“And I, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me. He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death.” –Jesus, John 12:33, MSG

It is tiresome in any people group to work with on a task with someone who demands that their way is the best way.  Most times when people arrogantly demand attention and allegiance to doing things their way it has nothing to do with the goal of the project.  Getting their own way is just their way of life. People who demand their own way are not going to stay silent while their way is not being heard with compliance.  In fact, in their minds, not heeding to their demands becomes the fault and stupidity of the person not doing what they say.  Blame, shame, and pain seem to be the name of the game.  (Sorry, I was a first-grade teacher—we rhyme.)

These thoughts occur to me as we read again of the pain our Savior went through to show the world that the glory of God was about to be revealed—even as He was crucified on a cross.  The mission from God to save us is completed by His One and Only Son, Jesus.  Jesus came into the world to seek and to save the lost, not to be served but to serve.  Jesus completes the mission by demonstrating the full extent of God’s love for us by willingly laying down His life to pay the debt of the sins of the world—then and now.  This amazing act of Love was The Way, God’s Way, to eternal Life.  Jesus’ work on earth is the Way to God, the Truth of God, and provides Life from God.

Reading this passage for the first time, it would seem that—

• The Jewish leaders got their way.  Jesus is crucified and will no longer be a threat to their conscience—or so they think.
• The coerced crowd got their way.
• Pilate put up a sign to get his way in rebellion to the religious leaders who put him on the spot to get their way.
• The soldiers got their way.

But God’s Way and Plan to save us prevailed as does His love for us. 

Scripture is fulfilled in every way.  When “it is finished”, Love and Grace wins.

John 19, The Message

The Crucifixion

They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read:

JESUS THE NAZARENE

THE KING OF THE JEWS

^20-21 Many of the Jews read the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was right next to the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The Jewish high priests objected. “Don’t write,” they said to Pilate, “‘The King of the Jews.’ Make it, ‘This man said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’”

²² Pilate said, “What I’ve written, I’ve written.”

^23-24 When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, “Let’s not tear it up. Let’s throw dice to see who gets it.” This confirmed the Scripture that said, “They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat.” (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)

^24-27 While the soldiers were looking after themselves, Jesus’ mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother.

²⁸ Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, “I’m thirsty.”

^29-30 A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, “It’s done . . . complete.” Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.

^31-34 Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn’t stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.

³⁵ The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe.

^36-37 These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, “Not a bone in his body was broken,” and the other Scripture that reads, “They will stare at the one they pierced.”

* * *

³⁸ After all this, Joseph of Arimathea (he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he was intimidated by the Jews) petitioned Pilate to take the body of Jesus. Pilate gave permission. So Joseph came and took the body.

^39-42 Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus at night, came now in broad daylight carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. They took Jesus’ body and, following the Jewish burial custom, wrapped it in linen with the spices. There was a garden near the place he was crucified, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been placed. So, because it was Sabbath preparation for the Jews and the tomb was convenient, they placed Jesus in it.

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

To fully understand, let’s go back and review what Jesus said to his disciples as He prepared them for what was soon to come;

“Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.

“If any of you wants to serve me, then follow me. Then you’ll be where I am, ready to serve at a moment’s notice. The Father will honor and reward anyone who serves me.

“Right now I am shaken. And what am I going to say? ‘Father, get me out of this’? No, this is why I came in the first place. I’ll say, ‘Father, put your glory on display.’”

A voice came out of the sky: “I have glorified it, and I’ll glorify it again.”

The listening crowd said, “Thunder!”  Others said, “An angel spoke to him!”

Jesus said, “The voice didn’t come for me but for you. At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am lifted up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me.” He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death.” John 12:25-31, MSG

What is our response?  

Do I want (demand) my own way, which is limited and unpredictable?  Or do I seek, trust, love, and serve God’s Way, putting aside my own interests?  (Philippians 2)

My way or God’s way is a decided choice I make every day in every detail of my life.  (Romans 12:1-2)

PAUSE TO PRAY AND REFLECT

• Do I believe, really believe that God loved me so much that He sent His Son to die in my place for my sins—the punishment I deserved? 
• Do I really believe that Jesus then defeated death and in resurrection power rose from the tomb, scars and all, to walk and talk with His beloved once more? 
• Do I believe in The Way or still demand my own way?  Do I stop to ask God what HE wants? 

“Don’t hold back your love, says Jesus.  Let go, be reckless with our love, without conditions to earn our love.  Just love.  Love God, then love others like He loves us.  Powerful!

This way of love is diligent in our obedience to God for our obedience is a pure and holy expression of our love for God!

One last precious demonstration of pure, holy love is shown by Jesus to his mother and to John (most likely).  “Woman, here is your son.” “Here is your mother.”  Wow.

I choose God’s Way to love and to live.

Lord,

Thank you for teaching us the power of Your Love from the cross.  Surely, these acts of love and sacrifice teach us Your Way to love that are far above human love.  But with your love growing in us, we can become more and more like you in your ways and in your love.  All because you first loved us.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

In Jesus Name, Amen