming perfect sacrifice, Jesus, the Lamb of God. Jesus satisfies the Father according to Isaiah 53. "He shall see the travail of his soul and shall be satisfied." As good as a person can be, they can never be good enough to satisfy God's demands. God calls for perfection. God calls for holiness on our part. In doing so, He levels the playing field because none are righteous, no not one. People who are religious need the Savior just as do those who are heathens. Jesus is that perfect sacrifice for sin, once for all. God's holiness is both revealed and satisfied at Calvary.

At Calvary, we see a powerful sovereignty of God, the perfect holiness of God, and finally we see the Passionate Love of God. Never forget it: GOD LOVES YOU. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16. When you are tempted to wonder if anybody really cares about you, look again at Calvary! It is there that God's love shines brightest. You can have no doubt of His love, when you see all that He endured for you. "But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

Every day, take a tour past the cross. Read again the Gospel accounts. Read Psalm 22 or Isaiah 53. Meditate in Hebrews chapters 9 and 10. What a wonderful Savior we have!!