April 15th, 2025
This week, Christians around the world will celebrate the foundational truth of our faith: the
crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no easier time to dwell on the truths of the Word of God than Christmas and Easter. Both are a celebration of the Gospel and Jesus Christ Himself!
This week, I just want to share one small piece of truth that captured my heart this week. It will be a reminder for many of you, but I encourage you to let your heart receive it as if it’s the first time you heard the Gospel!
When I was a child, I watched parts of the Passion of the Christ. I was probably too young for some of the graphic imagery, but it seared my heart. I remember the grief I felt. I wept at the abuse Jesus suffered at the hands of the Romans. He carried His own cross after being beaten beyond recognition. A crown of thorns pierced Him deeply as blood ran down His face. Naked and mutilated, He was hung on a cross to die. It is horrific to dwell on and it would have been unbearable to see.
However, I missed a powerful truth when I saw the depiction of Christ’s crucifixion as a child. I was grieved for the abuse Jesus suffered. I saw Him as a victim – an innocent man abused by Roman soldiers. I saw the Son of God tortured and killed by cruel men.
The truth of Jesus’ crucifixion is much more powerful than that. Jesus was not a victim of
anyone. He willingly laid His life down, in love, for you and me. It was for sin that Jesus hung on that cross!
Let’s look at a couple of stories that took place prior to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.
In Luke 4:28-30, we read an interesting story of what happened when Jesus’ teaching angered a crowd so much, they tried to kill Him. It says:
“All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
The Scripture doesn’t clarify how Jesus was able to walk through an angry crowd that had driven Him to the edge of a cliff unscathed, but He was. They did not have the power to lay a hand on Him.
We see Jesus’ power and authority demonstrated again in John 18:3-11, which tells of His arrest. It says,
“Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So, he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Judas came with a mob – religious leaders and soldiers carrying torches and weapons. The plan was apparently to take Jesus by force, even after all Judas had seen. Such a plan would never have worked. They did not have the power or authority to kill Jesus. Just the declaration of His identity knocked them to the ground! When Peter tried to defend Jesus by force, cutting off someone’s ear, He defused him saying, “Will I not drink the cup my Father has given?”
Look again at that Scripture. Jesus knew everything that would happen to Him and He chose to drink the cup from His Father’s hand. Matthew 26:53 gives us another detail of this same story. After Peter cut off the servant’s ear, Matthew records this part of Jesus’ response:
‘“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by
the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”’
Jesus was not a victim of Roman persecution. He was not crucified by evil men or the devil.
Jesus chose the cross because it was the only way to atone for the sin that separated us.
The Father gave Him a choice. He could have chosen to call for legions of angels to deliver Him and the Father would have sent them.
Jesus chose the cross or they would not have had the authority to crucify Him. We see this
confirmed by Jesus’ own declaration in John 10:18. He said,
“No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” Jesus did not lose His life. He laid it down, for you. He was not forced to die on a cross. He chose to do it, because your life was worth His suffering. This week, as we celebrate Easter, I encourage you to remember that Jesus was not a victim of Roman execution. He was a willing sacrifice, the only one who could die in our place. As it says in Hebrews 12:1-2, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is no easier time to dwell on the truths of the Word of God than Christmas and Easter. Both are a celebration of the Gospel and Jesus Christ Himself!
This week, I just want to share one small piece of truth that captured my heart this week. It will be a reminder for many of you, but I encourage you to let your heart receive it as if it’s the first time you heard the Gospel!
When I was a child, I watched parts of the Passion of the Christ. I was probably too young for some of the graphic imagery, but it seared my heart. I remember the grief I felt. I wept at the abuse Jesus suffered at the hands of the Romans. He carried His own cross after being beaten beyond recognition. A crown of thorns pierced Him deeply as blood ran down His face. Naked and mutilated, He was hung on a cross to die. It is horrific to dwell on and it would have been unbearable to see.
However, I missed a powerful truth when I saw the depiction of Christ’s crucifixion as a child. I was grieved for the abuse Jesus suffered. I saw Him as a victim – an innocent man abused by Roman soldiers. I saw the Son of God tortured and killed by cruel men.
The truth of Jesus’ crucifixion is much more powerful than that. Jesus was not a victim of
anyone. He willingly laid His life down, in love, for you and me. It was for sin that Jesus hung on that cross!
Let’s look at a couple of stories that took place prior to Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion.
In Luke 4:28-30, we read an interesting story of what happened when Jesus’ teaching angered a crowd so much, they tried to kill Him. It says:
“All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.”
The Scripture doesn’t clarify how Jesus was able to walk through an angry crowd that had driven Him to the edge of a cliff unscathed, but He was. They did not have the power to lay a hand on Him.
We see Jesus’ power and authority demonstrated again in John 18:3-11, which tells of His arrest. It says,
“Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. So, he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) So, Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Judas came with a mob – religious leaders and soldiers carrying torches and weapons. The plan was apparently to take Jesus by force, even after all Judas had seen. Such a plan would never have worked. They did not have the power or authority to kill Jesus. Just the declaration of His identity knocked them to the ground! When Peter tried to defend Jesus by force, cutting off someone’s ear, He defused him saying, “Will I not drink the cup my Father has given?”
Look again at that Scripture. Jesus knew everything that would happen to Him and He chose to drink the cup from His Father’s hand. Matthew 26:53 gives us another detail of this same story. After Peter cut off the servant’s ear, Matthew records this part of Jesus’ response:
‘“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by
the sword. Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and He will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?”’
Jesus was not a victim of Roman persecution. He was not crucified by evil men or the devil.
Jesus chose the cross because it was the only way to atone for the sin that separated us.
The Father gave Him a choice. He could have chosen to call for legions of angels to deliver Him and the Father would have sent them.
Jesus chose the cross or they would not have had the authority to crucify Him. We see this
confirmed by Jesus’ own declaration in John 10:18. He said,
“No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.” Jesus did not lose His life. He laid it down, for you. He was not forced to die on a cross. He chose to do it, because your life was worth His suffering. This week, as we celebrate Easter, I encourage you to remember that Jesus was not a victim of Roman execution. He was a willing sacrifice, the only one who could die in our place. As it says in Hebrews 12:1-2, “Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
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