He Died For All

Hello and welcome to Van Life Devotions. Today is Good Friday - the day that Christians around the world remember the incredible sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

A few weeks ago, Leisl and I have a wonderful trip to Egypt. For us Egypt had many wow moments. We expected the pyramids to be one of those wow moments and they were. But we went on to other incredible places such Karnak Temple – I mean those huge columns – incredible. We went to many other places such as Abu Simbel and the Valley of the Kings.

The ancient Egyptians strongly believed in the afterlife which is a major reason why the pyramids and other extravagant tombs were built in Egypt. The pyramids were built to serve as temples to the gods and to entomb the pharaohs. As part of their beliefs about the afterlife, the ancient Egyptians believed that after death, the pharaohs would travel to the afterlife, taking their possessions with them.

It wasn’t just the Pharaohs who could continue into the afterlife, but every Egyptian had this opportunity. However, entry into this afterlife was not guaranteed. The dead had to negotiate a dangerous underworld journey and face the final judgment before they were granted access. If successful, they were required to provide eternal things for their spirit. These things could be achieved if proper preparations were made during a person’s lifetime.

Such preparations included the wearing of special jewellery. They believed that such jewellery gave magical powers of protection and healing and brought good fortune. So not only did they wear this jewellery throughout their earthly life but when they die these items of jewellery were placed on various parts of the body during the wrapping process.

Coffins were probably the single most important piece of equipment. To ancient Egyptians coffins were designed to protect the physical body in this world and the spiritual body in the afterlife.

Finally, tombs were also important for the afterlife. Tombs were known to the ancient Egyptians as 'houses of eternity’. They were made from non-perishable material such as stone. The tomb itself, if designed and built properly, had the power to restore life and give immortality to the dead owner.

It makes sense then why these pyramids and tombs are so big and their coffins so extravagant. All these preparations, all this gold, all this jewellery was for them and their afterlife.

Compare these preparations with Jesus Christ. For Jesus, all His preparation and His eventual death was for everyone else but himself. He died so that we might be saved. He died so we could be forgiven. He died so we can enjoy the afterlife in heaven. His death was all about us.

Paul the Apostle Paul puts it very simply when he wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 15, “And he died for all…” (2 Corinthians 5:15 NIV). He died for all. It wasn’t about Him. It was about us. Me. You.

What incredible love our saviour has for us – to die for us so we can be forgiven and enjoy the afterlife – heaven with Him forever.

Today, remember Christ’s reason for His death; and come to Him in faith praying for your need to be saved and to live your life following Jesus.  

Let’s pray.

Dear God. Thank you for loving us so much that You sent Your only Son Jesus. Thank you Jesus for dying for everyone else but Yourself. Help us to acknowledge our need to be saved. O God, preserve us who travel; surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us in safety to our journey’s end; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

David Moyes