Wonderful Mystery! (William Plumer, "Sinners Saved by Unmerited Kindness")
Wonderful mystery! God was manifest in the flesh!
Our Lord Jesus Christ became incarnate, lived, acted, obeyed, suffered, died and rose againfor His people.
He came down to earththat they might go up to heaven.
He sufferedthat they might reign.
He became a servantthat they might become kings and priests unto God.
He died thatthey might live.
He bore the crossthat their enmity might be slain, and their sins expiated.
He loved themthat they might love God.
He was rich and became poorthat they, who were poor, might be made rich.
He descended into the gravethat they might sit in heavenly places.
He emptied Himselfthat they might be filled with all the fullness of God.
He took upon Him human naturethat they might be partakers of the divine nature.
He made Himself of no reputationthat they might wear His new name, and obtain eternal excellency.
He became a worm, and no manthat they, who were sinful worms, might be made equal to the angels.
He bore the curse of a broken covenantthat they might partake of all the blessings of the everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure.
Though heir of all things, He was willingly despised of the peoplethat they, who were justly condemned, might obtain an inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, and which fades not away.
His death was a satisfaction to divine justice, a ransom for many, a propitiation for sin, a sweet smelling savor to Godthat we, who were an offence to God, might become His sons and daughters.
He was made sin for His peoplethat they might be made the righteousness of God in Him.
Though Lord of all, He took the form of a servantthat they, who were the servants of sin, might prevail like princes with God.
He had no where to lay His headthat they who otherwise must have lain down in eternal sorrow, might reach the mansions in His Father's house.
He drank the cup of God's indignationthat they might forever drink of the river of his pleasures.
He hungeredthat they might eat the bread of life.
He thirstedthat they might drink the water of life.
He was numbered with the transgressorsthat they might stand among the justified, and be counted among His jewels.
Though He existed from everlasting, from the beginning, before ever the earth was, yet He became a helpless infant that creatures of yesterday, sentenced to death, might live forever.
He wore a crown of thornsthat all who love His appearing, might wear a crown of life.
He wept tears of anguishthat His elect might weep tears of godly repentance.
He bore the yoke of obedience unto deaththat they might find His yoke easy and His burden light.
He poured out his soul unto death, lay three days in the heart of the earth, then burst the bars of death, and arose to Godthat they, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage, might obtain the victory over the grave and become partakers of His resurrection.
He exhausted the penalty of the lawthat His redeemed might have access to His inexhaustible treasures of mercy, wisdom, faithfulness, truth and grace.
He was matchless in gracethat they might be matchless in gratitude.
Though a Son, He became a voluntary exilethat they, who had wickedly wandered afar off, might be brought near by His blood.
His visage was so marred more than any manthat His ransomed ones might be presented before God without spot, or blemish, or wrinkle, or any such thing.
For a time He was forsaken of his Fatherthat they, whom He bought with His blood, might behold the light of God's countenance forever.
He came and dwelt with themthat they might be forever with the Lord.
He was hung up naked before His insulting foesthat all who believe on His name, might wear a glorious wedding garmenta spotless righteousness.
Wonderful mystery! God was manifest in the flesh! Blessed is he who loves the incarnate mystery, and rests upon it. It is a mystery . . . of love, of truth, of grace, of wisdom, of condescension, of power, of salvation! It is the great study of the inhabitants of heaven, and shall be while immortality endures! |