Representatives speak and appear for others. If you have used a real estate agent, that person represented you in selling or buying a home. Attorneys represent those injured by another’s wrongdoing and those accused of crimes and other misconduct.
A representative can also serve as an illustration, or example, of another person. Consider that the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC, resembles the Parthenon Temple of Ancient Greece and, thus, represents Ancient Greek architecture.
In the Lord Jesus Christ, we find that he represents us. The ways he serves as our representative give us pause to worship, celebrate and humble ourselves.
Our Representative At the Cross
A representative does the “heavy-lifting” while you reap the benefits of the work. Often, the representative must answer the difficult questions, go to the rough places and face the ridicule, criticism and pain.
Jesus Bore the Shame and Pain of the Cross
This is what Jesus did for us when He died on the Cross and suffered the indignities that preceded His death. Guards beat Him in the Garden of Gethsemane. Crowds who once hailed him with “Hosannas”and palms called for His crucifixion and sought to spare a criminal and terrorist. (Matt 27:26). Roman soldiers stripped him of clothes, replaced them with a scarlet robe and a crown of thorns, spit on him, struck him constantly, mockingly declared Him “King of the Jews,” and then taking off the scarlet robe and putting back on the clothes He had worn.
The Creator of Heaven and Earth had reduced himself to a beaten, ridiculed, wounded mortal whose clothes became prizes for gambling soldiers. (Matthew 27:35).
It Should Have Been Us on the Cross
Why did Jesus undertake this “dirty” work? In reality, we should have been the ones punished, shamed, mocked, and separated. Jesus represented us at the Cross, the place where God poured out His wrath for our sins. Jesus appeared before the judgment seat of Calvary’s Cross on our behalf and in our stead to be punished in our place.
*But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
*…[T]hat Christ died for our sins. (1 Corinthians 15:3)
*He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:2)
Our Heavenly Father “made [Jesus} to be sin who knew no sin” so that we could attain the “righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus Had to Represent Us on the Cross Because Sin Had to Be Punished.
The answer to why Jesus had to be crucified starts in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve made the fateful decision to eat the fruit forbidden to them by the LORD. “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned.” (Romans 5:12)
That original sin cost Adam and Eve their place in the Garden and, more importantly, fellowship with their Creator. In a sense, Adam and Eve represent us. Consider how we have disobeyed His laws through ignoring the hurting, needy, hungry, homeless, lonely, oppressed; hate, selfishness; and pursuit of our own wants ahead of God’s will.
God Punishes Sin Because He is Just
Couldn’t have the LORD just forgotten about our sins and moved on? If you accept that view, think what would happen if someone who stole from you did not get punished. Suppose a drunk driver takes the life of a loved one, yet faces no sanction — not even the loss of a license.
Without punishment for crime or wrongdoing, there cannot exist justice — that is, a response commensurate with the act or which the act (and actor) deserve. In that vein, God’s nature — while filled with love — also comes with justice. Here are few passages that illustrate how much God treasures justice:
*This is what the LORD says to you, house of David: “Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done—burn with no one to quench it.” (Jeremiah 21:12)
*For I, the LORD, love justice;I hate robbery and wrongdoing. (Isaiah 61:1)
*I hate, I despise your religious festivals; your assemblies are a stench to me. Even though you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:21-24)
How can our Heavenly Father love people when he stands mute or otherwise doesn’t act against unjust acts?
Jesus Represents Us on the Cross Because He Loves Us
While God demands justice, he did not exact it on us. He carried out justice through the death of Jesus. That is because He loves us so much.
*This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:10)
*Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. (John 15:13)
Our Representative Before the Father
Imagine you’re in a courtroom about to face a judge. You stand accused of, say, stealing several hundreds of dollars from your work, church or volunteer group. You surely would not seek to challenge the criminal charges on your own — especially with the prospects of significant jail, fines and the stigma of being a felon.
Instead, an attorney would stand ready to defend you against the charges or reduce as much as possible the consequences of a conviction. Your advocate might argue that you had difficult financial or personal straits (mounting medical or other bills and unemployment), that you intended all along to repay the funds and that you have kept a clean criminal record otherwise. In some cases, the lawyer pleads for mercy from the judge.
Jesus is your representative — your advocate — before the Righteous Judge:
*My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. (I John 2:1).
*Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
What does Jesus plead on your behalf? His blood shed at the Cross declares you righteous:
*…having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. (Colossians 2:14)
*In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Hebrews 9:22)
Christ represented us before the God at the Cross. Christ represents us before Him to plead that His blood shed at that Cross covers our sins, pays our debt and renders us righteous and clean. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18)
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we thank you that you sent Jesus as our substitute, redeemer and advocate. Your love for us sent Jesus so we could be reconciled with You and could be in your presence. May we represent Christ to others as He represents us. Amen.