he suffered

For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly…But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us…while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son… Romans 5:6, 8, 10

Those bits from Romans 5 are part of the text for my sermon tomorrow at Grace Church. As I sat down with my cup of coffee, scrambled egg, Bible, and Be Thou My Vision for my morning liturgy today, I read the following from the Heidelberg Catechism (1563) about our King.

The Creed teaches us to say:

I believe in Jesus Christ, the Father’s only begotten Son, our Master, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried….

The Catechism unpacks this:

Question 37:   What do you understand by the word “suffered”?

Answer:   That during his whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the wrath of God against the sin of the whole human race. This he did in order that, by his suffering as the only atoning sacrifice he might deliver us, body and soul, from eternal condemnation, and gain for us God’s grace, righteousness, and eternal life.

Question 39:   Is it significant that he was crucified instead of dying some other way?

Answer:   Yes. By this death I am convinced that he shouldered the curse which lay on me since death by crucifixion was cursed by God.

Question 40:   Why did Christ have to suffer death?

Answer:   Because God’s justice and truth require it: nothing else could pay for our sins except the death of the Son of God.

Thank you, King Jesus.
I love you.