• Introductory Reflections

What happened on the cross? This question has been answered by several in many different ways. In 2004 the epic film, The Passion of the Christ, directed by actor Mel Gibson graphically chronicled the last twelve hours of Jesus’ life on earth. When asked why he wanted to tackle Christ's story, Gibson's response was heartfelt. "I wanted to make one that was as realistic as possible; I wanted the audience to feel like they were really there, witnessing the events as they had actually happened," he said in a telephone interview. The film is rated “R” for its graphic violence. We are left with the question, “Was the suffering of Christ physical? If the violence were not shown would we better understand the agony of Jesus or would we understand it less? Did Jesus suffer and if so why and how? This will be part of our study this week.

• Questions for Reflection

1. Jesus suffered great anguish before Calvary. True or False? (Mk 14:33,34)

2. When Jesus asked that the cup be taken from Him, it signaled He was no longer thirsty and that He was ready to carry out the Father’s plan. True or False? (Matt 26: 36-42)

3. It was God who delivered Christ over to death for our sins. True or False? (Rom 14:25; Gal 2:20)

4. It is possible to have been delivered from the power of darkness and not know it. True or False? (Col 1:13,14)

5. God Himself was crucified with Christ. True or False? (Mat 27:46)

6. The phrase spoken by Jesus on the cross, “It is finished,” was His way of expressing His resignation/willingness to accept God’s plan for our salvation. True or False? (Jn 19:28-30; 10:18)

• Reflective Review

Earlier this quarter we were reminded that the “portable” sanctuary was physically situated in the heart of all the different tribes—declaring that God was dwelling among them. Wherever they traveled, God was with them. The sanctuary services taught an extremely important and hopeful message: “Bring your burdens, your temptations and your sins to Me! I will heal your broken hearts, your aimless lives.” This was a message profoundly illustrated for the desert wanderers as they brought their sacrifices. Centuries later we see the fulfillment of the sanctuary service: Jesus hanging on the cross outside of Jerusalem where the vilest of sinners were executed. On Calvary we see the cross of Jesus situated between two thieves symbolically stating to the crowd gazing upon the scene that He was the worst of the worst. It was true. He was for upon Him rested the sins of the world. Generations before, Adam and Eve had been banned from the Garden of Eden because of their sin. Now Jesus was to be crucified outside the gates of Jerusalem (Heb 13:12), the city of peace, and what words do we hear Him say during His darkest hour: “Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.” (Lk 23:34) To even the casual observer it becomes obvious that something profound was happening. Something was happening on the cross that exceeded the extreme physical agony so well pictured by Mel Gibson in his epic film. The beatings, the bruisings inflicted by whips and words, do not convey what was happening on the cross. There was indeed a struggle but it was not prompted by the fear of death or even by the torture which He endured. We have a hard time grasping just how terrible being separated from His Father really was for Jesus. His moaning words, “I thirst”, were not for water but for oneness with His Father. (Ps 42:1,2) We must not forget that Jesus offered others springs of water which would well up into eternal life (Jn 4:13,14) but on Calvary His vicariously sin parched soul was cut off from His Father. Jesus was thirsting after the spiritual connection with His Father unlike any thirst we have experienced. The whole Godhead suffered--for oneness had been their eternal experience. The Father, the Holy Spirit and the Son all suffered as the weight of sin crushed out the communion the three had experienced for eternity. The price of our salvation cannot be measured by the blood loss on Calvary. Rather the blood symbolizes not only the life of Jesus but the price the Trinity paid that we might come home to Them. The commitment to our redemption will be the study through the coming ages. How can we possibly refuse such an offer. No wonder Jesus could say,

14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” -- John 14:1-3 (NIV)