Christ On the Cross

Near the city of Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, is a remarkable facility.  Twenty years ago the Brazilian government turned a prison over to two Christians.  The institution was renamed Humaita, and the plan was to run it on Christian principles. With the exception of two full-time staff, all the work is done by inmates.  Families outside the prison adopt an inmate to work with during and after his term.  Chuck Colson visited and made this report:

When I visited Humaita I found the inmates smiling – particularly the murderer who held the keys, opened the gates and let me in.  Wherever I walked I saw men at peace.  I saw clean living areas, people working industriously.  The walls were decorated with Biblical sayings from Psalms and Proverbs…My guide escorted me to the notorious prison cell once used for torture.  Today, he told me, that block houses only a single inmate.  As we reached the end of a long concrete corridor and he put the key in the lock, he paused and asked, “Are you sure you want to go in?”

“Of course,” I replied impatiently, “I’ve been in isolation cells all over the world.”  Slowly he swung open the massive door, and I saw the prisoner in that punishment cell:  a crucifix, beautifully carved by the Humaita inmates – the prisoner Jesus, hanging on a cross.

“He’s doing time for the rest of us,” my guide said softly.

In just a couple of weeks we will be celebrating Holy week and Easter.  I’m reminded again of what Christ suffered for me at Calvary.  Because of his sacrifice I can be free from the bondage of sin and death.  Why would I ever want to go back to the bondage of sin?  Why would I even consider going back to my old life?  Wouldn’t that degrade the value of Christ’s sacrifice?  How could I belittle his death by again doing those things that drove the nails into his hands and feet?

One of the things we’ve been focusing on in our Downpour series is a picture of Christ on the cross.  The value of focusing on that image is that it inspires us to live a holy life.  I trust in these next few days you’ll see clearly Jesus bearing your sin on the cross.  May it motivate you to greater depths of love and commitment.  As the hymn writer Isaac Watts so beautifully puts it “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.”

Have a great week!

Pastor Barry