How God Expresses His Love for UsSample

The God Who Loves Us to Death

God’s Story

At the Passover meal, Jesus teaches his disciples through the bread and wine what he is about to do for them. They don’t understand.

The group walks to a favorite spot on the Mount of Olives, where Jesus prays so fervently that his sweat is like drops of blood. Judas betrays him. Soldiers apprehend Jesus, and one of the disciples recklessly cuts off a soldier’s ear. He still doesn’t understand Jesus’ mission.

Jesus is interrogated by Jewish and Roman authorities, falsely accused and framed. Pilate releases Barabbas, who is guilty of murder, and condemns Jesus, whom he finds innocent, to death.

Jesus is crucified between two criminals. One mocks him, but the other recognizes his innocence. Jesus welcomes him into his kingdom. Entrusting his spirit to his Father, Jesus gives up his life.

Before Sabbath begins, Joseph of Arimathea takes Jesus’ body to an unused family tomb. When a group of women return to the tomb on Sunday to anoint Jesus’ body, they find the tomb empty. Two angels suddenly appear and tell them that Jesus has risen. Excited, the women spread the word to the disciples. Jesus appears to two of his followers on the road to Emmaus and then to his disciples in Jerusalem. Forty days later he ascends to his Father.

The King’s Heart

“Satan entered Judas,” and Judas agreed to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3 – 6). Satan was going to use Judas for his purposes — to accuse. In a few hours, Jesus would be accused of being a liar, a deceiver, a false prophet, and a fake Savior. The powers of darkness were going to do their very worst, killing God’s own innocent Son.

Jesus was well aware that the forces of darkness were going to unleash their evil as he carried the weight of the world’s sin — and that his Father was going to allow them to do so. Golgotha must have been thick with throngs of dark powers. And when Jesus gave up his life, they must have celebrated. They had killed God’s Son.

But their celebrations were unwarranted. Evil’s actions would be the very events God would use to free his people. The good God triumphed once again.

Insight

Luke the medical doctor writes that Jesus’ “sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:44). This means that Jesus either perspired in large drops like blood or experienced hematidrosis, the actual mingling of blood and sweat — which can occur under the most stressfully horrifying of conditions. The crucifixion was no easy journey. Our salvation was certainly not free.