Swapped

It is an incredible story. He traded his life for a stranger’s.

Several weeks ago, a terrorist took siege in a super market in France.  The lone terrorist held several shoppers hostage in the market and before long things came to a head.  Just when things looked their darkest, a French police officer stepped up and offered to swap his life for one of the hostages. Unarmed, the police officer traded his life for a woman he did not know.   Not long after the exchange was made, officers surrounding the building heard shots and stormed the building.  The terrorist was defeated but the policeman who had willingly offered himself up was shot, gravely injured and later died.

The French President called him, “ a hero with exceptional courage that gave his life for his country to which he had already given so much to end the plot of a deadly terrorist, he fell as a hero.”

It is an incredible story.  He traded his life for a stranger’s.

Several centuries ago, a terrorist took siege on this planet.  The lone terrorist held human beings hostage and before long things came to a head.   Just when things looked their darkest, Jesus of Nazareth stepped up and offered to swap his life for all of Satan’s hostages.  Unarmed, the perfect, sinless God-man traded his life for all humans including those he never knew.  Not long after the exchange was made, he was savagely beaten, mocked and hung on a cross to die. The sky went dark, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, and a great earthquake shook the land.  The terrorist was defeated and the Lamb of God who had willingly sacrificed himself was dead.

History is defined by him and his grace and courage because he gave his life for all people of the earth for all time to which he had already given so much to end the plot of the original deadly terrorist.  He traded his life for ours. Good Friday and the death on a cross looks like the end of the story.  But in fact, it is just the beginning.

Unlike the brave French policeman who shall remain in the grave, three days later Jesus Christ overcame death and rose from the dead. He fell as hero and rose Savior of the world.  ©

Rejoice!   Christ is risen! Christine Davis