LISTEN TO ‘I LOVE THE WAY JESUS DIED’ HERE.
VISIONS: GETTING IN TOUCH WITH YOUR “DAY DREAMS”
Steven C Johnson
LandingStripEnterprises.Com
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RevelationConnections.Vision
Why I Love the Way Jesus Died
I love the way Jesus died!
The more I think of the way Jesus died, the more I love Him!
Don’t you love the way Jesus died!
I love Jesus’ courage, resolve, and willing-hearted devotion! I love His composure, authoritative command, and endurance! I love His yieldedness and steadfast faith!
I love the way Jesus died! His submission to His Father. His determination to overcome the powers of darkness. He goes for the prize when others think it shameful embarrassment.
I love how Jesus stuck it out to the end rather than bailing. You see, Jesus could have avoided the cross. He could have taken off the weekend and gone down to Eilat to snorkel in the beautiful Red Sea.
On the cross He could have said, “I’ve had enough!” He could have lost His temper with the mockers and come down with fury. He might have called the angels to bring down fire.
Jesus could have dismounted from the cross like an Olympic gymnast! He did not cave in to the temptation, for the sake of the mission. He was focused on a great task.
Jesus died perfectly! He died well! He gave us a model for dying well.
I love His determination to obey His Father; I love His endurance and follow-through, to the finish. Most of all, I love Him for this greatest expression of love!
Jesus Was in Command
If your image of Jesus on the cross is some frail, withering weakling, you need to get the story right! He was in charge! He died, not with a whimper but with a triumphant shout!
I want you to see the cross as Jesus’ command and control center.
Here is a piece of Matthew’s account:
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!”
In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.'”
In the same way the rebels who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him. (Matthew 27:39-44)
The gawking, mocking crowd, the religious leaders, and the one thief all said, “Save yourself!” They knew if they were on a cross and had the power to save their skin, they would do it.
But they did not understand that Jesus did not come to save Himself. He was on a supernatural rescue mission – to save them!
They were unaware they were all in a holy vortex and intersection of Messianic prophecies established before the creation, being fulfilled before their blind eyes! Matthew continues:
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”)
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:45-54)
We know from the other gospels that Jesus’ shout contained two phrases: “It is finished!” and “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit!”
Samson used an unusual weapon, the jawbone of a donkey. Jesus takes up the cross, His weapon of choice!
We are talking about the most powerful, pivotal moment in history and its vast implications. So powerful that it disarmed the powers of hell. So pivotal that it becomes the greatest before and after story ever told. Even our calendars say, “Before Christ, and Anno Domini (the year of our Lord).”
The Power of the Cross Event
Our theme is The Power of the Cross and Jesus the perfect Savior. He is the model for us to imitate, so we may die well.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:17-18)
The world thinks it ridiculous – absurd — foolish that a man dying on a cross would bring us any lasting benefit. In fact, they are right. Just any man, tortured and dying on a cross would do nothing of lasting value for us. The power is not in the cross, or a man on a cross, but in the magnificent person of the Son of God.
The benefits flow from the person of Christ – covering sin, transacting forgiveness, rest from striving, peace, freedom from condemnation. A powerful reality!
Both Sides of the Coin
There is no such thing as a one-sided coin.
Here is perspective. Today we focus on our Lord’s ministry at the cross, but we know very well, we may take just as much time, and more, to consider the greatest escape artist in all creation. His name is Resurrection and the Life!
The other side of the coin is the resurrection. The scriptures talk more of the power of the resurrection than the power of the cross:
Christ, “was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead” (Romans 1:4)
By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. (1 Corinthians 6:14)
For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. (2 Corinthians 13:4)
[The mortal body], “is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power” (1 Corinthians 15:43)
The two sides of the coin are seen in Romans 4:25:
“He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.”
You see, the cross doesn’t make sense without the resurrection, and the resurrection doesn’t make sense without the cross.
If we preach the cross without the resurrection, we tend to degrade into religious strivings, morbid introspection, and even man-made attempts at suffering to refine ourselves. We miss the supernatural energizing vitality of the risen One!
If we consider only the resurrection, we end in an empty triumphalism, without appreciation for the great price paid for our redemption. We fail to see the need for serious commitment. We fail to take our own crosses to follow the Lamb.
So, we preach both the cross and the resurrection in union.
In 1 Corinthians 1:17 Paul’s gospel message includes the cross. He preached, “not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.”
But in Acts 17:18 “Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.”
Rethinking the Cross
Having this perspective, let’s look at this one side of the coin, the amazing, appalling, wonderful death of Jesus, what it means to us and how we may respond to Him. Let’s rethink the cross!
We conjure up images, sometimes based on religious art, trying to put pictures to the story line.
Jesus is painted with a loincloth, but the scandal was that the soldiers were rolling dice for his underwear.
Artists depict Jesus carrying a heavy cross of wood with squared-off dimensional lumber. Actually, this would not have been the case.
Historical Context of Crucifixion
Studying archaeology and history, we know that wood was precious in Jesus’ day; it was not wasted.
There were no sawmills to square off timbers, so they were typically left round to retain wood density and save the labor of sawing.
Straight, unplaned sycamore fig branches or uniform trunks like pine were laid for roof rafters.
So for economy of timber, Jesus’ cross was most likely made from the spindliest wood adequate to bear a man’s weight, and for economy of labor, the members were lashed together. You might picture the cross keeling to one side, bowing under Jesus’ weight.
The Romans ended up crucifying thousands in Palestine, looking for any wobbly piece of wood to do the job.
The practice of crucifixion in antiquity was brought to life as never before when the heel bones of a young man named Yehohanan [Jonathan] were found in a Jerusalem tomb, pierced by an iron nail.
Separating Tradition from Scripture
Some traditions talk of the stations of the cross. For example, they create the story to have three episodes where Jesus falls under the weight of the cross. They insert a moment when a woman named Veronica wipes Jesus’ face. There are no references in the scripture of Jesus falling or of Veronica.
We talk of climbing Calvary’s hill, but scripture gives no reference to a hill.
No one was there with video. We desire to illustrate the words with pictures.
The scriptures warn us not to add to or subtract from the word of God. I don’t think we deliberately do it, but we fall into idolatry, making God look like and talk like us.
We paste on a loincloth because we are ashamed of our nakedness. We add a couple falls to the ground because we need more humiliation and drama. We add a hill because there ought to be some landscape design. And we add squared-off lumber because that’s what we would build with.
But the worst thing we can do is take away. We have taken away Jesus’ shout!
We have muffled and silenced Jesus with our own imagination. We think, “If I was on the cross, I would be a pitiful, whimpering mess. I wouldn’t be shouting.” So, we paint the Lord Jesus in our image. We need to repent.
Jesus’ Authority Over His Death
Jesus had told His disciples:
“The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.” (John 10:17-18)
Jesus was all business at the cross, all authoritative resolve, all endurance, all conquering effort!
The soldiers were not in charge, Jesus was! The nails did not hold Him. It was divine purpose and love.
Have you ever seen a man die shouting? Jesus died that way! It was the shout of a warrior celebrating His victory. Not, “I’m finished” but “It is finished!” It was a shout of accomplishment, of triumph, of exultation. “Father, I’m now coming home to You!”
The Centurion marveled with trembling. He had seen victims of execution beg for mercy and shout curses, but he had never seen someone die with a shout, let alone with earthquake and darkness.
We Need to Get Our Shout Back
We need to let Jesus have His shout back!
Not only so, we need to get our own shout!
When Jesus asks us to take up our own cross and deny ourselves, we need to stop going into the mopey, poor, pitiful me mode. We need to go into shout for the victory, and for the glory! We die shouting as we give up time, energy, wealth, friends, and ambitions – as we testify and serve others.
I remember the day Pam and I were to testify in court about our daughter’s abduction. I was very sick. I did not know if I could make it to court. I remember leaning over the bathroom sink and vomiting.
But as I did, my heart was full of devotion to God. Between contractions and upheavals, I would say, “God, I am your man.” “I yield myself to you.” “Be glorified in this trial!”
As I was retching my toenails, I was also glorifying God for his goodness, for his blessings and control over our lives.
I believe it was one of those moments where God enabled me to die well, even with strong confession.
Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of His godly one. When we die daily, our Father sees it as a precious sacrifice.
Some of us don’t like a lot of shouting. It grates on our ears. We see it as culturally inappropriate. But Jesus shouted and we need to get our shout back, the shouts of overcomers, those who endure the painful challenges and come through victorious. Dying well, dying like our Lord Jesus Christ.
It’s a good day to die!
The Magnitude of Christ’s Suffering
I will never diminish the sufferings of Christ.
The scriptures tell of a man of sorrows. They say he was so beaten that His face was not recognizable. The Psalm tells how the Messiah felt all his joints out of place. He felt terrible thirst.
The inner psychological pain must have been the worst – feeling betrayed, misunderstood and abandoned. Pain tends toward confusion and disorientation.
Jesus refused to take the myrrh, which would have acted somewhat as an analgesic to cover the pain. He faced the pain rather than hiding from it. I think he wanted to concentrate on the business at hand.
In terms of what His death looked like, I see Gibson’s depiction of the death of William Wallace as more representative of Christ’s death than that of the character in The Passion of the Christ. Wallace, like Jesus, died with a shout, proclaiming “Freedom!”
From start to finish, I see Jesus as the man with authority and integrity, in full moral control on the cross. Although humble with God, Jesus is the one in command.
The True Source of Our Salvation
The Catholic tradition has emphasized the gore of the cross.
It is vital to remember we are not saved by the magnitude of Jesus’ sufferings but by the magnificence of His Royal Person!
When a lamb was slaughtered at the temple for a sacrifice, it was not received as a covering for sin because it was brutally killed, but because it was pure. Its blood was pure.
Jesus’ pain was excruciating, but Jesus saved us, not by His pains. To exaggerate a bit, the King could have saved us with a paper cut, but He was willing to bear so much more for the sake of great gain, for the sake of great joy!
In fact, Jesus stayed with the cross for many reasons, but one of the most compelling reasons for sticking out the cross was joy! Not the joy of suffering, but the anticipation that the suffering would end in joyful satisfaction for Himself and billions of others!
Let us look to Jesus, the author 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. (Hebrews 12:2)
Isaiah says, “He will be satisfied with the travail of His soul.”
An Exceptional Death
Someone may tell us, “Did you hear that Jack died?” We respond with shock. “I just talked to Jack last week. How did he die?” And the answer comes: It was a car accident, food poisoning, he was gunned down, a meteor pulverized his home.
We always want an explanation. How did they die?
Jesus’ death was exceptional.
Here is the biggest celebrity of the nation – a man recognized for His closeness to God and exceptional character. A man that stood up boldly to His detractors, who cast out demons and healed diseases. A man who spoke with more grace and wisdom than anyone!
A man who predicted his own death on a number of occasions. He captured hearts of thousands. Condemned to death on trumped-up charges.
Little things like earthquakes and the sky going dark happened that day. The veil in the temple torn.
Jesus did not curse the soldiers or religious leaders. He did not whine or fall to self-pity. He did not beg for mercy, things other victims do – for Jesus is not a victim.
Jesus set His face like flint to go to Jerusalem, knowing what was ahead. He made the final buy-in in the olive grove the night before.
From start to finish it is Jesus in charge at the cross. Now watch Him!
Jesus’ Last Words
We listen carefully to the last words someone says before they die.
The priest intercedes on behalf of the guilty. “God Almighty, receive this sacrifice and forgive their sins.” So our High Priest also says, “Receive this sacrifice and forgive their sins.”
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. (Luke 23:34)
The good Shepherd lays down His life communicating security and a future to the thief:
Today you will be with me in paradise. (Luke 23:43)
The sensitive son cares for his mother and the directive leader delegates responsibility:
Behold your son: behold your mother.
Quoting the Messianic scriptures, Jesus feels separation for Himself – so we may be brought near!
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
The man of endurance acknowledges His humanity. The One who generously provides living water says:
I thirst.
Jesus doesn’t die saying, “I’m wasted, I’m done for” but rather shouts in success, accomplishment, relief, satisfaction:
It is finished. AND Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.
Immediately he dies, completing His great project, He breaks the tape, completing His race, crossing the line with a kick.
No wonder the Centurion was astonished! Jesus died well! I would like my last words to be “Mission Accomplished!” and die like my Lord!
Satan’s Great Blunder
Satan saw the cross like a great chess match. Ever-so-clever, the Devil thinks a dozen moves ahead.
He kills God’s prophets, priests, the wise and godly – decimation of God’s rooks and castles, his bishops and knights, God’s people are pawns for the taking.
He has outwitted God. God is cornered. And now for the gruesome finish – remove the light of the world, and all will be darkness! And he does… NOT!
He did not know the secret hidden wisdom, the “foolishness of God.” The Father’s plan all along was to glorify Himself by taking seeming tragedy – and so bring us salvation, and consume darkness with light!
Paul said:
“We declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” (1 Corinthians 2:7-9)
Satan’s presumptuous bloodthirst has brought him into God’s trap of checkmate!
He blundered into killing Jesus, the greatest backfire of the ages!
The Benefits Flow
THE BENEFITS FLOW AS THE FULL WORTH OF BOTH SIDES OF THE COIN PROCLAIM – Assurance, Peace, Comfort, Rest, relationship with God, eternal life!
Our Response to the Cross
OUR RESPONSE TO THE CROSS – GRATITUDE, ADMIRATION, WONDER
If denying myself and carrying a cross wins me an opportunity to be with Jesus, it is a small price to pay!
Let’s give Jesus His shout back. And as we pick up our crosses, let us take up our shout, and die well!
Steven C Johnson
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