Our coyote looking dog enjoyed the wild berries that grew along the river dike. Yet as much as he wanted the berries, he wouldn't stick his muzzle into the bush because of the painful thorns. Instead, he'd face the berry, look up to me, and wait for me to reach into the thorns to retrieve the berry. A strange proposition. He got the berry and I got the thorns!

They put a crown of thorns on Jesus' head just prior to crucifying Him. In a way it was symbolic of the pain He was willing to endure on our behalf. He experienced the death that should have been ours. We were granted His righteousness. "God made Him, who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" 2 Cor. 5:21.

The Bible teaches that He tasted death for every man (Hebrews 1:9) and "Christ died for our sins". The love God has for each of us personally is beyond measure.

The death of His Son was for our personal sins. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus" Romans 5:1.

We now have fellowship with our loving and just God through faith in Jesus Christ the Lord!

God Bless You.

Pastor Greg Brownell

United Brethren Church

Dayton