On The Road To Jerusalem ~ Day 26

October 27 2006 - Day 26

Mark 10:32-34

Passage: In this passage I find Jesus and the disciples making their way toward Jerusalem. The passage says that the disciples were amazed and afraid as they followed Jesus, who was ahead of them. It is clear that the disciples were afraid that Jesus was going to Jerusalem to fulfill the things He had earlier foretold, that is, his violent death and his resurrection. They were, in fact, right. After traveling some distance Jesus gathers the disciples and tells them they are going to Jerusalem so that He may be handed over to the chief priests and scribes and they will condemn him to death and deliver Him over to the Romans who will mock him, spit on him, flog him, and finally kill him. He then concludes by foretelling His resurrection from the dead, which will happen three days after He dies.

Application: If I had to pick one purpose for which Jesus came to earth, I would point to this passage. Jesus is the God-Man who came to be mocked, spat upon, flogged, and crucified. He suffered this not for the wages of His own deeds. It was for my evil life, my sins, my deserved punishment. I cannot imagine the thoughts that Jesus may have had on this trip; the thoughts of the physical pain that He would endure, the thought of being separated from His Father in heaven whom He had been in perfect fellowship with from eternity past. How did He not turn back? How was He not crippled in terror? Jesus being God, it was in effect His own wrath that He would experience. He knew the immeasurable torment He was going to endure on that cross. Even more so, how was He not enraged by the fact that He did not deserve this. It was my sin, not His. Oh Jesus, I praise you for this. I repent of my sin. Oh I turn from it in my sorrow. I praise you for your mercy. Help me to be merciful like you. Help me to be willing to suffer so that others will get to hear about this gospel of yours! Thank you for your mercy and grace. Help me to live as one who has been forgiven much.