The Disharmony of Anxiety: October 24th Devotional

The Disharmony of Anxiety

Matthew 6:34

October 24th Devotional

      On this day in Berlin, 1819, Felix Mendelssohn played in his first public concert at the age of nine.  Felix was born in 1809, one of four children to a wealthy Jewish family in Germany.  The Mendelssohn family believed in providing the best education and opportunities for their children.  They would often invite various professors or musicians to their home.  All four of their children showed interest in the area of art or music.  Felix’s sister Fanny would become a great pianist (which was rare during that time).  Felix started to learn piano from his mother at the age of six.  He quickly excelled beyond the ability of his mother.  He would receive more formal training, often surpassing his teachers.  His family quickly realized that he was a child prodigy, but they did not want to exploit their son or try to capitalize on his ability.  They begrudgingly allowed him to perform publicly in a chamber music concert.  The audience was awed by his ability.  The family would then invite others to Sunday concerts in their home.  Felix became a household name.  Between the ages of 12-14, he wrote 12 stringed symphonies.  The bulk of his famous works were composed before he turned twenty.  His most famous composition would be setting music to Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”  Most of you reading this are unknowingly aware of this overture.  Brides come down the aisle to the “wedding march” which is a portion of that wonderful piece.  His musical ability would grow to playing the piano, the organ, composing, and even conducting.  He would also become quite an accomplished painter.  His fame would spread rapidly.  Large audiences would fill music halls all across Europe as Mendelssohn toured.  During this time of traveling, Mendelssohn started to suffer from the effects of overworking and anxiety.  His anxiety started to take effect on his physical health.  Tragically Felix died at the age of 38 after suffering multiple strokes.  To this day he is still considered one of the best, if not the greatest musician of the Romantic period.

      Anxiety takes its toll on everyone, even people like Felix Mendelssohn.  Sometimes we are good at masking it but nonetheless, anxiety causes the heart to race and the mind to doubt.  It is a spiritual issue that plagues all of us; it does not discriminate based on age, gender, social status, or skin color.  Anxiety is one of the only problems in our world that affects us mentally, spiritually, and physically.  To worry is human, so how do we battle a beast that has waged war on humanity since the introduction of sin?  In Matthew 6:34 we find Jesus saying “So do not worry about tomorrow.”  Those are simple words for our problem with anxiety.  Worry doesn’t stop simply because we tell it to stop.  I worry about how to stop worrying.  Jesus gives us the ultimate remedy for anxiety and stress in the previous verse, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness…”  Anxiety often hits me when I take my eyes off Jesus.  Stress takes me under like the waves of the ocean when I stop taking life’s circumstances to Jesus.  Jesus says to seek His kingdom first, to seek Him first.  Next time you feel that tension rising in your chest, that tightness in your jaw, run to Jesus…seek Jesus.  Simply give it to Him.  He wants the things that burden you and worry you.  Give up worry and give in to Jesus.

The Comeback Kid: June 11th Devotional

The Comeback Kid

Matthew 28

June 11th Devotional

      On this day in 1956 the football legend Joe Montana was born in New Eagle Pennsylvania. His family was of Italian stock and desired to find a way to acclimate to American culture. Joe's father felt the best way to adapt to a new culture was to play sports. Joe played quarterback for the Ringgold Rams and excelled. His play on the field earned him a scholarship to attend Notre Dame University. In 1977 Joe found himself third on the depth chart for quarterback but early in the season, he became the starter and never looked back. Notre Dame won the national college championship that year. Because of his play in the national championship game he was drafted in the third round, 82nd pick of the 1979 season by the San Francisco 49ers. Montana would spend 14 exceptional years for the San Francisco 49ers and would spend the last two for the Kansas City Chiefs. Montana played in 8 pro bowls, was a two-time NFL MVP, four-time super bowl champion, and three-time super bowl MVP, and holds various records still in the NFL. Joe was most noted for his ability to come from behind in the fourth quarter. Montana led 31 4th-quarter comebacks (including playoffs) earning him two iconic nicknames, Joe Cool and The comeback kid. the most famous comeback in Montana's career was in super bowl XXIII. The 49ers were playing an excellent Cincinnati Bengals team. For three quarters Joe Montana played a fantastic game but at the end of the fourth quarter the 49ers were still down 16 to 13. With three minutes and 20 seconds to go in the fourth quarter, starting on their own 8-yard line, Joe Montana surgically let his team 92 yards, completing 8 of his 9 passes. Montana finally connected with John Taylor with 34 seconds remaining in the game, sealing a 20-16 victory.

      Montana was known for bringing victory from the jaws of defeat. When all seemed like it was lost Montana would give his team hope in the most dim of situations. This reminds me of another time when it seemed like all hope was gone. Jesus was crucified on a Friday, laying down his life for the sins of all mankind. Shortly thereafter he was laid in a tomb and that seemed to be the end of the story. His disciples and followers despaired thinking that all was lost. Their countenance had fallen and doubt plagued them mightily. They were ready to raise the white flag. Early on the third morning a group of women went to visit his tomb, and the Earth shook with violence. An Angelic host came and removed the stone. And Matthew chapter 28:5-6 the angel gave the message "But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay." Shortly after Jesus appeared before the women verifying that death could not hold him, that he arose victorious over the grave. Jesus brought forth victory from the jaws of defeat. When all look lost and dark Jesus shed forth hope and light. We can heartily agree with the words of Paul in 1st Corinthians Death is swallowed up in victory.” O death, where is your victory?" Death is defeated because Jesus rose and lives forever.  O death, where is your sting?”

The Church's One Foundation: March 19th Devotional

The Church's One Foundation

Matthew 16:13-18

March 19th Devotional

On this day in 1882, the first stone is laid for one of the most breathtaking churches in all of Europe, the Sagrada Familia Basilica, located in Barcelona Spain.  The brainchild of the church was a bookkeeper named José María Bocabella.  Jose or Josep was enchanted by the huge, Gothic-style churches in Italy and felt that Spain would be best served by replicating one for itself.  Bocabella was a devout Catholic and wanted to create a place to worship the ‘holy family’, thus the name Sagrada Familia.  The first stone was laid on this day by the original architect named Francisco Paula del Villar.  Villar was a well-known Spanish architect who was familiar with designing and building churches.  He quit the project shortly after it started due to disagreements with Bocabella.  The task then fell onto the shoulders of a Catalan-born Spanish architect named Antoni Gaudi.  Gaudi is considered to be the most prolific Spanish architect of all time and would turn the project on its head.  The original design of the church was meant to be simple, but Gaudi would create an architectural masterpiece. The 31-year-old architect was already considered a genius and integrated his bold, unique style into the Sagrada Familia. His vision was beyond huge.  The church was designed to have 18 towers, 3 facades, and most artistic flair than any other religious structure.  Gaudi was a deeply devout Catholic who wanted the church’s design to tell a story.  The three facades would represent the nativity, passion, and glory of Christ. Gaudi would tragically die before he could complete the structure but left detailed plans on how to finish it.  The church would endure difficult times through the years.  It suffered through a fire that was started by rebels and countless other delays. Incredibly, after 141 years, the church remains unfinished.  An estimated finish date of 2026 has been set, but most people feel it will take much longer.  The Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, and the great pyramids were built faster than this church.  When it is finished it will be the tallest religious structure in all of Europe. Over four million tourists flock to this beautiful piece of art each year.

      I had a chance to visit the Sagrada Familia in 2002 and it was beyond breathtaking.  There are more details than my eyes or brain could ever process. There is one major problem with the Sagrada Familia.  It is built on a poor foundation, and I don’t mean the ground upon which the mammoth structure is built, I mean the spiritual foundation.  The church is gorgeous and glamorous, but it’s dead.  It’s dead because the Gospel is not the focal point of the ministry.  Any church that does not have the Gospel of Jesus Christ as the foundation is dead.  Many beautiful structures are dead while there are many tiny churches in the hollers of Appalachia that are alive. Churches adorned with stained glass windows might not share Christ while Chinese Christians meeting in dark caves are in love with Jesus.  Churches with great music and wonderful entertainment and large programs might miss the mark of the Gospel while people meeting in the open air of jungles are worshipping the Savior.  A lot of Western Christians have almost created an idol out of our building.  We fight over the color of curtains, carpets, and even the type of toilet paper the church purchases.  Jesus spoke about the foundation of the church in Matthew 16. He asked His followers who they thought He was, and Peter rightly affirmed, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”  Most of us are familiar with Jesus' response in verse eighteen, “That thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  Christ will build His church on a foundation, but what foundation?  Stone?  On Peter? No.  Christ builds His church upon Himself.  The church isn’t about buildings, programs, music style, how you dress, or where you are located, instead it is built upon Jesus Christ alone.  Our physical churches are stationary, they don’t move.  The real ‘house of God’ isn’t an address, but people who come to worship Christ.  May we as believers not forget that.  My prayer is that God would open our eyes beyond the place of worship, to the person of worship.  Let’s not focus on drapes and curtains, but on the Gospel and the Word of God.  Let’s be more concerned about the people outside of the building instead of the building itself.

Earthly Trinkets Vs. Heavenly Treasures: February 19th Devotional

      Earthly Trinkets Vs. Heavenly Treasures

Matthew 6:19-21

February 19th Devotional

      “Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks, I don’t care if I ever get back.”  Most of us are familiar with this jingle from an iconic American song about baseball and a famous snack, Cracker Jacks.  What is the big deal with Cracker Jacks and what happened on this day in history that includes them?  Cracker Jacks were simply a snack of popcorn, molasses, and peanuts.  The snack has been around for quite some time.  The Rueckheim brothers had been selling a type of popcorn snack since the 1870’s, until the recipe was perfected in 1893 and sold at the World’s Fair held in Chicago.  The name is rumored to have come from a customer who exclaimed that the product was “Cracker Jack” after tasting it.  The company soared with popularity.  In 1907 Jack Norworth, a famous singer and performer wrote the words of take me out to the ballgame, including the term Cracker Jacks in it.  Ironically Jack had never been to a ballgame and didn’t even know if Cracker Jacks were sold at games.  Nonetheless, the inadvertent advertisement caused the snack to become a household staple at nearly every ballpark.  Many years later the New York Yankees attempted to switch brands only to find an outrage from fans.  Cracker Jacks became famous for something else, prizes.  In 1910 the wax sealed packages included coupons.  The coupons were geared toward women.  They would be for sewing machines, dishware, and other goods for the home. This promotion lasted for about two years until the company introduced toy prizes for the first time on this day in 1913.  Some of the toys over the years have been baseball cards (some of them worth quite a bit of money), stickers, plastic figures, decoder rings, etc.  Prizes continued until 2016 when they were replaced with simple temporary tattoos and jokes. 

      I used to love Cracker Jacks as a child.  Actually, take that back, I don’t remember eating the snack, I remember opening the package for what I thought was the coolest toy ever.  Looking back I can’t remember a single Crack Jack toy that I pulled.  To be honest I probably lost them or broke them within the first few days.  The toys found in this sweet treat were not know for their longevity, they weren’t typically built to last, but nonetheless we desired those cheap trinkets just to have something we could say was our own.  We as humans do this in a similar way.  We collect the “Cracker Jack” toys of this world.  Things that won’t last, things that have monetary value but zero eternal benefit to us spiritually.  Jesus spoke about this in Matthew 6:19-21 when He said “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  I don’t think Jesus is necessarily condemning the things of this world (so long as they aren’t sinful).  God has created things for us on planet earth for our pleasure.  The problem becomes when we spend our entire life pursing those things.  It’s great to collect baseball cards, Legos, vintage toys, home décor, clothing, etc. It’s wise to have savings accounts and retirement accounts, but none of those treasures are going to last.  They are temporary trinkets for our journey around the sun.  God instead wants us to lay up treasures in heaven.  What does that mean?  It means to faithfully serve Jesus, to use our talents and gifts for His glory and the furtherance of the Gospel, it means living a humble life, it means loving others (even your enemies), it means sacrifice, it means praying and giving, it means forgiving.  Those treasures last.  They are not the cheap Cracker Jack trinkets found in a box, these are the treasures in heaven, won for Jesus.  These are the treasures that cannot be lost or stolen.  What are you laying up?  Earthly trinkets or heavenly treasure?

Persecution and Courage: February 5th Devotional

Persecution and Courage

Matthew 10:28

February 5th Devotional

      On this day in 1597, 26 Catholic missionaries to Japan were executed via crucifixion.  Originally Catholic missionaries were welcomed by the people of Japan, though Christianity was never looked upon favorably.  The original missionaries arrived roughly fifty years earlier.  The Japanese shogunate only allowed their existence with the hopes that their presence would build trade relations with Western Europe.  The faith grew as thousands came to know Christ.  This culture with zero knowledge of Christ quickly founded newly built churches sitting alongside ancient Buddhist Temples.  It didn’t take long for this position of tolerance to fade away.  Soon the Japanese Imperial government banned Christianity and demanded that those who refused to recant be executed.  The imperialist society of Japan considered Christianity as a threat to their way of life.  Many of those converted were Buddhist.  For many Japanese people, Buddhism was a vital part of their culture.  To leave Buddhism meant not being Japanese; it meant you were abandoning your culture.  Soon Christians were rounded up and murdered for their faith.  26 Catholic missionaries were rounded up in December 1596 by Japanese authorities.  They were tortured and physically beaten.  Many of them had their left ears cut off.  They were paraded for roughly 600 miles through the streets of multiple cities until they arrived at Nagasaki.  It was in Nagasaki that the 26 faithful missionaries were crucified on a hillside for everyone to see.  They were also impaled with lances.  The goal of the Japanese government was to exterminate Christianity from their shores forever.  One would think that the missionaries were terrified, but one missionary named Luis ran to the cross asking which one was his.  When he found out he hugged it with tears in his eyes.  Luis was unique.  Many believe that he was the youngest to die that day, probably around 12 years old.  He had an opportunity to recant, while most of the others were not given the option.  The young Luis refused the offer saying “for it is not reasonable to exchange a life that has no end for one that soon finishes.”  As the crosses were raised one priest, Paul Miki preached his final sermon, inviting the executioners to come to Christ.  The 26 sang before giving up their life with the words “paradise, paradise.”  

     For many of us, persecution is a foreign term.  We couldn’t envision suffering for Jesus, let alone the stark reality of martyrdom.  But for centuries the faith of our fathers endured through suffering and death, refusing to recant and quit on Jesus.  In all reality Christians around the world still suffer for their faith, some even pay the ultimate price.  What would happen if we would face that kind of persecution?  How should we respond?  Jesus gave us an image in Matthew 10:28.  Jesus gazed into the future knowing the anguish that His followers would one day face.  He said “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul, but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matthew 10:28).”  Jesus said to not submit to fear.  Not just a normal seemingly rational fear, but a fear of being killed simply because you are a Christ follower.  He gazes into our eyes and says “do not fear.”  One would imagine we would be granted with a license to fear at least in that situation, but even in this Jesus says, give not give in to fear.  HOW?!  We need to take our eyes off the persecutor and the suffering and put our eyes on Jesus.  Look to Him who goes through life’s valleys and hardships with us.  We can suffer faithfully because He faithfully suffered and paid the ultimate price for our redemption!

A Grinchy Christmas: December 18th Devotional

 

A Grinchy Christmas

Matthew 1:21

December 18th Devotional

      On this day in 1966, CBS aired “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” for the first time.  This 26-minute tv special was based off Dr. Seuss’ novel by the same name written in 1957.  The show was famously voiced by the master of the horror genre himself, Boris Karloff (he was the narrator and the voice of the Grinch).  The antagonist of the story is the Grinch.  The Grinch is a grouchy, fuzzy creature who lives in the cold snowy mountain overlooking the city of Whoville.  The Grinch’s heart is filled with hatred, probably because his heart was two times too small.  His lone companion was his trusty brown dog named Max.  The Grinch’s primary hatred was the town that rested in the valley, the town of Whoville.  The people of Whoville were friendly and happy people.  Their joy grew as the Christmas season approached.  For fifty-three years the Grinch had to endure their songs, shopping, celebration, and noise.  It drove him to madness.  One day he concocted a devious plan, he was going to steal Christmas!  He made a shabby Santa costume, outfitted poor Max as a reindeer, and drove a sleigh down from his mountain bluff to the happy valley below.  The night hour had overtaken the town and everyone was nestled down for a long winter’s nap.  That’s when he sprung into action.  The Grinch entered each house stealing all the Christmas contents.  His vile, garlic-filled soul stole presents, lights, trees, decorations, and even the food (I personally would like a taste of who Roast Beast myself).  He left no crumb behind.  He was going to make the people of Whoville pay for their jovial attitude.  He went about his work unmolested until he had a brief encounter with Cindy Lou Who, but not even she could deter him from his monstrous plot.  Having finished the job, he returned to his mountain retreat waiting to hear the tears and sorrows of the people below…but instead, his empty heart heard something quite unexpected.  He heard the people singing.  They were singing without lights, without trees, without presents!  He was stunned!  His mission had failed.  But this fuzzy green villain pondered, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store.  Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more.”  His heart grew three times as he repented from his villainy and converted to become a lover of the Christmas season.  He entered the down joyfully returning all that he had stolen!  

      Seuss’ inspiration for writing the short 33-line poem was to combat the commercialization of Christmas.  He felt that Christmas had become something different and according to him, it made him feel Grinchy.  He finished the book in a mere three weeks.  He later said it was the easiest book he had ever written, except for the conclusion.  The Grinch reminds us as Christians of an extremely important principle, to not lose the true meaning of Christmas.  That’s pretty easily said and read, but it’s awfully difficult to practice.  We live in a consumer-driven culture that demands we put our full attention on Christmas.  No one is really trying to cancel Christmas because Christmas is good for business portfolios.  Most businesses make 60% of their yearly profit in the weeks around Christmas.  The problem isn’t getting rid of Christmas per se, it’s losing sight of what it means.  In Matthew chapter one Joseph of Nazareth attempts to sleep.  He had received some extremely disturbing news; his espoused wife Mary was pregnant, and the child wasn’t his.  Joseph was a good man, he was willing to privately ‘divorce’ Mary so as not to shame her.  That night he went to bed with a hurting, confused, and a broken heart.  I imagine he struggled to sleep, but in the night hour, an angelic visitor came to him saying that Mary was pregnant with the Son of God.  Then, in the midst of this message the angel said “she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).”  The message of Christmas is about Jesus Christ.  It’s not even so much about a manger, a baby, and swaddling clothes.  The story revolves around that last phrase, save His people from their sins.  Christ came to this world not just to be born, but to die.  To be a perfect sacrifice to save our souls from sin.  The most “Grinchy” thing we can do each Christmas is to try to celebrate the season absentee Christ.

The Saddest Parade: November 27th Devotional

 

The Saddest Parade

Matthew 27:32

November 27th Devotional

On this day in 1924, Macy’s Celebrated its first-ever Thanksgiving (Christmas) Day parade.  It was the roaring twenties and a time of great prosperity and pleasure.  The Macy’s Day parade is tied for the second oldest Thanksgiving parade in the country (the oldest is in Philadelphia).  The parade started at 9:00 AM and lasted for three hours.  The total length of the parade was only two city blocks but the route was three times (around 6 miles) longer than it is today.  This “Marathon of Mirth” started with a police escort at 145 Street and Convent street.  It had three floats, four bands, and borrowed animals from the Central Park Zoo.  A noticeable absence was the balloons.  Balloons weren’t introduced until 1927, replacing the animals that scared the children.  The parade was staffed by Macy’s employees, family, and friends who volunteered.  Most of the workers today still consist of Macy’s employees (there is an estimated 6500 workers for the parade today).  Around 250,000 spectators eagerly crowded the streets to see the sights and hear the sounds.  The theme of that first year was nursery rhymes.  Little ones got to see their favorite characters like Little Red Riding Hood and Little Miss Muffet dressed in vibrant colors.  The parade route marched toward 34^th Street, which was the location of Macy’s flagship store.  The ecstatic onlookers waited for the crown of the parade at the end.  The end of the parade was Santa, or as he was labeled that first parade, “The King of the Kiddies.”  He sat on a throne announcing that it was officially Christmas time.

      The Macy’s Day parade has only been canceled three times since then (due to WW II).  There was even a version of the parade during Covid.  Today over three million people pack the parade route while nearly 26 million people tune their television screens for this pre-Thanksgiving meal celebration.  The Bible doesn’t record many “parades”, but it does give details in regards to one of the most tragic ones in history.  Nearly two thousand years ago the citizens of Jerusalem gathered around the ancient city streets to see a spectacle.  The crowd would have pressed together in hopes to witness a once and a lifetime event.  The rumors had spread through the city in the early morning hours.  They heard that Pilate washed his hands of the one named Jesus and turned him over to the religious leaders to be crucified.  A wearied and beaten Jesus bore the cross beam toward Golgotha, toward the place of destiny.  The raucous crowd would have flung insult after insult at the innocent Lamb of God.  The soldiers noticed Jesus’ struggle and the Bible says “As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross (Matthew 27:32).”  We know nothing about this man other than the facts given.  We simply know that he helped Jesus bear His cross.  Jesus was nailed to the cross, He suffered, bled, and died.  He gave us His life so that we would have life.  He was forsaken from His Father so we could be adopted into the family of God.  The moment of celebration didn’t come through during the tragic parade route through old Jerusalem, the celebration came three days later as Christ burst forth from the grave defeating death, sin, and Satan for all who come to believe.  There are many reasons to give thanks during this season, but let us not forget the world's saddest parade that would bring about the happiest of days.

Good Friday Earthquake: March 27th Devo

 

Good Friday Earthquake

Matthew 27:50-51

March 27th Devotional

      On this day in 1964, a massive earthquake shook South Central Alaska.  The quake struck at 5:36 PM on Good Friday.  The quake measured 9.2 on the Richter scale, making it the second-highest recorded earthquake with an instrument.  It was over two times more powerful than the great 1906 earthquake which leveled San Francisco.  The ground shook for nearly five consecutive minutes!  The earthquake was felt over a distance of ½ million square miles.  Over 600 miles of the fault line ruptured destroying anything in its path.  Land masses were thrust upward of 60 feet (82 feet was the highest recorded) and land masses sunk by as much as 8 feet.  The earthquake caused two major tsunamis.  One particular tsunami struck Hawaii and Japan.  The other tsunami struck the coast of Alaska.  One particular wave was recorded as being over 220 feet high!  Coastal flooding devasted the area, mainly the West Coast of the United States.  There would be over 10,000 aftershocks over the next few months.  Some of the aftershocks measured over a 6 on the Richter scale.  Miraculously only 131 perished in the wake of the earthquake due to how densely populated the area was at the time. 

      This earthquake wasn’t the only one that occurred on Good Friday.  Another earthquake struck on the first Good Friday.  Jesus hung on the cross suspended between heaven and earth.  The perfect Lamb of God is offered as the sinless sacrifice for mankind.  Matthew tells us about the closing events at Calvary that dreadful day “and Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.  And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rock were split (Matthew 27:50-51).”  On the day that Christ crushed sin the earth shook violently.  There is topographical evidence that an earthquake happened in that area around the year 30 AD!  One of the most important details of this earthquake is that it was divinely sent by God.  The earthquake’s primary purpose wasn’t the destruction of the earth but the destruction of the separation that once kept man from God.  The earthquake split the curtain of the temple, which was no mere task.  The curtain of the temple was so strong that two horses could not pull it apart.  Behind the curtain was the holy of holies, a place considered so sacred that only the high priest could enter once a year to make offerings.  It was a wall that symbolized the separation between God and man.  When the veil was torn it showed the world that all are welcome, that all can come, and that God had come to earth to crush our greatest enemy, sin.  The veil being rent was an invitation for us to worship God in His holiness.  It was an invitation sent by God to be His child, to be redeemed, to be saved.  This earthquake simultaneously destroyed separation and made a way for man’s reparation.  Mankind had wronged God but God repaired the damage done through Jesus Christ.