Passion and Resurrection
“You see the gospel is the good news because the bad news is without hope. And I can’t help but wonder: If we really considered how bad the bad news is, and how good the good news of Jesus is…”
---When Strivings Cease by Ruth Chou Simons
The good news came after the suffering, pain, and death. Let’s take these moments together to remember and relate to the days leading up to the crucifixion.
Have you ever considered all of the human emotions, thoughts, and burdens that must have been present the week leading up to Christ’s crucifixion and then resurrection? According to Christianity.com (article by Danielle Bernock), the Latin word for Passion is “suffering and enduring”, however, she goes on to define passion as originally meaning “A willingness to suffer for what you love.” Incredible! Isn’t this quite profoundly what Christ did? He subjected Himself to the suffering because of His deep love for His creation – US! Walk with me through His last days before His physical death.
The Last Supper
Can you imagine what suffering our Savior must have endured as He sat and partook of a meal with His disciples and commemorated what was about to occur; despite, the knowledge that these men He loved would betray, deny and abandon Him. The arguments that ensued about who was greater among the disciples must have appeared completely trivial and petty in light of the redemptive mission that was only hours away. This had to be immensely heartbreaking to Christ who witnessed their ignorance to the gravity of the situation.
To not be taken seriously or misunderstood
Prayer in the Garden
As Christ poured out His grief to the Father, His disciples slept! He once again had to make a conscious decision and surrender to the willingness to suffer excruciating pain for those He loved and desired to give new life. The sorrow was so great that Luke defines it as “…and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” How alone He must have felt!
To feel alone, figuratively and literally
Betrayal
Christ then endured the brutal betrayal of one of His own as they came to arrest Him. Can you imagine looking into the eyes of one you love dearly only to see betrayal and loss of hope?!
To be betrayed by one you love
The Arrest
And then all chaos erupts as an ear is cut off by a rogue disciple attempting to fight the inevitable. Christ upends their desire to rage physical war by healing the severed ear. Christ is arrested and His disoriented disciples flee! Although divinely He had chosen to surrender Himself because of love for each of us, I’m curious whether His human element held doubt in this moment as the storm brewing in the heavenly realms, as well as earthly, conspired against Him.
To doubt the purpose due to abandonment
The Trials
Christ stood before the chief priests, Pilate, and Herod while people threw insults and lies about Him. The King of Kings was mocked and ridiculed and for the most part remained silent, selectively choosing when to speak. There was no real defense given on His part as He was keenly aware of His purpose, which was only hours away from reality. But still… the accusations had to cut to the core of His being.
To be ridiculed and mocked by your enemies
The Crucifixion
And then horrors of horror, to be nailed to a cross because of the purpose clearly etched in His DNA --- to save and redeem! With this in mind, He willingly surrendered His life for each of us. He could have had a different response (think more like the whip in the temple on steroids) humbling His accusers and murderers, but God had swung into action with a plan to give us hope, redemption, and new life in abundance.
To succumb to the purpose although fully able to end it
The Sin
All these years, there’s been this belief that Christ, who had no sin, took all our sin upon Himself as He endured the cross. And I believe this to be true, but recently, an epiphany has woven itself through my mind and soul. Could it be that the pain, outside of the obvious physical torture upon Him, was centered around, not the sin itself, but the ramifications of the sin on each of our lives? Could it be the anguish that permeated His being in His death was watching the effects of our sin unfold in our lives? Did His pain, at least in part, result from being able to see into the future how sin would ravage our lives, seeking to destroy His beautiful creation? Didn’t He long to set each of us free from the destructive aftermath of sin in our lives --- wasn’t this His motivation?
Death, loss, suffering, agony, a tomb, buried… it is finished!
But God! Resurrection!
But God, all along, had a plot twist that led to a surprise climax.
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!” --- Luke 24:5-6
Life, Hope, Joy, and Celebration!
And just like that, grief was replaced with hope, death with life, and despair with redemption! New life had erupted onto the scene and life would never be the same!
Thankful the story did not end at the cross, but instead the pages continued, culminating in the resurrection of our Lord! New life is right around the corner with a decision to follow Your Creator and Redeemer! Choose abundant life!