Jesus Messiah by Chris Tomlin, Dan Carson, Ed Cash, Jesse Reeves, 2007.

Verse 1

He became sin, who knew no sin,
That we might become His righteousness.
He humbled himself and carried the cross,
Love so amazing, love so amazing;

Observe: He became sin so that we might become his righteous is what CS Lewis called “the great exchange.” The word “his” is key. Fallen humanity is not and cannot be righteousness. It is rightly said, “In Adam’s fall, we sinned all” because Adam was the representative head of humanity before God, the Creator. Adam’s sin became our sin.

Job said, “What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?” (Job 15:14, ESV). Paul explains, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— (Romans 5:12),

God’s love for humanity was so amazing that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16). 

Chorus

Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all.

God is just and merciful, and Adam’s sin required the just penalty of death, but mercy called for rescue. Enter the eternal Son. He was the ransom from heaven that rescued humanity. Paul explains, the judgment following one trespass brought condemnation, (but) as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. (Romans 5:16b, 18).

Verse 2

His body the bread, his blood the wine.
Broken and poured out all for love.
The whole earth trembled, and the veil was torn,
Love so amazing, love so amazing;

Verse 2 speaks of the mystery of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. The simple elements of bread and wine point to the spiritual nourishment we need for our souls. When Jesus died, the massive Temple curtain that separated the people from the presence of God was torn in two as the symbolic statement that the separation between Creator and his image-bearing creature was reversed.

Bridge

All our hope is in You, all our hope is in You.
All the glory to You, God, the light of the world.

Chorus

Jesus Messiah, name above all names
Blessed redeemer, Emmanuel.
The rescue for sinners, the ransom from Heaven
Jesus Messiah, Lord of all.

Hold this thought through the weekend. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:5–11)

I hope you’ll watch Pastor Steve’s message on our YouTube channel this Sunday. I’ll be worshiping with you in spirit as you do. Have a blessed weekend, and I look forward to writing to you on Monday with another Song for Today.

Blessings, Pastor Don.