The Way

Heb.12:² “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne” [with emphasis].

Do you want to sit in the place of honour God has for you and your destiny? If your answer is yes, then you must keep your eyes on the joy while you go through the pain. It is not about the pain, it is about the joy. Jesus had to keep his eyes on the glory set before Him.Another Bible translation puts it this way, “He disdained the shame…”. If you watch the movie, The Passion of The Christ by Mel Gibson, you will see how Jesus was humiliated. But historians tell us that even in that movie, the humiliation was toned down. He was actually stripped naked and was shamed, but He could endure it by keeping His eyes on the joy that was set before Him.

Jesus could endure the pain of Friday because He knew that Sunday morning was coming, and He would rise again. You may be going through a tough time that appears as if it is shameful, I want to remind you that Sunday is coming. Keep your eyes on the joy that God is setting before you. It is not about living a crucified life. I have friends that say, you have to live a crucified life and I understand their position because it is the way. Yet it is not about living a crucified life, it is about living a resurrected life and there is a huge difference. However, to get to the resurrected life, you have to be crucified and go through the crucified life. But please do not stay there. Are you not glad that Jesus did not stay on the cross? Jesus is alive.

The focus is not the burial of the seed, the focus is not the termination of the seed, the focus is the fruitfulness of the harvest. The focus cannot be and should not be dying to the way of the world by itself. The focus cannot be and should not be dying to the way of self by itself. The focus should be living to the glory of God. As central as the cross is to our faith, as central as the cross is to the believer, the cross is just a passage to resurrection. It is all about the empty tomb not about the crucifix. It is the resurrection that gives meaning to the crucifixion. The cross would not mean anything if Jesus did not rise again on the third day.

Jesus is love personified, Jesus is the epitome of love. To understand God’s love, look at Jesus. In John 20:1-20 [please read], a lot of people focus on the fact that Mary was looking for Jesus. However, we must not miss the fact that Jesus had to respond to Mary even though there was so much at stake. Jesus had not gotten to heaven, but He had to show compassion and affection to Mary.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the place of honor that You have reserved for me, I rest in Your love and I believe it will carry me through the cross, in Jesus Name. Amen!