Discover_

A few months ago, my brother asked me why it was that Christians tend to focus on Yeshua's death instead of His life, when they are equally important. I've sorta been chewing on that for all that time, and this morning I finally came up with a few reasons. It could just be that it's easier for some people. It's easier to think that we don't have to follow His example or obey His teaching. That hard teaching. It could be that we don't understand His words, and it's easier to skip to what we can understand. Or, as in my case, it can be that His death gives us hope. I see Yeshua's life, I read His words...and I am condemned. His life says that I should be holy as He is holy. And I can't. I cannot live up to Him. But He says I must. He says that unless my righteousness is greater than that of the teachers and the Pharisees, I'm stuffed. That's kind of a scary thought, and I don't like it, but that's the facts. Worse, His life says that it is possible to keep the Law perfectly and means that we really do have no excuse. No calling foul because G-d stacked the odds against us. Yeshua's life makes me accountable for my own sin, and that's not pleasant. But in His death...He paid for my failures. He says to me, "I choose you, I love you. I forgive you. Even though you have betrayed me and hurt me and turned away, I still love and forgive you. You are Mine." His sacrifice gives me the hope and courage to get up and try again, it is in His death that I find the strength to even think about trying to obey His teaching and follow His life. After all, why would I try to be something I cannot be, to do what I cannot do, with no hope? In His death, and more importantly in His resurrection, I am made free. It's ok that I will fail, as long as I give my best. I am not holy in myself, but by His sacrifice I am made holy. His blood covers my failures, so I am free to follow Him and do what little I can, not because it will save me, but to bring a smile to Him. Because I love Him back.