Teaching at Lee University makes me take a greater interest in who’s going there, whether they’re going into the field I teach in (Engineering) or not. One day at church I found out that one of our young people is planning to start at Lee next fall in Nursing. That school is, in reality, the forerunner for the School of Engineering: it “broke the mould” on the strict liberal arts model that Lee has generally followed, making our entrance into the Lee family much easier. How she came into the world, however is an extraordinary story.
Her mother is the oldest of three sisters whose family is well respected in our church. When she was born, her mother had terrible, catastrophic consequences to the pregnancy, so much so that her mother was put into an induced coma and brought back to life on a gradual basis. She literally came back from the dead. The year was 2008; in addition to this resurrection, the Florida Gators–and all three sisters and the entire family are die-hard Gator fans–won the National Championship. In my silly way I’ve always connected the events and mentioned that to her mother, whose response was quick and to the point:
“Next time, let somebody else do it.”
In an age of positive confession and “name it and claim it,” that may come across as an odd response, but Jesus himself was of like opinion while facing his own road to the Cross:
Taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebediah, he began to show signs of sadness and deep distress of mind. “I am sad at heart,” he said, “sad even to death; wait here and watch with me.” Going on a little further, he threw himself on his face in prayer. “My Father,” he said, “if it is possible, let me be spared this cup; only, not as I will, but as thou willest.” (Matthew 26:37-39)
As a man, Jesus Christ found the burden he was about to bear…unbearable; but as God, there was no one else to do it:
But, when Christ came, he appeared as High Priest of that Better System which was established; and he entered through that nobler and more perfect ‘Tabernacle,’ not made by human hands–that is to say, not a part of this present creation. Nor was it with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, that he entered, once and for all, into the Sanctuary, and obtained our eternal deliverance. For, if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, purify those who have been defiled (as far as ceremonial purification goes), how much more will the blood of the Christ, who, through his eternal Spirit, offered himself up to God, as a victim without blemish, purify our consciences from a lifeless formality, and fit us for the service of the Living God! And that is why he is the intermediary of a new Covenant; in order that, as a death has taken place to effect a deliverance from the offenses committed under the first Covenant, those who have received the Call may obtain the eternal inheritance promised to them. (Hebrews 9:11-15)
The system in place at the time couldn’t finish the job:
The Law, though able to foreshadow the Better System which was coming, never had its actual substance. Its priests, with those sacrifices which they offer continuously year after year, can never make those who come to worship perfect. Otherwise, would not the offering of these sacrifices have been abandoned, as the worshipers, having been once purified, would have had their consciences clear from sins? But, on the contrary, these sacrifices recall their sins to mind year after year. For the blood of bulls and goats is powerless to remove sins. (Hebrews 10:1-4)
Fortunately for us–and certainly for my friend whom God brought back from the dead–Jesus Christ made full payment for our sins and won us eternal life, life that can start now and move us into eternity with God.
It’s hard to know when or if the Florida Gators will win the national championship again. Gator fans look for a miracle for it to happen. But we don’t have to wait for the Gators or any other earthly team, cause or nation to obtain the eternal life that Jesus Christ and he alone won for us on that first Good Friday.
Positive Infinity 