He Spared No Expense

Reverend Jarrett Britton Washington
My Friend,

As I consider a message for this week, my mind became ever fixated on what the Resurrection means to so many in the body of Christ. Is the Resurrection about the parades of young children, the speeches and plays, the beautiful dresses and handsome suits, the food, the family and friends, or even the way the pollen seems to get so heavy around this time? Or is the Resurrection a time of reflection where the believer comes to terms with the fact that they could have never done what was done for them in their own human capacity?
Quite honestly, I believe that many times we, as believers, must remember that the Resurrection represents more than just the beauty found in the clothes, the food, and the productions, but more than ever in today’s cultural chaos we must remind ourselves that the Resurrection speaks volumes to the fact that He spared no expense. For when I get caught up in the glitz and the glamour, the new suits, the bounty of ties in every imaginable color, I remind myself
But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.
(Isaiah 53:5)
What is taking place in the Isaiah text is a reference to sacrifice, not beauty. If we believe without a shadow of doubt that His passion led him to die upon a cross for the sins of the whole world then we come into a greater reconciliation with the idea that the price He paid was too much for us to handle. It means to each and everyone of us that we can not afford to pay the price, the bill, or the invoice for what He did on that sacred day.
You and I must understand that Jesus bore our iniquities, not because He became a sinner, or that sin was transferred to Him, for that would be impossible. Guilt is a personal quality and cannot be transferred. Many of us go through our days attempting to transfer guilt to somebody on our jobs, in our schools, or even at our churches, but if we really realize that He spared no expense in and FOR our lives, then we will stop trying to give the bad or negative feeling to our brother or sister and give it all to Him who came that you might have life and have it more abundantly.
Jesus stood between God and man(woman) and relieved the blow of the sinner upon Himself. And there in is the good news of the text of your life. That one day, when you could not have done it, He did just for you. Therefore, as you go through this week of Resurrection, this time when He is walking the earth, allow Him to resurrect things in your life. Many of you are going through trial and tribulation because you won’t give it all over to Him. When you resurrect, you allow that which has been dormant or (considerably) dead to rise up again in a profoundly powerful way.
The secret of resurrection is that when something rises, it rises better than it was before. I don’t know about your work history, but today is the day that you can resurrect that which was seemingly bleak. Resurrect those relationships with family and friends that have gone asunder. Pull your credit report and come up with a resurrection plan to your financial freedom. Save more. And pray harder. Ultimately, when you reach way down in your belly out of you shall cry rivers of resurrection where you speak to your situation, or maybe even your facts, and say that because He spared no expense, nothing I ask for in His name is too hard for Him to do!

Have a miraculous week,

The Reverend Jarrett Britton Washington, M.Div., MACE
Pastor,New Bethel AME Church
3754 Old Charleston * Johns Island, SC 29455
(Red Top Subdivision) http://www.facebook.com/NewBethelAME
The Reverend Jarrett Britton Washington, Pastor and Instructor