Good Friday! The day Jesus laid his life down for all mankind. The day Adam's rebellion was atoned for. The day God's plan for Adam's (The human's) redemption was executed. On this day, mankind paid the penalty for his sins through the man Jesus the Messiah. This incident ushered in a new age: the age of God's greater grace.
In Mark 13:30 - 31 speaking about the signs of the last days, Jesus said: “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.''
Considering that it is now about two thousand years later and the generation he was addressing is long dead, if you are like me, you would wonder what Jesus meant by what he said. He was referring to the generation of the redemption age.
This is the generation that his sacrifice for the salvation of mankind ushers in.
King David in the Messianic Psalm 22 prophetically speaks of this generation (descendants):
''A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.” Psalm 22: 30 -31 KJV
The New International version renders this as:
Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!
The generation that witnessed his sacrifice and accepted his salvation are his posterity (NIV), his seed (KJV), his descendants (CJB)! They are the generation he ushered into God's period of grace and mercy. These first followers passed his message to us. We as future generations, take the baton and declare this Good News to subsequent generations. Now, because of his sacrifice on the cross, we his seed/descendants/posterity of varying time periods are of that SAME 'grace-generation' who proclaim his righteousness and announce to all that ''He has done it!''
As Prophet Isaiah prophesied,
''Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.'' Isaiah 53:10
Christ has died for all men. He has risen from the dead for all men. He is sat in heaven in his position as King and Lord of this Kingdom under YHWH our father. As the first followers of Jesus prolonged his three years of ministry on earth by continuing his mission [They told all that the Kingdom of God is here!], we as descendants, carry the mandate so that the will of the Lord will prosper in his hands in our lifetime.
Here is the message of the Kingdom: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
Here is our role:
''We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.'' 2 Corinthians 5:19-20
This beautiful Friday, may we see ourselves as we truly are: Christ's descendants. And may all we do lead all men to the salvation he paid so dearly for. This was his mission. By fulfilling it in every time period, we prolong his ministry and this is how the will of YHWH prospers in his hands.
He has enabled us by his holy Spirit to continue his mission. This is the day of God's mercy and grace and we are the generation that proclaims it LOUDLY!
''God saved us and chose us to be his holy people, but not because of anything we ourselves did. God saved us and made us his people because that was what he wanted and because of his grace. That grace was given to us through Christ Jesus before time began. 10 And now it has been shown to us in the coming of our Savior Christ Jesus. He destroyed death and showed us the way to have life. Yes, through the Good News Jesus showed us the way to have life that cannot be destroyed.'' 2 Timothy 1:9-10 ERV
What a glorious message! What a glorious mission!
P.S
Kindly join me on www.deborahlade.org as we learn and follow the Lord through the scriptures together.
''I exalt you, I praise your name.
For you have accomplished marvels,
[fulfilled] ancient plans faithfully and truly.'' Isaiah 25:1 CJB
For “you were like sheep going astray,” but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.'' 1 Peter 2:25 NIV