Showing posts with label Sacrifice of Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sacrifice of Christ. Show all posts

April 16, 2025

Betraying Jesus

 

At the crucifixion, all the sins of the world landed on Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice freely given by the unblemished Lamb of God – God’s Son, Who took all our blemishes to His grave, left them there, and, on Easter, arose without them.

If, however, we think all the blame of this landed on Judas, the definitive betrayer, we would be wrong. For, as Jesus carried our sins, Judas carried our blame.

Hopefully, this poem, published decades ago in A Time of Singing will help to clarify.

 

Is It I, Lord?

I, who love you more
than others, more than self,
deceive you? Never!
An enemy perhaps – or a friend,
(trying to be kind, you understand.)
But not you, Lord.
Oh, no! Oh, no, not you.

Then who or what or how
will someone else
betray you now?

Through hurting words –
cruel cutting swords
of eyes or lies, deceiving...?
In their own righteousness,
believing...?

Oh, my God!  My
God, it is I!
It is I
who crucify.

 

©1984, Mary Sayler

 


April 4, 2021

Poem for Easter

For You,

I turned water into wine, purified in the veins
of My own body. I climbed mountains, healed
crowds of hunger, warmed a leper’s skin. For
you I chastised leaders, halted stones, wrote on
the ground each word contained in Love.
I overturned unfair prices and low wages, tabled
discussions about who’s first or last, and enjoyed
the most unlikely company.
Before My execution, I tamed a donkey, became
your beast of burden, then bled from every pore.
Once for all, I buried death, and, when I arose,
some saw Me. Some heard Me as I broke through
the veil, cloaking time and eternity, and, yes,
for you, I’d do it all again.
Amen.

April 8, 2013

Christ our Passover: the lasting sacrifice


Christ our Lasting Sacrifice
by Mary Harwell Sayler

I have come to do Your Will, O God
for the blood of animals cannot take away
sin forever.
Short-lived sacrifices, short-term offerings
do not cover sin forever,
and so You have prepared for Me
a Body
ready to be sacrificed –
the First to Last –
ready to do Your Will.

I have come to do Your Will, O God
as Holy Scriptures said I would
for You can no longer tolerate
temporary fixes:
interim sacrifices, itinerant offerings, burnt
offerings, sin offerings once accorded by Law.

You Will, O God, I have come to do to
fulfill the first way and establish the second
to sanctify All by offering
Myself –
the Body of Christ
arising – First and Last –
to do Your Will, O God.
I have come to do Your Will.



© Mary Harwell Sayler, all rights reserved; prayer-a-phrase poem from today’s Bible reading in Hebrews 10:4-10

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