"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:14-17, NIV)

Being a human being (Son of Man) gave him characteristics and DNA as humans but without the sin component because He was without sin. 

I asked myself what does it mean to humble himself?
What came to my mind is that though Jesus is God and has the characteristics of divinity, He took on the role of a servant and submitted Himself without utilizing His power to benefit Himself but humanity. He stripped himself of any rights and did the unthinkable. Around Passover time Jesus even stooped down to wash the disciples feet as recorded in the Gospel of John chapter 13. What is more interesting and so convicting is that Jesus also washed the feet of Judas Iscariot who He knew was going to betray him within minutes. It is amazing, though Jesus was a King, Jesus humbled Himself to reach humanity.

I asked myself why he humbled himself?
What came to my mind is because Jesus loved humanity and wanted to show what real love and real servant leadership is, He allowed Himself to go through suffering and became our SUFFERING SERVANT.

A King became a SUFFERING SERVANT for HIS SUBJECTS.

Thank you Jesus, my Lord and Savior for suffering for me, a rotten sinner to the core. You became my redemption by your disfiguration and bruises and death.

"They shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall He cleanse many nations." (Isaiah 52:15, TLB)

"Yet, it was our grief He bore, our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, for His own sins. But He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; He was lashed---and we were healed! We---every one of us---have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God's paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on Him the guilt and sins of every one of us!" (Isaiah 53:4-6, TLB)

I asked myself what did obedient to death mean?
The only way death could come in Jesus' life was if He gave the permission for it to come.  He willingly for the sake of the mission John 3:14-17, allowed death to take hold of Him. What came to my mind is the type of death He was obedient to.

I asked myself what kind of death is emphasized and the significance of that?
I found it very interesting that the word EVEN stood out to reveal the death Christ became obedient to, evidenced by ‘even death on the cross!’ It was not any kind of death but seemed to emphasize a special kind of death by revealing the cross. It is as if to point out that this type of death is so horrible, scandalous, and excruciating to accept, yet Christ was obedient to that type of death.

I asked myself why did it have to be this type of death, death is death?
If Jesus wanted to be obedient to death, it did not have to be the cross! He could have drank poison, allowed himself to be stoned to death, beheaded, or hung and still come back to life but he decided to be obedient to death on a cross!

Why? Why? Why?

So I started thinking about it and the reasons behind the cross. What came to my mind is that the CROSS was used for these purposes:
1. For the most notorious criminals.
2. For the most cursed death.
3. For the most humiliating death.
4. For the most painful death.

Jesus wanted to go through this kind of death to accomplish the mission of John 3:14-17.

I asked myself, how does Jesus' actions fit into the category for the most notorious criminals?
Jesus took upon Himself to pay for all the crimes of mankind which when added together become notorious. Jesus made it His mission to be the sacrificial scapegoat for humanity. He did it willingly. Since all crimes added together amount to notoriousness, this is the death Jesus became obedient to for humanity. He was not silent but accepted the penalty for all our crimes. When I say crimes, I am thinking about all of the sins of humanity. In other words,  Jesus became the remedy for the 'sickness of the soul' as InterVarsity staff, Jason & Andrea like to express when talking with students about the Gospel.

The only time Jesus was silent was when they accused Him so that He could lay His life for us.

"He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He never said a word. He was brought before as a lamb to the slaughter; and a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He stood silent before the ones condemning Him." (Isaiah 53:7, TLB)

I asked myself, how does Jesus' dying fit into the category for the most cursed death?
It was believed that only the worst people would die on the cross and this was so. In essence, they were cursed for their crimes in life. Now, Jesus comes into the picture and takes upon Himself all the sins of the world including the worst situations mankind has committed and agrees to take the punishment of cursing because He was on Mission 3:16. When we should be cursed forever, Jesus intervenes. Jesus does not stop there but endures a humiliating death.

^"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." (Galatians 3:13-14, NIV)

I asked myself how does Jesus' actions fit into the category for the most humiliating death?
When people were to die on the cross, they were stripped naked and put on the cross. It was not a solitary event but people jeered a person dying in their nakedness. This alone would be so humiliating because you could not cover yourself even if you wanted to. Now the King of kings and the Lord of lords is facing this kind of humiliation to save humanity when Jesus did not have to but chose to go to the cross.

"They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him." (Matthew 27:28-31, NIV)

In addition, when a person is on the cross they lose a lot of blood and go into shock. Sometimes it would be as if they were shivering so much and cannot do anything about it. Usually when persons are injured, they are given a lot of covering to keep them warm until help arrives. Not for those dying a humiliating death on the cross. Jesus does not stop there but goes through a painful death.

I asked myself, how does Jesus' actions fit into the category for the most painful death and what is the significance of it?
When people were crucified, the pain was unbearable and there was no anesthetic or morphine to keep the pain from not being experienced. After being labeled notorious, cursed, and humiliated, they are now placed HANDS STRETCHED and FEET TOGETHER as NAILS are POUNDED inside the person.

"When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." (Luke 23:33-34, NIV)

Do you hear the screams and cries of pain with every hit of the HAMMER as 3 nails are pounded into the flesh of the One who did no wrong but asks forgiveness for those who are committing the wrong?
Other people at least committed crimes and had to face the punishment. Jesus faced it for our sake. Yes, for our sake! 

"From prison and trial they led Him away to His death. But who among the people of that day realized it was their sins that He was dying for---that He was suffering their punishment. He was buried like a criminal, but in a rich man's grave; but He has done no wrong, and had never spoken a evil word." (Isaiah 53:8-9, TLB)

Can you even imagine the pain?
An injection cannot compare anywhere close to it and yet I am afraid of needles. It is painful for me to prick my finger even when not an ounce of blood is taken.

What about the cross?
Jesus could have died other ways but to accomplish His mission John 3:14-17 for our sake, He kept the cross in mind. It is interesting that even before He went to the cross, in one of His preaching sermons, He lets the people know, “If you want to follow me, you must deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me. Those who want to save their life will lose it but those who are willing to give it up, will save it.”

Now Jesus picks up the cross and carries it until He can carry it no more and Simon of Cyrene carries it the rest of the way to Golgotha.

I asked myself what is the significance of the cross?
All the other types of death would not have fulfilled Jesus’ Mission 3:14-17 for humanity but the CROSS had unique reasons for fulfilling that mission. There was 3.5 litres of Jesus' blood that was shed for our sake. It flowed to redeem us when Jesus was crucified on Calvary for you and me. It is His blood that cleanses humanity of their unrighteousness as Jesus paid the ultimate price for our redemption. It was at the Cross!

When Adam and Eve sinned, they realized their nakedness and tried to hide it. They tried to hide it with fig leaves but God foreshadowed what would come one day, as God provided clothing for them after killing possibly a lamb so they could be covered. A lamb or another animal paid the price so they could be covered after their sinfulness revealed their nakedness.

On the cross, Jesus became naked when He took upon Himself our sins so we could be clothed in His righteousness. He became the sacrificial Lamb of God so we could be clothed in His righteousness without being naked in sin. No other death would have involved nakedness.

I believe there is a deeper reason for death on the cross than those I thought about above. When the Israelites were to escape the angel of death, they were to put blood on the door post of their door. The blood had to be from a sacrificed lamb.  It is interesting that the blood used to cover the door was placed in a horizontal and vertical way according to Scripture: “Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.” (Exodus 12:7)

If you take the horizontal post (top) with blood on it and separate it from the vertical post (sides) with blood on it, and put them together, you get a bloody cross!

When the angel of death came during the night and saw blood on the top and sides of the doorpost, judgment decided to Passover that particular household where God’s people resided. They were protected by the Blood.

In the same way, Jesus died on the cross for a reason. The bloody cross is from the Lamb of God who sacrificed His life for humanity. As a song lyric goes, "He would give everything because He loves us more than anything'

Jesus' shed blood is undefiled blood and the purest antidote to combat our virus sin. When we take His cleansing blood and ask Him to cover us, we are covered by the blood of the Lamb. The cross covers over our entire body with the blood on it. So, you and I can be confident that we are covered by Him!

Now when God looks at us in His Holiness, He does not see sin anymore but the blood of Christ covering over us and cleansing us of all sin. Now God’s judgment will Passover us and we can be with Him in Eternity.

And so through the Cross, Jesus accomplished Mission 3:14-17 for humanity. It is actually John 3:14-17 put to a mission.  Honestly, it only takes one drop of blood to wash us whiter than snow because that is how powerful Christ's blood shed on the cross for you and me is! All the drops of blood were to save the entire human race that comes to Him!

"He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He never said a word. He was brought before as a lamb to the slaughter; and a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He stood silent before the ones condemning Him." (Isaiah 53:7, TLB)

"But it was the Lord's good plan to bruise Him and fill Him with grief. However when His soul has been made an offering for sin, then He shall have a multitude of children, many heirs. He shall live again and God's program shall prosper in His hands. And when He sees all that is accomplished by the anguish of His soul, He shall be satisfied; and because of what He has experienced, my righteous Servant shall make many to be counted righteous before God, for He shall bear all their sins. Therefore I will give Him the honors of One who is mighty and great, because He has poured out His soul unto death. He was counted as a sinner, and He bore the sins of many, and He pled with God for sinners." (Isaiah 53:10-12, TLB)

There is awesome song and video by Carmen called Mission 3:16 and 'This Blood'! There are also wonderful songs by Steve Camp and Ray Boltz! One of my favorites by Ray Blotz is the song 'The Hammer'!

IMPLICATIONS:
I asked myself what are the implications for my own life?
I saw it is only through the cross of Jesus Christ can I ever be saved and ransomed for eternity. It is the cross of Christ with His precious blood that cleanses me, to make me righteous in the sight of God so when God looks at me, His judgment will pass over me because 'Christ's righteousness is imputed to me' as Pastor Ed likes to say.

There is nothing I can do or say to achieve God's loving acceptance of me because I have nothing to offer or bargain with. How can sin ever bargain with the Holiness of an awesome God! Because I cannot reach God on my own merits, I was always trapped in my sin until I found the cross. It is at the cross, I found new life in Christ. It is at the cross, Christ used His blood to cover me. I did not have to earn my way to Heaven anymore by doing this and that to get into the good graces of God. Jesus put a stop to earning Salvation. If I had to earn Salvation then it is not a free gift of God's grace but that's what Salvation is- A FREE GIFT OF GRACE.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING C.R.O.S.S.

God's love is a FREE GIFT FOR ME transacted at the cross in Jesus Christ, that helps me experience His grace without strings when I accept the gift. Now God's love CHANGES ME from the inside out. God's love is ALWAYS WITH ME. God's love SAVES ME. God's love SHARES CHRIST with me. By His love, Jesus has made me alive because He who had no sin became sin for me so that I may attain the righteousness of God. The simplicity of the Gospel can be even taught to kids and that's what I was privileged to take part in during the Vacation Bible School 2009 where we helped kids learn these 5 points of God's love as I played the role of a Roman guard and Pastor Hugo played the role of Apostle Paul.

As the kid's song goes, "How Great, How Strong, God's love goes on and on and on! This gift we share with the world who needs it.  His love is always! His love is always! His love is always there! He sent His only Son to save us! Only His great love can change us. He would give everything for He loves us more than anything. How Great, How Strong! God's loves goes on and on and on. This gift we share with the world who needs it! His love is always, His love is always, His love is always there!"

I thank Jesus for His FREE GIFT OF GRACE where
His BLOOD IS ALWAYS SAVING as a justification process.
HIS LOVE CHANGES MY LIFE as a sanctifying process.
HIS PRESENCE IS ALWAYS WITH ME as a glorious process.
HIS COMMAND IS 'SHARE WITH OTHERS' as a saving process.

LIFE APPLICATION: 
I ask you now dear friends, what can the C.R.O.S.S do for you in life?
Dear friends, 2000 years on Good Friday, it is the cross Jesus used to fulfill His mission for you and me. It is more than just a symbol or jewelry to wear on your neck or a pin to put on. Just studying this one verse I learned so much about the cross. Each time you come across a cross, I hope you get a flashback of the excruciating pain Jesus Christ went through to rescue you and me as each nail was pounded into Him!

May that reminder, remind you how much Jesus loves you that He endured the cross for you and me no matter where you have been, where you are in your life right now, or what you have done! You can know you are never out of His love and out of His reach! He loves you so much that if you were the only one living, Jesus would have still died for your sin! Yes, He would have!
 
When we make a cross using our hands, it is not just a gesture but being reminded of the One who endured it and the One who now covers us by His precious blood because He loves us. But that is only one aspect of why Jesus chose obedience to death-even death on the cross.

The other reason that came to my mind is a pathway. When we cross the road, we are actually crossing a pathway to reach our destination. Without a road or bridge or water we won’t be able to get to the other side because they (a road, a bridge, a water) all serve as a pathway. I emphasized 'a' to make the point that 'All roads, bridges, or water DO NOT LEAD TO GOD' without Christ. Everything Christ went through was so that we can reach God now because He became that road, that bridge, that water (Living Water) to reach Father God. It is through the CROSS.

I see the Cross as the only pathway to reach God. When we look to the Cross of Christ, we are looking to the pathway that serves as a bridge to reach our Heavenly Father. All other means and pathways will not let us get across except the cross of Christ.

May you know how much you are loved by Jesus no matter what you have done,  no matter where you have been, or who you are! He loves you so much that He paid the price for you.

May you watch the Passion of the Christ to experience what Jesus did for you.

Now won’t you accept what He did for you and come into His presence and give your life to Him so He can cover the virus of sin with His blood cleansing you and making you clean?

Stop earning because you are putting the emphasis on your self effort to reach God. The Gospel has never been about self-effort and will never ever be about self-effort. The Gospel is God Offering Salvation Providing Eternal Life.  It starts with God and ends with God.

Once you realize you cannot do anything on your own but loved for who you are because of God's grace, it frees you to live an abundant life knowing that you will never be out of His love and out of His reach.

You will realize your own worthlessness before an all loving God and submit to Him as His Spirit works in you. Jesus said He came for the sick and not the healthy. This means you and me. The sickness of the soul can only be cured by Jesus so we can be alive in Christ instead of continuing to be dead in our transgressions. Let Jesus heal you and take the medicine Jesus offers you for the sickness of your soul. Only Jesus has the antidote for that and it was provided for you and me at the cross.

We find freedom in Christ by His grace and not by being burdened by the law. The law is there to show us our sin (the sickness of our soul) so we realize our worthlessness before an all awesome Holy God who yet receives us as we are for He loves us more than anything in His grace.

Friend, Jesus loves you more than anything! May you come as you are to the Cross of Christ and find your Eternal rest in Jesus. Jesus loves you more than anything or anyone.

No matter where you have been, who you are, or what you have done, Jesus is for you too just like Jesus came into my life. It is His grace that saved me and will save you. He will give us a transfusion of change! Yes, He will my friend!

May you know Christ redeems our souls safely! Amen!

"Christ Redeems Our Souls Safely! (C.R.O.S.S)"/"What can the C.R.O.S.S do for you in life?

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us. I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

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