For this week’s blog, I encourage you to consider the words of this great hymn and contemplate the truths found in them.

Man of Sorrows what a name
For the Son of God who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude
In my place condemned he stood
Sealed my pardon with his blood

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Guilty vile and helpless we
Spotless Lamb of God was He
Full atonement can it be

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die
It is finished was His cry
Now in heav’n exalted high

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

When He comes our glorious King
All His ransomed home to bring
Then anew this song we’ll sing

Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Man of Sorrows, indeed what a name for God who took on flesh in order to reclaim ruined sinners.  Notice he doesn’t just make it possible or an option but rather the God of the universe comes as a man and reclaims ruined sinners.  Friends that is what we are apart from the grace of God.  We are ruined. We are sinners but God comes to reclaim us.

What does he get in return?

He gets to bear our shame and our scoffing.  The judgement that rightly belongs to the ruined sinner he takes on himself.  He stands condemned in the place of his elect having sealed their pardon with his very blood. We the guilty, vile, helpless ones are pardoned.  He, the Spotless Lamb of God is condemned to take the full wrath of God not in part but in full.  Atonement has been made.  Christ, was lifted up to die for sinners and as he completed what his Father sent him to do he cried “It is finished.”  He didn’t say it has begun or it has been made possible. He said “It is finished.” It is done.  He accomplished his God-given task, to save sinners.  He now sits in heaven exalted and will come again to bring home all of his ransomed ones.  When that happens we will again sing HALLELUJAH, WHAT A SAVIOR!!!!

By His Grace Alone,

Josh