Sins Laid On Jesus

Isaiah 53:6 - "All we like sheep have gone astray...And the Lord has laid on him (Jesus) the iniquity of us all."

Spurgeon got me contemplating the weight of the sin that was laid on Jesus by His Father. Think with me for a moment about the abundant mass of iniquity laid on the spotless lamb of God. Don't just think in generalities, like, "all the sins of all the Christians to ever live." Think first about the weight of your own sin.

Let me think about my own sin. Let's narrow it down even more. How many sins did I commit today? A lot. I don't say that lightly. I am grieved over my lack of holiness. Jesus calls us to be perfect (Matthew 5:48). As I ponder my many sins today, what troubles me most is that many of my sins are sins of omission. I didn't love the Lord with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength today. I didn't love my neighbor as myself today. I didn't devote myself to prayer today. I didn't meditate on the Word of God "day and night." So, I have all the things I didn't do and all the things I did do (pride, bitterness, resentment, laziness, impatience, and the list goes on). So, just a conservative estimate: let's say I committed 50 sins today. I am 28 years old (about to be 29). I became a Christian when I was 16. So, I've had 12 years of grace helping me put sin to death. 365 days a year, 50 sins a day, for 12 years =219,000 sins. Before God saved me, I did nothing but sin. Let's say I committed 200 sins a day before God saved me (again, a conservative estimate). Just for the sake of this contemplation, let's add the numerous sins I committed between the ages of 10 and 16. 365 days a year, 200 sins a day, for 6 years =438,000 sins. So, over the last 18 years, I have grieved the Lord way more than 657,000 times. All these sins were "laid" on Jesus. Also, all my future sins were laid on Jesus (think on that: past, present, and future sins all laid on Jesus). So, let's say God gives me another 40 years (I'm not promised tomorrow). Praying for progressive sancification, let's assume only 25 sins a day for the next 40 years (again, a conservative estimate). 365 days a year, 25 sins a day, for 40 more years = 365,000 more sins. You do the math. Way over a million sins in my lifetime, all laid on Jesus.

I am one man in a world of over 6 billion people. I live in a particular generation. My understanding is that there have been millions of followers of Christ through the generations. Young, old, black, white, men, women, many have believed on Jesus for their salvation. "The Lord has laid on him the sins of us all." Think for a moment about those born before Jesus' death: Abraham, Moses, David, Jonah, John the Baptist. All their sins laid on Jesus. Think about all the believers in China. All their sins laid on Jesus. Think about all the churches in your city, each containing many Christians. All their sins laid on Jesus.

John Newton was right: I am a GREAT sinner. And Christ is a GREAT Savior.