On the Way to the Cross

So many times in Jesus’ ministry, things happened on the way. People were healed, people were forgiven, and people were restored. Jesus didn’t wait to get to the cross or until he rose again to begin his ministry of forgiveness and restoration. And just because he was beaten to within an inch of his life and taking his last steps literally on his way to be hung didn’t mean that he would stop now. He still knew who he was, where he came from and where he was going and he knew what his mission was here on earth.

“A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. Jesus turned and said to them, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ Then ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’ For if men will do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” Luke 23:27-31

If men will do these things to the Son of God himself, then those who follow him surely will not be spared. Well, that just blew a huge hole in the ‘prosperity gospel’. Somewhere along the line, many in the church believe that if we follow Jesus, we will be protected from any physical harm or hardship. In fact, they believe, if we follow Jesus, we will be financially well to do, never be sick and never lose someone we love in an accident. And when life happens and we have to deal with losing a job or worse yet losing a spouse or child in an accident or to cancer, many question their faith and some turn away from God saying he can’t exist if he let this awful thing happen.

But God never promised us that nothing bad would happen to us in this life. In fact, Jesus said, "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33 The promise is that when we walk with Jesus, he will give us the strength to deal with the hardships in this world and we have the promise of eternity with him, free from the pain and sickness and death this world brings. “Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:16-17

Jesus was nailed to the cross. “The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.’ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar and said, ‘if you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’” Luke 23:35-36 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34. Indeed they did not. There was only one reason God did not destroy the world and all that was in it at that moment. Not because he couldn’t or was a God without power and not because he didn’t know what was going on. The only reason those who mocked Jesus were allowed to go on was because of the awesome and powerful love of God allowing them to live.

As I was teaching our teenagers how to drive, sometimes aggressive drivers would weave through traffic going 80 mph while others on the road swerved out of their way and hit brakes to let them in. I would say to the student driver, “That person is alive not because he is a brilliant driver, but because others choose to let him live.” In this case, the soldiers and rulers who mocked Jesus were still alive because God chose to let them live, not because they were so smart or powerful. In fact, they unwittingly helped accomplish the plan of salvation that God had laid out before the foundations of the world came into being.

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ‘Don’t you fear God,’ he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’” Luke 23:39-43

Teaching on the way to the cross, forgiving from the cross, and promising paradise to a sinner who at the last minute discovered the real meaning of the kingdom of God. What an awesome and powerful love was motivating Jesus that day!

Thank you, Jesus, for not quitting on the way to the cross. Thank you for completing the work you came to do in the midst of great pain and suffering. Thank you for doing that for me and for every other sinner who comes to you accepting your grace and salvation you offer to us not because we are so smart or worthy, but because of your love.