What Motivated Jesus to Die(2)
To start at the beginning of this series, click here.
Yesterday I noted that Jesus did not die from a commanded obedience, but rather an obedience that knew the Father’s heart and responded with His own inititative. “You did not desire sacrifices for sin—I have come to do your will to end them and it requires my death.”
[Perhaps we should, in the same way, structure our obedience to the Father. Get to know Him, discern His desires, and go about meeting them. Let’s call this the Jesus model of obedience—perhaps more on this later.]
The writer of Hebrews reveals another of Jesus’ motivations.
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1,2)
“Who for the joy set before Him endured the cross.” Where is the joy in that?
There is the joy of His death being an offering superior to that of bulls and goats and, as such, would provide such a deep cleansing of our sin natures that there was no longer a need for a sin sacrifice. We saints of today have the indwelling Holy Spirit (not possible before) to bring about our new life in Messiah.
There is the joy of what He has accomplished for us: “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10) Our final estate is far beyond our imagination and one for which all creation groans awaiting this revelation (Romans 8:19).
The joy of perfection. Hebrews 2:10 includes this curious phrase “perfect the author of their salvation.” Was Jesus not perfect? Is this the perfection of a flaw? I think not. Rather it is the revelation of a hidden characteristic. Jesus’ character before crucifixion was one that had the potential of laying down His life—but the assertion was unproven. After crucifixion, it was a revealed perfection and all creation marvels.
The joy of a new Name—the outcome of His perfection and higher than all other names, “Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:8,9)
The joy of saving you, my reader—and me. Saving you from corruption to a new life in Him gives Him pleasure. You are the treasure in the field. You are the pearl of great worth. You are worth everything He had.