Have you ever stopped to think about why Jesus was willing to go to the cross? Why would he choose to leave Heaven, become a man, deal with the physical, emotional and mental anguish and pain that He endured during His time on the earth and then end that journey with the most painful death, crucifixion?
Just writing that breaks my heart. We only know what the Scriptures tell and I am certain that there is so much more pain to Jesus’ earth life story than is told in them.
Put yourself in Jesus’ “shoes” for a moment. The Son of God. Present since the beginning of “time”. His home is perfect – no sin, no darkness, no anger, no sorrow, no pain. He and His Father live there together. Earth has fallen since His Father created it. What once was beautiful and contained a relationship with man, who His Father made in Their image, is now full of everything that heaven, His home, is not.
Why would He even consider leaving the perfect and beautiful for the broken and unlovely? The answer is found in verse 2 of Hebrews chapter 12, my favorite verse in the book of Hebrews.
While Hebrews is probably most known for chapter 11, “the faith chapter”, personally a particular verse in chapter 12 has impacted my life more than any other in the book.
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this passage quoted or preached about in my life. Yet, I have never heard a pastor or speaker catch what God continually brings to my attention.
Did you see it? If not, read it one more time yourself this question, “Why would Jesus leave Heaven to die on the cross?”.
The typical answer is because of us, we are the reason and that is very true. We are the reason that Jesus gave His life, there is actually a song with those lyrics. Below is a video featuring that song and its lyrics in case you haven’t heard it or would like to hear it again.
For me, this passage says something very special that adds beauty to that truth.
It was because of the joy set before Him that He endured the cross and shame. What was the joy set before Him? WE ARE!
We are the joy that was set before Jesus. We are the joy-bringing reason that was set before Jesus that caused Him to take on the darkness, sin, pain and ultimately physical death on the earth.
This Scripture leaves me in awe that He loved me and found joy in me to follow through with the sacrificial path that was required of Him to save me…to save you.
I encourage you to take some time with Jesus and this passage of Scripture. Let it permeate your soul and sink deep within your heart. That it might change how you see yourself…to see you as Jesus sees you.
You are the joy that was set before Him!
