Dear Redeeming Grace,

If you've been around Redeeming Grace for any length of time, you know we love the gospel. Like the old hymn says, "I love to tell the story..." And the story of the gospel is what we reflect on over these next three days.

Hebrews 12:2 tells us to look to Jesus. We run the race of the Christian life by keeping before our eyes the realities of the gospel that this weekend represent. Namely, that it was for the joy that was set before our Savior that He endured the cross, despising the shame. That's what we look to tonight as we remember Good Friday and the cross, where the blood of Jesus was poured out for the forgiveness of our sins (Matt. 26:28).

He bore the wrath of God that our sins earned. He died our death as the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice to atone for us. And then His body was laid in a tomb so that God could demonstrate His power, even over death itself.

The writer of Hebrews compels us to look to Jesus not only as the sacrificial Lamb, but also as the sovereign Lord. He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God because His work is finished. Because God the Father raised Him from the dead and seated Him there (Eph 1:20). That's what we'll look to on Easter Sunday: the risen and reigning Savior.

Psalm 16 ends by telling us at the right of hand of God are pleasures forevermore. Eternal joy! This was the joy set before Christ. The joy He knew for all eternity. And what's more, in undeserved grace, love and mercy He came so that we might see His glory and share in the joy of the Father, Son, and Spirit.

That's a story worth celebrating! Not just this weekend, but every waking moment. May we never tire of that story. We pray that as we tell that old, old story again this Easter weekend, God would lift our eyes to look to Jesus, and, by the power of His Spirit, we would be filled with joy, peace, and hope in believing.