Jesus Crucified (Easter)

Jesus was in a very weak condition. Since supper with his disciples He had not eaten anything. Besides the beating and lack of sleep He had experienced an agonizing struggle in Gethsemane. So terrible had been the anguish that his sweat was like drops of blood.

The condition of the world, the state humans reach when sin has taken over sin and is therefore controlled by the enemy, is terrible. Despite the great suffering of Jesus, no one felt pity or sorrow. The great weight of the cross was too much for the Lord yet no one wanted to “contaminate” themselves and carry the cross. Ironically, the Passover lamb for which they desired to stay pure for through the feast, represented He who was carrying the cross.

Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus. Luke 23:26.

A stranger, attracted by the commotion, approached the crowd and saw a humble and innocent man struggling with a heavy cross while everyone laughed. Simon did not know Jesus personally and although he had heard about His work Simon, did not know that He was the son of God. But his human compassion awoke the desire to help Jesus.

What a blessing it was for Simon, the Lord's servant tells us. From that day on Simon not only literally carried the cross of Christ, but he fulfilled what Jesus calls all of us to do.

If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Matthew 16:24-27.

Simon did not take part in the salvation of humanity by carrying the cross. But I believe that he will receive great honor heaven for having suffered with Christ. Everyone who participates in Christ’s sufferings, which to this world may seem as insignificant will receive their reward in heaven.
Even in His agony, and in the path to Calvary, Jesus' attention turned to human suffering.

And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him. But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’ Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” Luke 23:27-30.

These women did not necessarily believe that Jesus was the messiah, but they were moved by human sympathy. Jesus told them not to weep for Him but for themselves and their children. Again, the Lord looked at those who would perish during the destruction of Jerusalem. The children of these mothers would be exterminated. But the picture does not end there; instead it is then directed to the end of the world and what it will be for the wicked who,

... hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand? Revelation 6:15-17.

Finally, they crucified Him (Luke 23:33).
The Lord Jesus, did not open his mouth, offered no resistance, and did not say a word. As a lamb led to slaughter (Isaiah 53) He did this all for our sake.
There is no doubt that death on the cross was one of the worst tortures in existence. It was a slow and extremely painful death. But the Lord’s suffering went far beyond physical pain.

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Mark 15:34.

What led Him to utter such words?

It was not the dread of death that weighed upon Him. It was not the pain and ignominy of the cross that caused His inexpressible agony. Christ was the prince of sufferers; but His suffering was from a sense of the malignity of sin, a knowledge that through familiarity with evil, man had become blinded to its enormity. Christ saw how deep is the hold of sin upon the human heart, how few would be willing to break from its power. He knew that without help from God, humanity must perish, and He saw multitudes perishing within reach of abundant help. *1

The sin of humanity led Jesus to be separated with the father which was something He had never before experienced.

Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father's mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father's reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt. *1

So great is the pain that sin causes when it God’s grace is withdrawn from man. Our pain would be the same if Christ had not died on the cross for us. Our pain would be the same if we had no hope of eternal life.

Satan with his fierce temptations wrung the heart of Jesus. The Saviour could not see through the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father's acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so offensive to God that Their separation was to be eternal. *1

Thank the Lord that through His sacrifice we will not have to suffer such anguish. Unfortunately, history will be very different for those who reject His call. At that moment,

Christ felt the anguish which the sinner will feel when mercy shall no longer plead for the guilty race. It was the sense of sin, bringing the Father's wrath upon Him as man's substitute, that made the cup He drank so bitter, and broke the heart of the Son of God. *1

I pause for a moment, because I always like to reflect upon the reaction in heaven to these events. Human history is a story for the entire universe.

All heaven and the unfallen worlds had been witnesses to the controversy. With what intense interest did they follow the closing scenes of the conflict. They beheld the Saviour enter the garden of Gethsemane, His soul bowed down with the horror of a great darkness. They heard His bitter cry, "Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me." Matt. 26:39. As the Father's presence was withdrawn, they saw Him sorrowful with a bitterness of sorrow exceeding that of the last great struggle with death. The bloody sweat was forced from His pores, and fell in drops upon the ground. Thrice the prayer for deliverance was wrung from His lips. Heaven could no longer endure the sight, and a messenger of comfort was sent to the Son of God. * 2

Heaven beheld the Victim betrayed into the hands of the murderous mob, and with mockery and violence hurried from one tribunal to another…mocked, scourged, condemned, and led out to be crucified, bearing the heavy burden of the cross, amid the wailing of the daughters of Jerusalem and the jeering of the rabble. *2

Heaven viewed with grief and amazement Christ hanging upon the cross, blood flowing from His wounded temples, and sweat tinged with blood standing upon His brow. From His hands and feet the blood fell, drop by drop, upon the rock drilled for the foot of the cross. The wounds made by the nails gaped as the weight of His body dragged upon His hands. His labored breath grew quick and deep, as His soul panted under the burden of the sins of the world. All heaven was filled with wonder when the prayer of Christ was offered in the midst of His terrible suffering,--"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34. Yet there stood men, formed in the image of God, joining to crush out the life of His only-begotten Son. What a sight for the heavenly universe!* 2

How sad for the angels, which since their creation had loved and served the Lord.

With amazement angels witnessed the Saviour's despairing agony. The hosts of heaven veiled their faces from the fearful sight. Inanimate nature expressed sympathy with its insulted and dying Author. The sun refused to look upon the awful scene. Its full, bright rays were illuminating the earth at midday, when suddenly it seemed to be blotted out. Complete darkness, like a funeral pall, enveloped the cross. "There was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour." There was no eclipse or other natural cause for this darkness, which was as deep as midnight without moon or stars. It was a miraculous testimony given by God that the faith of after generations might be confirmed. *1

Even amid all the darkness and suffering, God was there, and Jesus trusted in that promise."Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for you are with me."

In that thick darkness God's presence was hidden. He makes darkness His pavilion, and conceals His glory from human eyes. God and His holy angels were beside the cross. The Father was with His Son. Yet His presence was not revealed. Had His glory flashed forth from the cloud, every human beholder would have been destroyed. And in that dreadful hour Christ was not to be comforted with the Father's presence. He trod the wine press alone, and of the people there was none with Him.* 1

Finally, Jesus concludes the work of redemption on the cross.

And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” Having said this, He breathed His last. Luke 23:46.

But it was no longer with the sadness or distress that he had experienced only moments earlier.

Suddenly the gloom lifted from the cross, and in clear, trumpetlike tones, that seemed to resound throughout creation, Jesus cried, "It is finished." "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit." A light encircled the cross, and the face of the Saviour shone with a glory like the sun. He then bowed His head upon His breast, and died. *1

Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of His Father's acceptance heretofore given Him. He was acquainted with the character of His Father; He understood His justice, His mercy, and His great love. By faith He rested in Him whom it had ever been His joy to obey. And as in submission He committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father's favor was withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor. *1

Victory! The Lord had fulfilled His mission. Anyone who approached him could be saved.

Well, then, might the angels rejoice as they looked upon the Saviour's cross; for though they did not then understand all, they knew that the destruction of sin and Satan was forever made certain, that the redemption of man was assured, and that the universe was made eternally secure. Christ Himself fully comprehended the results of the sacrifice made upon Calvary. To all these He looked forward when upon the cross He cried out, "It is finished." *2

Now by His blood we have eternal life.

Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. Hebrews 9:12.

JESUS IS COMING SOON, AMEN, YES, COME LORD JESUS!

1 * The Desire Of Ages, "78. Calvary", Ellen G. White
2 * The Desire of Ages, "79. It is finished ", Ellen G. White