The Passion of the Lord
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April 24, 2011 |
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 "When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden, in which He entered with His disciples. Now Judas also, who was betraying Him, knew the place, for Jesus had often met there with His disciples. Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, 'Whom do you seek?' They answered Him, 'Jesus the Nazarene.' He said to them, 'I am He.' And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them." (John 18:1-5)
When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to fulfill the providence of God through the Passion of the cross, a multitude of people welcomed Him waving the palm leaves and shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!" But a couple of days later their shouting completely stopped and instead there was a terrible crying from the wrathful crowd, "Crucify Him!"
The day when the people welcomed Jesus with palm leaves was the beginning of His Passion of the cross. In this sense, on Palm Sunday modern Christians commemorate not only Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem but also the beginning of His Passion and Crucifixion. On this Palm Sunday let's meditate on the reasons that Jesus came down to this earth in a human form and bore all the sufferings and crucifixion.
1. Jesus Was Crucified on the Behalf of Us Sinners
It was in order to save us that Jesus, who is the only Begotten God who was in the form of God, bore all passions and was crucified. He took all sufferings and humiliations and gave His life for mankind in order to deliver the souls that were doomed to fall into hell because of their sins and lead them to Heaven.
Since Adam sinned, all men are born with original sin. Furthermore, they commit sins while growing up. The law of the spiritual realm decrees that all sinners shall pay the penalty of sin that is death. God the Ruler of the spiritual realm does everything according the law of justice.
When He preplanned the way of salvation before the ages, God foreknew the law recorded in Romans 6:23, that reads, "The wages of sin is death" should be observed absolutely in delivering sinful mankind from their sins. The way of human salvation that God prepared before the ages was in complete accordance with this justice: a sinless person could pay the penalty for all sinners, but that person would have to bear their sins. That is, God destined His only begotten Son Jesus to be born on this earth.
Jesus was not born with original sin because a virgin, Mary, was pregnant with Him by the power of the Holy Spirit, and since His birth He committed no sin at all because He kept all the laws and decrees. In light of holiness, Jesus was completely qualified to redeem all men from their sins. When Jesus died on their behalf and paid the penalty for their sins, the way was opened for them to gain salvation and enter Heaven. This was in complete accordance with the law of justice.
But it cost Jesus so much. It was not easy at all to bear the penalty of death on the behalf of sinners. Without an immeasurable amount of sacrificial love, no one can give up his life for sinners and pay the penalty eternal death for their sins. Jesus did have such a great love and bore the Passion with love for the sinners.
Jesus was born in a stable and lived a poor life during His earthly life. The reason for it was to release mankind from their poverty. He was flogged over His whole body and bled to redeem them from all kinds of diseases. He was crowned with thorns and blood covered His face, which was to forgive them of their sins committed in their thoughts and hearts. On Golgotha, His hands and feet were nailed through and during His crucifixion much blood dropped, through which we gained the chance in which all our sins committed in action can be forgiven us. Jesus redeemed us from all curses by being hung on the wooden cross and dying in place of us and for us.
People didn't feel grateful for all these sacrifices of Jesus, but instead hurled humiliation, scorn, and mockeries against Him. Even for the wickedest of people, Jesus asked for the forgiveness of God and gave His life. In His perfect love He bore this gravest burden of fulfilling God's providence of salvation of mankind and paid such a horrible punishment on their behalf for it. Until He fulfilled everything, He couldn't enjoy complete rest in His heart.
The completeness of His sacrifice is well revealed in the biblical records on the night before He was crucified. When He offered His final prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, He cried out in prayer with all His strength and heart saying, "yet not My will, but Yours be done!" and His sweat became like drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He was arrested, He also said, "Shall I not drink from the cup the Father has given me?" He brought God-given duties in remembrance every moment and made every effort to fulfill the will of God at the cost of any sacrifices and sufferings.
2. What Kind of Life Is Worthy for Us Who Received the Love of the Cross?
When I was sick, I thoroughly experienced how meaningless and unprofitable fleshly love is. But the Lord was totally different. He gave me His life to save me and came to me. Everyone abandoned me, but He took hold of my hands and loved me unchangingly.
As soon as I came to grasp His love, I came to love Him more than anyone else. My love for the Lord has never changed, even for the slightest moment. My love for the Lord has been only enhanced day by day. Because of my continual remembrance of His great love demonstrated on the rugged cross, I have been obeying without hesitation whatever difficult commands given to me by the Lord.
With what kind of attitude are you looking at the cross? Are you faithful until death saying "I can do anything for You, my Lord!"? Or have you ever failed to overcome even the slightest temptation and committed sins and defiantly neglected your God-given duties?
If you really feel the love of the Lord, you can throw away sins and evils God hates, and love Him first of all and love your neighbors as yourself. Your heart is also filled with the fervor to lead as many souls as you are able onto the path of salvation. You can have mercy on your enemies and those who persecute you and ask God to forgive them. This is the way of the Lord and the will of God toward us.
May you offer the sweeter confession of your love for the Lord every day reminiscing of the love of the Lord through His crucifixion and come closer to Him practicing His love in your daily life!
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