The Joy That Was Set Before Him
To Give and Gain Eternal Life...
This is the first post in a series from Chapter 3 of Friends With God: “The Joy That Was Set Before Him”, which examines the clear and simple process that we must go through in order to gain eternal life as resurrected Sons of God, and thus follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ Our King
He Endured The Cross
As we have seen in the previous chapters, if we choose to follow God’s way of life, then what we are asking for is nothing less than to have developed within us the very mind of God. (1Cor 2:16, 2Peter 1:4)
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Eph 4:13)
Yet, we are warned that in the process of developing the mind of God in us, we may be required to suffer as Jesus himself suffered. (Matt 5:11-12, James 5:10, 1Peter 4:13)
Why would a way of life, based on love to God and neighbour, require that we suffer? And why would it also require that Christ should die, particularly in such an horrific and degrading way?
What possible purpose could this kind of death have accomplished in Jesus, the very son of God?
And how does his death relate to our being God’s Friends?
These were no doubt some of the questions that worried the disciples when Jesus started talking about his impending death at the last supper. (John 15:18-27, 16:1-22) Only a few hours after this Passover meal, he was betrayed, taken prisoner, denied, falsely accused and tried by earthly authorities, ridiculed, scourged, publicly disgraced, denounced, and killed by crucifixion.
While eating this meal with his 12 chosen disciples, Jesus explained the purpose of the process he was about to endure. He emphasised the importance of these men being not just his servants, but elevated them to the incredible level of his friends- the very friends of God!
No one has greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
You are My friends, if you do whatever I command you. (Joh 15:13-14)
However, in order to remain his friends for the rest of their lives, they had to follow his simple and profound command- to love one another as he had loved them:
This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you…. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. … This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you. (John 15:12-17)
Why would he emphasise this point three times?
Because loving each other, in the way he loved them, is the way to eternal life:
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears my word, and believes in him who sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but has passed from death into life’. (John 5:24)
His way of love requires that we believe in what he says. And belief in him is not simply a mental exercise, but it means we must follow him in living his way of love, as he demonstrated this way to us.
When we believe him, and do what he says, then we have eternal life.
That is what he said. It is very simple, yet it takes a lifetime to achieve, as it is a process of growth and change, not a one off commitment and action.
If we don’t do what he says, but worship him according to how people command us to, then our worship of him is meaningless:
This people draws near to Me with their mouth, and honours Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. (Matt 15:8-9, Mark 7:6-7)
To abide in his love we must worship him as he commands us and how he has shown us, by his example. We are not to worship him on our own terms, particularly if it conflicts with his specific commands.
After telling the Apostles to abide in his love, he then warned them that a time of trouble was going to come, akin to the pain of a woman giving birth. However, like when the pain of the birth is over, then will come great rejoicing. (John 16:20-21)
The crucifixion was this time of trouble, and his resurrection three days later, was to be the time of great rejoicing. In the same way as a mother looks forward to the joy of her child being born, Jesus endured his trial by focusing his attention beyond the pain, and on to the joy of his accomplishment:
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2)
His focus was not on the severe physical agony and humiliation that he was about to go through, but on the unparalleled joy of his eternal accomplishment, and of the reward awaiting him of being set down at the right hand of the throne of God, where he would continue and complete the work of His Father.
We also are, therefore, admonished to not focus on our trials in this life, but on the eternal joy, which in comparison, will cause the pain and sorrow we may endure, to pale into insignificance. And, by this, we will have developed in us the very character and attributes of the mind of Christ. (John 15:7, 1Cor 2:16, Phil 2:5-11)
Similarly, we are told that God will render to every man according to his deeds: To them, who by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honour and immortality, (will gain) eternal life (Rom 2:6-7)
We will gain eternal life by patient continuance in doing good deeds- which is the same thing as emulating the life of Christ in what we do.
Yet, why did God the Father allow this abominable time of trouble to come upon Jesus at all? Why would the Father require the death of His Son, in order for us to gain eternal life?
In the next post in this series we will address these important questions in some detail.
The answers are very clear. They are in both the Old Covenant, which prophesied of his death and resurrection, and the New Covenant, which provides the undeniable record of it- along with the detailed commentary about why it occurred.