The last few nights I have opened up to read in two very similar chapters, Matthew 27 and John 18-20. Here are a few things God was showing me as I read. Jesus was insulted and mocked as He hung on the cross: •He trusts in God. Let God rescue Him if He wants Him, for He has said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ (Matt. 27:43) •“He saved others, but He can’t save Himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let Him come down from the cross now and we will believe Him. (Matt. 27:42) •Even the the criminals who were crucified with Him heaped insults on Him. (Matt. 27:44) And I believe there is encouragement to be found in Jesus example, that we can do likewise. Since we have been adopted by our Heavenly Father as sons, there will be people who see the cross and only mock and insult. There will be those that don’t understand the significance of the work of the cross. To some it is the aroma of death unto death, to others the aroma of life that brings life (2 Corinthians 2:14-16). There will be people who look at you and challenge God’s goodness or power, even if He’s already demonstrated it and is about to do something amazing through choosing the cross. Christ could have come down from the cross. But His purpose was not to prove mockers wrong right then, for soon they would be. And one day every knee will bow and every mouth confess Jesus is Lord (Philippians 2:10; Romans 14:11). Including theirs. Jesus’ purpose as He hung on the cross was to complete the work of it. And with His last breath, He proclaimed it. It is finished. Praise God! Jesus set us the example that while He was accomplishing the work of the cross, while He was being mocked, insulted, and challenged, He did not have anything to prove to them about His claims about being the Son of God, His ability to save Himself, or if God wanted Him. Jesus had confidence because He knew- The reason My Father loves Me is that I lay down My life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from My Father. (John 10:17-18) Jesus was proving it right then, by staying on the cross. He knew what came next. In all things during His time on earth, Jesus chose to be obedient to His Father. Whatever purposes God has called you to be obedient to, don’t worry about proving yourselves to mockers and those that insult you because they don’t understand. As Proverbs 9:7 says, “Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult.” Besides, Jesus said in Matthew 5:11 that you are blessed “when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.” You don’t have to prove yourself to others, because it’s not about you. “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.” (2 Corinthians 4:5) “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 04:20:52 +0000
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