Morning    “They took Jesus, and led him away.”    John 19:16

He had been all night in agony, he had spent the early morning at the hall of

Caiaphas, he had been hurried from Caiaphas to Pilate, from Pilate to Herod, and

from Herod back again to Pilate; he had, therefore, but little strength left,

and yet neither refreshment nor rest were permitted him. They were eager for his

blood, and therefore led him out to die, loaded with the cross. O dolorous

procession! Well may Salem’s daughters weep. My soul, do thou weep also.

What learn we here as we see our blessed Lord led forth? Do we not perceive that

truth which was set forth in shadow by the scapegoat? Did not the high-priest

bring the scapegoat, and put both his hands upon its head, confessing the sins

of the people, that thus those sins might be laid upon the goat, and cease from

the people? Then the goat was led away by a fit man into the wilderness, and it

carried away the sins of the people, so that if they were sought for they could

not be found. Now we see Jesus brought before the priests and rulers, who

pronounce him guilty; God himself imputes our sins to him, “the Lord hath laid

on him the iniquity of us all;” “He was made sin for us;” and, as

the substitute for our guilt, bearing our sin upon his shoulders, represented

by the cross; we see the great Scapegoat led away by the appointed officers of

justice. Beloved, can you feel assured that he carried your sin? As you look at

the cross upon his shoulders, does it represent your sin? There is one way by

which you can tell whether he carried your sin or not. Have you laid your hand

upon his head, confessed your sin, and trusted in him? Then your sin lies not on

you; it has all been transferred by blessed imputation to Christ, and he bears

it on his shoulder as a load heavier than the cross.

Let not the picture vanish till you have rejoiced in your own deliverance, and

adored the loving Redeemer upon whom your iniquities were laid.

 

Evening    “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way;

and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”    Isaiah 53:6

Here a confession of sin common to all the elect people of God. They have all

fallen, and therefore, in common chorus, they all say, from the first who

entered heaven to the last who shall enter there, “All we like sheep have gone

astray.” The confession, while thus unanimous, is also special and particular:

“We have turned every one to his own way.” There is a peculiar sinfulness about

every one of the individuals; all are sinful, but each one with some special

aggravation not found in his fellow. It is the mark of genuine repentance that

while it naturally associates itself with other penitents, it also takes up a

position of loneliness. “We have turned every one to his own way,” is a

confession that each man had sinned against light peculiar to himself, or

sinned with an aggravation which he could not perceive in others. This

confession is unreserved; there is not a word to detract from its force, nor a

syllable by way of excuse. The confession is a giving up of all pleas of

self-righteousness. It is the declaration of men who are consciously

guilty–guilty with aggravations, guilty without excuse: they stand with their

weapons of rebellion broken in pieces, and cry, “All we like sheep have gone

astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” Yet we hear no dolorous

wailings attending this confession of sin; for the next sentence makes it almost

a song. “The Lord

hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” It is the most grievous sentence of

the three, but it overflows with comfort. Strange is it that where misery was

concentrated mercy reigned; where sorrow reached her climax weary souls find

rest. The Saviour bruised is the healing of bruised hearts. See how the lowliest

penitence gives place to assured confidence through simply gazing at Christ on

the cross!