Jesus Crucified
Matt 27:32-56
The passage on Jesus’ crucifixion is a familiar passage to many of us. However, this time when I read it again, the word “CHOICE” kept ringing in my mind. Throughout the journey that led to Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross and even as He hung on the cross, there were multiple times that Jesus could have exercised His authority and power as the Son of God to avoid the suffering. He was attacked on all fronts – physically, mentally and emotionally, all of which He did not deserve. Yet, He did not yield. What kept Him from exercising that right, and instead choose to go through the crucifixion on our behalf?
Jesus had great clarity on why He was on earth. He knew that He was here to do the will of His Father, despite His own emotions. “Not as I will, but as you will,” He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39). He knew His purpose, that His crucifixion and resurrection would reconcile us to God and give us eternal life. He knew that there was something far more glorious that would come after the pain and suffering.
Jesus was fully yielded to His Father. I believe this came from the deep intimacy and security of knowing that He was dearly loved by His Father. At His baptism, even before His ministry began, He received the affirmation from His Father who declared from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)
Jesus chose to be crucified for us as He knew the heart of His Father. He did not need to prove Himself, gain the approval of men or justify Himself as He was fully secure in the love of His Father.
Were there times when we felt that we needed to do certain things to prove our worth, to behave in a certain way to gain the approval of men or to say certain things to justify ourselves? Jesus has removed the need for these when He hung on the cross for us. We are worthy, approved and justified in Him. He has redeemed us and set us free because of His CHOICE to be crucified for us.
When attacked on all fronts in whatever situation we are in, we can CHOOSE to crucify our human, natural response that causes us to react from a place of anger, defeat and hopelessness. Instead, we can CHOOSE to remember the hope that we have in Jesus’ crucifixion, that He has overcome and we can be overcomers in Him.
Will we, too, choose to crucify our flesh for God to shine through us? Will we choose to find our security in the love of our Father and yield to the bigger purpose He has for our lives?
As we reflect about the Cross this Lent, may we come in full surrender to Him and ask Jesus for help to crucify our old nature so that we can overcome our suffering just as He did.
By sister Sarah Choo