“I will not say much more to you, for the prince of this world is coming. HE HAS NO HOLD OVER ME, but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and DO EXACTLY WHAT MY FATHER HAS COMMANDED ME…” (John 14:30-31)
But wait, Jesus was mocked, beaten, humiliated then He was crucified isn’t that a victory for the devil? You see:
“…he took up our pain and bore our suffering, YET WE CONSIDERED HIM PUNISHED BY GOD, stricken by him, and afflicted.” It seems this was an enemy triumph… “But, Jesus was pierced for OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, he was crushed for OUR INIQUITIES; the punishment that BROUGHT US PEACE was on him, and by his wounds WE ARE HEALED.” (Isa. 53:4-5)
No, you see, Jesus willingly endured all this because of HIS AMAZING LOVE FOR US!!! He could have displayed His AWESOME POWER by defeating the devil without suffering any pain, but He came to the world in order to fulfil His purpose, which was to save the world from sin and bring glory to God by obeying His command, and Jesus stuck to it, all for us!!!
“Jesus made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, HE HUMBLED HIMSELF by becoming obedient to death– EVEN DEATH ON A CROSS!” (Phil. 2:7-8)
Being blameless, the only human being in all history who was completely pure and without sin, Jesus was the only one who could “stand in the gap,” the only one on whom Satan had no claim. He was the only one who had not deserved death, either physical or spiritual. But, satisfying the purpose for which He had come to earth, Jesus voluntarily offered Himself. He was crucified as the ULTIMATE, BLAMELESS SACRIFICE. He died as the Lamb of God, the atonement for all mankind. He bore the punishment of ALL OUR SINS, and died, the just for the unjust. Giving new meaning to this very familiar scripture:
“For God so loved the world, that HE GAVE His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have ETERNAL LIFE.” (John 3:16)
Thank you Jesus, may our lives bring glory to you…Bill Stockham