Sacrifice

THE COMMUNITY OF THE CROSS 

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: ‘Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other criminal rebuked him. ... Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Luke 23:39–40, 42–43). 

Most people are aware of Jesus’ death on a cross. To some, it’s a simple historical event with no bearing on their life today. For others, it is a reverent symbol of their faith. 

But I would suggest something a bit more radical: Jesus and the two men on either side of Him on Calvary represent one of the most extraordinary examples of community you will ever hear. The depth of Jesus’ sacrifice to establish that community is best illustrated by the responses of the two criminals—symbolic of you and me. 

We can be like the one man who mocked Jesus and wondered why He did not just save Himself. That person could only look selfishly for deliverance. 

Or we can be like the other man, who confessed who Jesus was and looked to Jesus to remember him when He got to His community. His eyes were on who Jesus was; the other man’s eyes were on what Jesus might do for him. One wanted relief from his situation; the other wanted to be present with Jesus despite the situation.

On the cross, Jesus provided us a perspective of what happens when He invites us to become a part of His community. First, He leads us to the cross in order to die with Him. We all must go there at some point in our lives. If we seek to hang alongside Jesus, we have only two choices: mock Him or accept Him. We can believe or disbelieve. We can ask Him to save us from our situation, or we can ask Him to save us. Period. 

Jesus made something else very clear: There is no redemption or entry into the heavenly community without sacrifice. Our community life on earth is simply a microcosm of the heavenly community, which is to reflect all that Jesus was and is. And that means we are to make sacrifices on behalf of others as well. 

Secondly, Jesus’ community requires giving up something for the greater good. There is an element of substitution in that equation. In other words, I exchange something I have with another for that someone’s benefit. Without an exchange or a substitution, there is no sacrifice. Jesus wanted us to see that on the cross as well. He exchanged places with the criminal who believed in Him so He could taste death, and the criminal could have life. 

Another thing about substitution—it can never be done vicariously. Or virtually. True community enables us to sense the sacrifice, the anguish, and the realization that someone cared enough for us to assume that third position on that hill. All of this must happen in the context of being with others. 

The heavenly community is also a community of forgiveness. Jesus was clear in the Sermon on the Mount that only the forgiven and those who forgive would join Him in the heavenly kingdom. 

The really good news is this: God’s capacity to forgive exceeds our capacity to sin beyond His forgiveness!

Everyone is invited into this community of believers; unfortunately, not everyone accepts the invitation. Some people refuse to believe that God can accept them for who they are or for what they have done. But He does. Now, that’s definitely good news! That’s the kind of community I want to be a part of. 

Today, unfriend the thinking that you can have all that Jesus wants of you apart from sacrificing yourself on behalf of others. He’s not there to remove you from your hardship; His community exists to help you through the hardship.

For more content like this, check out the book Unfriended by Joe Battaglia!