THE GREATEST SUBSTITUTE AWARD
“While we were still helpless [powerless to provide for our salvation], at the right time Christ died [as a substitute] for the ungodly. Now it is an extraordinary thing for one to willingly give his life even for an upright man, though perhaps for a good man [one who is noble and selfless and worthy] someone might even dare to die. But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8 The Amplified Bible)
Since the Monday Short was not short at all, I’ll make it up to you today. My professional roles in life included years in the education system, at the secondary and college level. I think I did pretty good, based on the fact that I won a Teacher of the Year Award at one high school, expanded Psychology classes from two to seven at another high school, was deemed qualified to supervise two student teachers during my second year, directed the top pre-engineering program for minorities in a consortium consisting of Big 10 Schools, and I won the Adjunct Faculty Member of the year at a Division I School of Engineering and Technology. But get this! After retirement, when I was hired as a substitute teacher at an elementary school, it was a challenge. I was lumped into a group of subs, all with great credentials and a wealth of experience, who were met often with these comments: “Not you again! Where is our teacher?” I don’t think any one of the subs I knew would have earned the greatest substitute of all time title, and that includes yours truly. As far as our substitutionary role is concerned, we were not deemed “the greatest.”
Now, from a perspective that should be every person’s view in the entire world, when it comes to the greatest substitute, the greatest to every carry out a substitutionary role, only one person qualifies. His name is Jesus. The “Greatest Substitute Award” goes to Him. The opening and closing verses support this fact. And now, as a side benefit, you know what theologians and preachers mean when they use the term “substitutionary.” Amen!
I told you I would make up for the Monday Short, didn’t I? Yes! And I did it by making one major point. Think about it! Be thankful about it! Tell somebody about it! Be blessed!
Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15 NLT)
Mark L. King