God’s Glory Through the Death of Jesus

Luke 23:26-56, 2 Corinthians 3:16-18, Hebrews 10:19-22

Jesus, condemned by both His own people and everyone else, heads to calvary; yet, He continues to see the people with love around Him. As He is hoisted up on that hill, He looks to His right and to His left and prays earnestly, “Please, forgive them, Father.” Then, despite His love and righteousness, the perfect One experiences the wrath of God and the weight of separation from the Father that He had never known. He experiences the forsaking of God.

Silence fills the earth. 

Darkness. 

“The Savior of the world was fallen. His body on the cross. His blood poured out for us. The weight of every curse upon Him…” 

God’s glory is on display in the fact that in the deepest human suffering one could possibly imagine - whipped, bloodied, bruised, stabbed, betrayed, spat on, left alone, thirsty, hungry, barely breathing, abandoned, and murdered - Jesus still loves. He still forgives. And He makes a promise to the criminal hanging beside Him, for reasons worthy of condemnation, that this repentant man will see Him face to face in paradise. 

Could you imagine being the one beside Jesus on the cross? You recognize your brokenness, as it has earned you death. You feel the weight of your desperate need for saving, but you don’t see a way out. Simultaneously you see God’s holiness on display in Christ. You see that as Jesus was tortured, He continued to speak gently to others and pray for his persecutors. You think you are too broken, but then God SEES you, looks you in the eyes, and says, “You are forgiven.” Then as darkness goes over all the land, God affirms that this is true. The curtain tears, the Earth quakes, you breathe your last, and you awake in paradise. 

This same promise that Jesus offers this criminal, is offered to us who believe.

Wonder:

Have you asked for and received Christ’s forgiveness? Why does He forgive you? Spend some time reflecting on the love that God has for you. 

Up from heaven, down to Earth, the temple curtain is torn in two! FINALLY, there is at last a worthy and sufficient sacrifice! The glory of God’s wrath is on display upon a worthy substitute for all mankind. No more barriers, no more veil between us. Just faith in the worthy lamb of God that gives us an intimate relationship with the Father through Christ and the Spirit He left for us that will never leave or forsake us. 

Throughout this whole story, we can see that as people interact with Jesus, they are transformed. When the criminal on the cross is forgiven, he goes from condemned to saved. When the curtain tears in two, the centurion believes and says, “Certainly this man was innocent!”. When Jesus dies, Joseph of Arimathea worships God by offering up His precious, unused tomb. Nichodemus worships as he brings 75 pounds of spices to anoint Jesus in His burial. People's lives are radically changed as they contemplate the love of Christ.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Jesus suffered greatly for his obedience to the Father. His love cost Him His entire life. He loves even until the moment He dies. 

Wonder:

What does this reveal about Jesus’ character? What does that reveal about us and how we should live in response? As we end this year and look forward to a new one, how will Jesus’ sacrificial love change how you live?

“Forever, He is glorified! Forever, He is lifted high… 

We sing hallelujah, the Lamb has overcome.”