4-30-2024

Good Morning All,

      John 1:14; “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

    An intersection is the point where a line on the “x” axis crosses a line on the “y” axis. We usually use it in connection with streets or roads. It is where an east-west road crosses a north-south road. Often times, the intersection of two main roads will be where a city may start or some other businesses which can take advantage of the traffic. This was especially true in years past when there might be a stream or well to go along with the traffic and this place became the place to travel to.

    Yet the word intersection can be used in ways beyond transportation. It can also be where two ideas or thoughts, or two cultures meet. Some believe this occurs in college or in a cultural museum, but it can, and often does, happen in your local coffee shop. An intersection is where two things meet, or cross and this meeting can be significant.

    As Christians, we can see Jesus as an intersection, the crossing of grace and truth. In truth, you and I are sinners, we deserve to suffer and die eternally for our sins. We owe them and they must be paid. This is the truth; sin separates us from God. In order for us to be able to stand in God’s presence, those sins have to be paid for; that is what justice and truth demand. Yet God, being a God of steadfast love and desiring that we may live as his beloved children wanted a way to return us to his family. He couldn’t just forget about the sins, this would have been against his character of being a just God so another plan had to be in place. A way for God’s justice is satisfied and he can show his mercy to his people. We needed an intersection of truth and grace. That intersection looks a lot like the cross and that point of intersection is Jesus.

    If we think of the vertical beam, sometimes called the stipe, of the cross and God’s need for justice, the payment of sin and then think of the horizontal beam, sometimes called the patibulum, is God’s grace. These two characteristics of God, which can seem to be complete opposites, actually cross each other and the intersection is Jesus. Jesus came to live a life fully under the Law while keeping the Law perfectly. He did not deserve the stipe, but he hung there, displaying God’s grace by paying your debt with his death. God’s grace, paying our debt himself, the intersection of grace and truth is in Jesus, our savior, our hope, our peace.

    This intersection is what gives us life, which nourishes our relationship with our heavenly Father. It is where God proclaims “Yes” to us as his children. It is where we find eternal life.

Gracious Father, we thank you for our intersection, for loving us enough to allow your Son to pay our debt. Guide us by Your Spirit to walk in the ways of your grace and to keep all your commandments that we may bring glory to your holy name. In the precious name of Jesus we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret