When Christ was made a curse on that tree, God had to turn His back on the sin and Jesus cried out in agony, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Never did God so manifest His hatred for sin as in the suffering of the death of His own Son.

The foot washing symbolizes the cleansing that is the result of Christ’s impending cross-work.

Moses sought God with all of these difficulties, but even that is not all there is to success in this life.

This is one way we proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. This is not something we are going to continue to do in eternity. When the new heaven and the new earth finally dawn, no one will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper, no one.

This is only until he comes.

In Jesus Christ we have the provision, the only suitable provision, for the Forgiveness of our sin. In and with that provision, God issues a call for US to forgive others.

The gift of the law was a gracious thing, a good and wonderful gift from God to show man his real need. This grace was not in the display of glory to Moses in a cave but in the display of Jesus and the bloody sacrifice on the cross. The cross was a fulfillment of the law and provided the way for Jesus to introduce a new covenant, the ultimate grace and truth.

If we are committed to God, we can learn from one another, but we are not to live life in fear of what others fear.

Those driven by fear cannot see God’s hand in events.

Today we dangle crosses from our ears and wear them on our lapels and put them on our church buildings, and nobody is scandalized. It is a symbol, and absolutely the intent of many (but not all) in wearing them is to honor what has been done for us. Still, today we have a domesticated cross.

A Christian is someone first and foremost who has been forgiven of personal sin and reconciled to God the Father through placing his/her faith in Jesus Christ. If you honestly evaluate yourself to determine if you are truly a Christian, how do you measure up?

We must decide what we will do with our bodies, minds, and our lives. The habits we engender in our life now will either bless us or haunt us all of our lives.