He loved His own unto the end
Good Friday. Is.52:13-53:12;Heb 10:16-25;Jn 18:1-19:42
“ Follow Through”
John 13:1 tells us ,” Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, HE LOVED THEM UNTO THE END.”
On this solemn Friday when we remember the death of our Lord on our behalf , it is good to know that he did not swerve from the task He was given by the Father and which He willingly accepted. He set his face toward Jerusalem like a flint . His purpose was plain and planned. Many verses tell us this: one is Matthew 20:18 “ Behold we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”
There was follow through in our Lord’s mission to go to the cross despite its difficulty and suffering that was untold for the world. Now we can be thankful for this that even though there was plenty of times He could have just dropped it and said ,” this is too much” He did not. I will point those out in the passion narratives. Of course He could have it in an instant as perfect man and perfect God powerfully swept it all aside. But He did not.
In sports (this may be a trivial illustration but it is the one that came to me again and again), the athlete is often tempted to just throw that golf club into the wood line. Who has not seen the tennis player in their frustration in high profile matches break their racket by repeatedly banging it on the court? In every sport there is follow through . The batter follows through on the ball when it pitched with the bat. The tennis player must follow through on the ball when it is hit so that it goes over the net and where it should be.
Where could our Lord have just thrown in the towel so to speak? John tells us early that Jesus “ was troubled in spirit..and said, Verily, verily, one of you shall betray me.” 13:21 He knew as well that Peter would deny him, not only once but three times. One of the officers strikes Jesus when talking to the high priest. 18:22 The people select Barrabas instead of Jesus to be released, a thief and a murderer. Mark tells us that the Soldiers began to salute Jesus, “ Hail , King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him….and they mocked him.” Mk 15
Luke 22 tells us in the Garden that Jesus prayed ,” Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” “His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” as He was in agony. He found the disciples sleeping through this time.
Of course we need not recount the actual crucifixion on the cross , the pain, the agony, His thirst, His bleeding , the cruel manner of death it was done by the romans. But one note, He did not take the wine given to those who were to be crucified. “ And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh :but he received it not…” Mark 15 This would have dulled some of the pain like a drug.
Our Lord did not give up. He did not miss the mission and the goal of dying for our sin. In all the suffering and pain, He went on because as we said in the beginning. He loved His own which were in the world. He loved them unto the end. John 13:1 He followed through. Thanks be to God for this gift!
“ Follow Through”
John 13:1 tells us ,” Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, HE LOVED THEM UNTO THE END.”
On this solemn Friday when we remember the death of our Lord on our behalf , it is good to know that he did not swerve from the task He was given by the Father and which He willingly accepted. He set his face toward Jerusalem like a flint . His purpose was plain and planned. Many verses tell us this: one is Matthew 20:18 “ Behold we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of Man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.”
There was follow through in our Lord’s mission to go to the cross despite its difficulty and suffering that was untold for the world. Now we can be thankful for this that even though there was plenty of times He could have just dropped it and said ,” this is too much” He did not. I will point those out in the passion narratives. Of course He could have it in an instant as perfect man and perfect God powerfully swept it all aside. But He did not.
In sports (this may be a trivial illustration but it is the one that came to me again and again), the athlete is often tempted to just throw that golf club into the wood line. Who has not seen the tennis player in their frustration in high profile matches break their racket by repeatedly banging it on the court? In every sport there is follow through . The batter follows through on the ball when it pitched with the bat. The tennis player must follow through on the ball when it is hit so that it goes over the net and where it should be.
Where could our Lord have just thrown in the towel so to speak? John tells us early that Jesus “ was troubled in spirit..and said, Verily, verily, one of you shall betray me.” 13:21 He knew as well that Peter would deny him, not only once but three times. One of the officers strikes Jesus when talking to the high priest. 18:22 The people select Barrabas instead of Jesus to be released, a thief and a murderer. Mark tells us that the Soldiers began to salute Jesus, “ Hail , King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him….and they mocked him.” Mk 15
Luke 22 tells us in the Garden that Jesus prayed ,” Father if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” “His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” as He was in agony. He found the disciples sleeping through this time.
Of course we need not recount the actual crucifixion on the cross , the pain, the agony, His thirst, His bleeding , the cruel manner of death it was done by the romans. But one note, He did not take the wine given to those who were to be crucified. “ And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh :but he received it not…” Mark 15 This would have dulled some of the pain like a drug.
Our Lord did not give up. He did not miss the mission and the goal of dying for our sin. In all the suffering and pain, He went on because as we said in the beginning. He loved His own which were in the world. He loved them unto the end. John 13:1 He followed through. Thanks be to God for this gift!
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