The Trial
Copyright 2000 by Jon Gill

The hour was set
For the event
Which was to decide
Where I was to be sent
On the bench sat the Father
At His right hand the Son
Opposing, the prosecutor
Blaspheming One.

I stood alone
My fate they'd decide
What was the factor
The verdict would ride?
The gavel fell hard
The trial began
And nervousness quickly
Through my veins ran
I knew that my life
Was out on the table
"Exhibit A" labeled on it
But I was not able
To tell if what I
Had built it upon
Would withstand the onslaught
Of the Blaspheming One.

Proudly he stood
Dressed smartly in black
He showed an arrogant smirk
His lips open a crack
As he strode to the stand
I could plainly see
That his only intent
Was to disqualify me
He looked at my life
And began with a grin
(not a good sign
I could sense deep within)
"What we have here,
Dear ladies and gents
Is a plain simple sinner
So it should only make sense
That by law of the land
He should become mine --
But please sit back
As I explain why:
The very first ones
Yes, Adam and Eve,
The first two humans
One order received
They were told not to eat
Of one tree in the garden
It just shows you how much
These humans will harden!
From that sin on down
Death spread as a virus
My job became easy;
No opposition could tire us!
Humans like this one
Will so easily fall
For temptations so pretty
With rewards so small
Gratification so instant
Patience so lost
Anger so flaring
No matter the cost
Lust and desires
So consume these beings
They embrace sex and money
And all worldly things
Ten Commandments? Ha!
Ten Suggestions, maybe!
They ignore orders
And think they live free!
I'll wrap up my sermon
And explain to you why
This human has fallen
And deserves to die!
He is rightfully mine
He signed his contract
Each time he committed
Any sinful act!"

The silence was back-breaking
His words hung in the room
For deep in my heart
I knew they were true
So often had I fallen
So often ignored
The words of my righteous
And powerful Lord
One sin would condemn me
Be it anger or lust
One sin I had done
Now damnation's a must.
Sadly I waited
For what I knew would come
The verdict I was sure
Was not a happy one.
I looked to the bench
For the gavel to fall
But my gaze quickly shifted
To the One by the wall:
The Son there was moving
To the center of the room
Dressed in white, and yet simple
No gold buttons or plume
His splendor still showed
But not from around
From His face came the glory
So deep and profound
Simply He stood
Before the Father that day
He spoke only three words:
"I will pay."
Strange this did seem!
Some new type of defense...
Don't we pay the lawyers?
It just didn't make sense
Why He should offer
To pay in my stead
I could not figure it out
What was wrong with His head?
How did this work
That if I did the crime
Why would the Son of God
Be doing my time?
Death was the penalty;
The law stated so
Was there something here
That I didn't know?

The Son turned His face
And looked into mine
I knew then and there
What I couldn't define
For what I saw in those eyes
Was the reason that He
Chose to give His own life
To pay for me:
It was Love, more profound
Than can ever be told
The Love that remains strong
And never grows old
Because of that Love
He held out His arms
Shackles soon followed
And finally, harm.
They tossed His dead body
In a tightly locked grave
He stayed only a while,
And on the 3rd day
He rose from that death
And overpowered so sweetly
The Blaspheming One
And conquered Death most completely!
His death freed me
From the law and the price
Giving life freely
The eternal life!

Now I live with Him
And He lives with me
Together forever
In Heaven we'll be!


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