Breathe on us, breath of God. Your final breath is our first breath. Our lifeline. Our sunshine streaming through the clouds of gray as new life awakens. Goodness floods into the hearts of mankind like rivers overflowing from spring rain in a garden of orchids and jasmine. All because of Jesus.

“And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” Mark‬ ‭15‬:‭37‬-‭39‬ ‭

Jesus is the Son of God. 

Jesus is the Creator of the breath of life itself. It seems preposterous that someone would stop breathing, so that another can keep breathing. But this is what Jesus did for us. 

The one who gave the very breath of life for all mankind ceased living so that we can live with Him in Heaven for eternal life. 

In Mark 8, Jesus clearly foretells His death. But Peter did not want this outcome for Jesus.

“Jesus began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He said this plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.” Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬-‭32‬ ‭

Death was not in the cards for Peter when it came to protecting Jesus. But this death would not end in ultimate death. This death would defy the curse of death, igniting holy salvation for all who proclaim Jesus as Lord.

“But turning and seeing His disciples, Jesus rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” Mark‬ ‭8‬:‭33‬ ‭

Jesus rebukes Peter for attempting to obstruct His death.

People avoid death but God takes on death. 

Jesus was not afraid to take on death and defy it at the same time. This epitomizes God’s ways. What we perceive as preposterous, God envisions as victorious. Jesus can do anything because He sets the stars in motion. He spins the earth in motion. He sets your heart in motion after Him. Jesus won.

Can you die for love? The God of the universe died for love. Bled for love. Hung for love. Endured for love. We have not tasted the richness of this love until we understand the magnitude of what Jesus experienced for love.

Jesus died for love.

Jesus died to grant you new life, liberated from the old self.

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Paul understands the weight of Jesus’ love because He describes it as something God “gave.” Jesus “gave Himself for me” Paul says. For me. Let those words sink in. For you. Let it seep down in your heart. Jesus gave Himself for you and me, throwing Himself at death so that we would not have to taste death ourselves. The only reason we will never have to die is because Jesus sacrificed His own body, heart, and mind in the flesh as a real man on earth. He felt the agnoy of this death. Now Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ.” Thus, his old life is gone and he wants that old life gone. The man he used to be is a killer. Now he is a rescuer. Because Jesus crucified his old self and gave him a new self. A new nature. A new birth. A new life. Eternal life.

Paul goes on to talk about the power of grace. This is the gift given to us as the power of salvation through Jesus by faith.

Only Jesus’ grace can save a soul.

“I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” Galatians 2:21

Paul explains the importance of grace to the Galatian church to break them free from living according the Mosaic Law. The Law of rules and regulations is now fulfilled by one man who did it all: Jesus. He lived a perfect, sinless life according to the Law and now His death is a holy death, which propitiates for the whole universe of mankind. In other words, His death is enough to cover everybody’s sins. You do not have to follow the Mosaic Law now. You only have to follow Jesus. He covered the Law for you and gives you grace.

Jesus lifts us over the Law. He takes us higher into Heaven by His blood and that is all we need to belong to Him. We do not live by the rules of the Mosaic Law, for Jesus is our One true guide and God. If we were living according to the old way of the Law, then we would not need Jesus. And if Jesus died so that we would just return to our old ways then His death did not do anything. But Jesus’ death did give salvation to those who believe in Him as Lord. Christ died in your place. You will not have to die now.

thank you Jesus

for Your life

thank You Jesus

for Your death

thank you Jesus

for the debts

You paid

to make a way

and claim us day

after day

everyday

we belong to You

forever we belong to You