Endure part 3
What Jesus endured on the way to the cross--being beaten, and mocked, stripped down, having a crown of thorns stuck onto (into) His head--is generally referred to as the Passion of the Christ. I think because it shows how passionate His love for us was (and is). Right? Because you would really have to love someone to endure all of that for them. Which, of course, was a big part of the point. Jesus said the greatest love a man can have is to lay his life down for his friends. And then, friends, He went to the cross and did just that. He laid His life down... for us. Endured all of that hurt, and ridicule, and humiliation... and death!... for us. Gave us everything He had and everything He is. Look at Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." That's how God showed us His love. That's how He proved to us... that He loves us. He died for us. Literally gave His life for us, and to us. Told us what the greatest measure of love was... and then gave that measure of love to us. Jesus put His money where His mouth was, if I can say it that way. He endured the worst that WE had to offer. Because make no mistake--God did not kill His only begotten Son. We did that. God raised Him (and us in Him) from the dead. In order to show His love. Again. He died for us to show His love to us, and He rose from the dead to show His love to us. It's all about love. God is love. So, as we saw yesterday, it is HIS endurance that matters. What HE did on the cross. And that's why KNOWING what He did on the cross is so important. Let me try to paint a word picture for you. If your parents tell you to mow the grass (and lets say, just for example, that you really don't like mowing it)... that's gonna weigh heavily on you until you do it. Because--whether this part is true or not--you probably think you're going to get into trouble if you don't do it. So it's like this big ominious thing hanging over your head. But then let's say your older brother comes up to you and says he mowed it. I think your first reaction would be relief. The job is done, you didn't have to do it, all is well. And maybe some gratitude towards old big bro. So you go back to what you were doing. But there's a tickle in the back of your mind. An itch you can't quite reach. Because what if he just SAID he did it, but didn't really do it? What if the work ISN'T finished, and your parents are still relying on you to do it? Now you're freaking out again. When, in truth, all you need to do is go look at the lawn. See if the work is finished or not. And if you give it a little peek, and see that the grass is cut... now you're at peace. Because you know beyond the shadow of a doubt that it is finished. And not because of what you did, but because of what was done for you. That's how it is with the cross. Until you KNOW that the work is finished, you'll always be worried about it. Either running from it, or trying to finish it. Knowing what Jesus has done (endured) both for us and as us is what allows us to enter into His rest. To stop trying to do it ourselves. Knowing and believing that it is HIM--His Spirit, His forgiveness, His endurance, His love--that equips and empowers US is what allows us to be who we really are. Which is who we are in Christ. Which is who Christ is in us!