As dawn broke on the third day, Jesus arose and walked out of the tomb. He greeted the angel sitting on the stone and the prostrate soldiers by name as he passed them. He found a quiet place to sit and wait for the women and then chuckle as He watched two of His disciples race to the tomb. What an amazing day in the history of humanity! The curtain was torn, God was accessible to all, Hallelujah!
But why did Jesus go to the cross to begin with? The answer seems obvious. Jesus died on the cross for me, right? I have bad news:
Jesus did not die for you.
It's difficult to convey intonation in written form so perhaps it would be better if I "said" it like this: Jesus did not die for you.
That is to say, we are not the primary reason that Jesus allowed himself to be nailed to a cross. Jesus didn't die for me and, I'm sorry to say, not for you, either.
Like any complex human decision, Jesus had many reasons why he chose to tolerate the plight of a Roman cross. But when we discuss the "why's" of things, we focus on the primary reason. And the message we receive all too often is that we are the primary reason that Jesus died. I can say conclusively, we are not.
Jesus went to the cross in order to bring glory to God the Father. Jesus allowed himself to stand before six illegal assemblies, before three different judges, before soldiers to be scourged, beaten, tortured, and before the public to be insulted, humiliated, pierced, and asphyxiated for the primary reason of glorifying His Father in heaven. Not for me. What am I but a worm that He would die for me? Who am I that my King should die for me?
Jesus endured this horrific experience to bring glory to God the Father and we are the unworthy, undeserving, infinitely blessed, grateful beneficiaries of His sacrifice.
This amounts to a complete reversal of everything we've been taught in our American churches: Jesus died for me. "If I were the only person on the face of the planet, Jesus still would have died for me." These statements aren't necessarily false. But they are (at the very least) out of order. If these statements are true, they were driven by His desire to bring glory to the Father, not principally for our benefit.
This may not sit well so allow me to provide some scriptural backing:
Exodus 14:4 "And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them. But I will gain glory for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD." Did God free His people from Egypt for their benefit? No, he did it to bring glory to himself. The exodus is a prophetic example of God saving his people from their sins. Why would His reasons be different from one salvation to another?
Daniel 2:28-29: "Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. Therefore I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses be turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way.” What is God's motive here? For a pagan King to glorify the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.
What was God's principal motive in each of these? His own glory! Were the Israelites, along with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, peripheral beneficiaries of God's actions? Absolutely! Would they have been in error to say that God did what He did for their benefit? Yeah, kinda. And I can guarantee it would have affected how they each responded to their experiences.
So how does a proper understanding of Jesus' motives color our daily actions and attitudes? If I am the object of Jesus' dedication, and not God the Father, then my motivation to live a life of righteousness, generosity, and Christ-likeness is diminished. After all, Jesus went to the cross for me! He died to forgive me of my sins.
Imagine Meshach says "Praise God, he saved us!" but Abednego says, "Praise God, he brought glory to Himself and we had the privilege of being allowed to be a part of it!" Which attitude results in more praise, gratitude, and adoration?
What is our attitude with this proper understanding? Jesus died for the Father and I am the cursory recipient of the resulting grace; a planned recipient, but still the secondary purpose. Jesus chose to give glory to the Father through obedience even to death on a cross, (John 10:17-18, Philippians 2:8) and I have the privilege of being allowed to be a part of it through the salvation that I unjustly receive! How much greater is my praise? How much deeper is my gratitude? How much fuller is my adoration of the only One worthy of Glory?
Let us worship anew this Easter with a fuller understanding of the primary reason Jesus suffered. Let us recognize our proper position in God's plan of salvation: The grateful, unworthy people, the privileged beneficiaries of the grace made available by Jesus' righteous desire to bring His Father glory by becoming the final sacrifice for sin.
He is risen! He is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
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