When sin and death entered the lives of man, by eating from the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden, and caused man to be separated from God, God already had a perfect redemption plan. God’s work of redemption would reconcile man back to God and restore the position of fallen man. It all began with a tree and it ended with a tree; msalaba.
God’s work of redemption for fallen man
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved (Yohana 3:16,17)
Jesus served His whole life; He served His Father and people, by obeying the commandments of His Father, doing good, na healing all, that were oppressed by the devil (Matendo 10:38).
Jesus represented His Father; He was a reflection of His Father.
Yesu alisema, that if a person had seen Him, he had also seen the Father (Yohana 14:9). And in John 14:6-7, He said:
I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. If ye had known Me, ye should have known My Father also: and from henceforth ye know Him, and have seen Him.
Jesus is the only Way, there is no other! Tu, therefore look at God’s perfect work of redemption, Kwa njia ya Yesu Kristo.
Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane
The work of redemption began in bustani ya Gethsemane, when Jesus’ soul was sorrowful. Jesus prayed to the Father and said: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done”.
Jesus knew the time had come that He would be handed over into the hands of sinners, and die for all sinners.
During his prayer, an angel appeared unto Him from heaven, to strengthen Him. And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground (Luka 22:42-44).
Jesus conquered this deadly fear inside of HIm. He had to fight against His soul. Jesus conquered His soul (Soma pia: ‘Kusulubishwa kwa roho‘).
Now Jesus was ready to continue the mission of His Father, and go to the whipping post and the cross.
Jesus went to the whipping post
After His prayer, and when Jesus returned to His disciples, He was betrayed by one of His disciples, and was taken captive. After many interrogations, He was scourged. When Jesus was scourged at the whipping post, He bore our sickness and disease.
Surely He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed (Isaya 53:4,5)
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:by Whose stripes ye were healed (1 Peter 2:24)
The crown of thorns
The crown of thorns, that the soldiers put on Jesus’ head could be a symbol of the oppression of man, but that’s my interpretation. Because in the Old Testament when they spoke of thorns, they referred to people:
But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which ye let remain of them shall be pricks in your eyes and thorns in your sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell (Nambari 33:55)
Know for a certainty that the Lord your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but the shall be snares and trapes unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the Lord your God hath given you (Yoshua 23:13)
But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands (2 Samweli 23:6)
The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ
Kisha ikafika wakati, that Jesus was chosen by the people, instead of Barabbas (a murderer), to be crucified. The devil thought that he was smart, he thought that by crucifying Jesus, he was getting rid of Jesus, and he could continue to build his kingdom on this earth. Kwa maneno mengine, he thought: good riddance! (Soma pia: ‘Jesus or Barabbas, who do you choose?‘)
But the devil was wrong. Because this was all part of God’s work of redemption. Jesus took all the sins, ya ulimwengu, upon Him. Yesu, Who was without sin, was made sin and was sacrificed, in order to reconcile man back to God, mara moja na kwa wote. From the sixth till the ninth hour, there was darkness over all the land.
Then at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, akisema: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”
These words mean: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”
Jesus had always been joint together with His Father; they were One. Jesus was never separated from Him, until sin came upon Him.
God is holy and can never have fellowship with sin, therefore Jesus was separated from His Father. Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
When Jesus died, pazia la Hekalu likapasuka vipande viwili toka juu mpaka chini (Weka alama 15:33-39).
Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes you were healed (1 Peter 2:24)
Jesus took our punishment upon Himself
We should have been punished, because we are the sinners and not Jesus. We should have been scourged in hell. But because of the great love and mercy of God, Jesus took the punishment, which was meant for us, juu Yake.
Through the blood of Jesus and regeneration in Him, we are reconciled with God and live in unity with God in Christ Jesus. Kwa njia ya baptism with water and the Holy Ghost, we have crucified our sinful nature and received God’s nature inside of us.
When you receive His nature inside of you, the process of sanctification will start. Wewe fanya upya akili yako pamoja na Neno la Mungu. And instead of walking after the flesh (after your senses, akili, mawazo, hisia, hisia, mapenzi, na kadhalika.), you shall walk after the Spirit according to the Word in the will of God.
The Holy Spirit is your Comforter and your Teacher. Together with Him, you shall be able to serve God, Yesu Kristo, and men. Kama ilivyo kwa Yesu.
Jesus took the keys of hell and death
After Jesus died, He legally entered Hades. Yesu aliingia kuzimu, because Jesus was made sin; He had taken all sin and iniquity upon Himself. Jesus was in Hades for three days and preached. Baada ya siku tatu, Jesus took the keys of the devil, kifo, and Hades legally back.
Kwa maana Yona alikuwa siku tatu mchana na usiku katika tumbo la nyangumi; vivyo hivyo Mwana wa Adamu atakuwa siku tatu mchana na usiku katika moyo wa nchi (Mathayo 12:40)
For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit (1 Peter 4:6)
I am He that liveth, and was dead; na, tazama, I am alive for evermore, Amina; and have the keys of hell and of death (Ufunuo 1:18)
Jesus conquered death and by the power of the Holy Spirit, Alifufuka kutoka kwa wafu. The same Spirit, Who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in us (Warumi 8:11).
Jesus is alive and is seated at the right hand of God. He lives, and we may live in Him. Jesus gave us His whole legacy, through His work of redemption.
God’s work of redemption was a work of perfection!
‘Kuweni chumvi ya dunia’
