THE GREAT EXCHANGE

As I stood before the judge, hearing the proceedings in the court, I knew there was no hope for me. My accusers have enough evidence against me, all witnesses have accurately testified against me, I was exposed. It is obvious that I will face the consequences as stated in the book. My judgment is clear – “The soul that sinneth shall die”.
I saw the look on my Master’s face – who is also my judge. On His face were different expressions, one of disappointment , that I brought myself so low to commit such atrocities, another was of pity, that I have been an unprofitable servant, and of anger, for I will pay the ultimate sacrifice. Behind me was my solicitor, my advocate, the son of my master, who had been pleading for my release. The expression on his face seem to say “I have tried my best, it’s all over, you will have to face the consequence of your sins”.
My master, who is also the judge, rose and said “ We all know that this sinner is condemned by law to die, but before he dies, is there anything anyone can do to help him”. I looked at the direction of my friends and relatives but no one was able to help me. I looked again at the elders in my master’s service and none was able to help, even the valiant guards in my master’s service could not help me- There was grave silence in the court room, I am condemned, forsaken and doomed forever. Reality dawned on me and I wept profusely. At the point of my grief and horror, I noticed some kind of commotion in the court room but I was too enveloped in grieve to care to look up. The uproar of my accusers overwhelms me as they shouted “He is guilty of death- crucify him”. My master, the judge, pronounced with a thunderous voice “Take him, he is yours”. My accusers charged at me with their chains and shackles, hate and disgust mixed with a feeling of victory was all over their faces. I shuddered as they came rushing towards me, but something strange happened. My accusers ran past me and threw their chains on my advocate who is also the son of my Master. They started leading him towards the slaughter – the place of the skull. What.. what is going on”? I manage to muster. My master’s chief guard touched me on the shoulder and said “be of good cheer servant, while you grieved in contrition over your sin, your master’s son, your advocate, volunteered to take your place. The judgment of death had been passed over to him for your sake. “Oh no” I cried out, “how can that be? I am the sinner, I am the disobedient one, my advocate is righteous, the only begotten of my master is innocent. How can he take my place. How can he, so high and mighty, so righteous, without sin take the place of a filthy wretch like me. This cannot be, how will my master allow His son to die for me”. I shook in horror, confused and horrified with fear and a feeling of shame for what I just brought about . I need to know why he did this for me. I turned and looked at him who took my place and I could barely recognized him, he has been beaten beyond recognition. My accusers have speared him no weep, no pity, no iota of respect was accorded him. I slipped through the crowd to my advocate, my Redeemer, my friend, as he was laid down to be crucified. I got on my kneels before him and covered my face, too ashamed and unworthy to look at Him. My advocate looked at me, He lifted up my head, rose me to my feet and smile and said “You were condemned to die because you have lived against the will of my father. I have life because I have always pleased Him and done all he wanted of me; but today I make an exchange. I exchange my personality for yours, LIVE MY LIFE AND LET ME DIE YOUR DEATH. I have to die because your life that I now bear is no longer worthy to live. Remember that you were speared because you now carry my life, the life that had always pleased the father. LIVE MY LIFE AND LET ME DIE YOUR DEATH, please live it.
Overwhelmed, I crumbled in awe of him, my knees buckled. I was like a sheep ready for the slaughter but He took my place, He took my place, He took my place. He took my pains, He took my shame, he took my shackles, my chains, my curse, my sorrows, my inabilities, insufficiencies and inadequacies – He took my place.

I wept as my accusers snatched away my Advocate, my Savior, my Redeemer, the only begotten of my father. As I wept uncontrollably, I felt a hand touched me behind, I looked and alas it was my master. I thought to myself “ I am finished, what shall I say to him, how can I appease him, I have sinned against him and now His only son was crucified for a wretched like me”; but my master stretched forth His hand and picked me up, he looked me in the eyes, smiled and called me the name of His beloved son. I don’t understand, I exclaimed, how could my master call me son. Then my master said “That is who I call you from now on- my son. Your old self have died – my son took your place. The person hanging on the cross is you and all your filth and sin nailed to it. The man standing here is my beloved son living in you. My son lives in you son, he said, come and enjoy my presence as a son and not a servant.

Gal 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”