For the Joy Set Before Him

For the joy set before Him, Christ endured the Cross.

Christ endured the Cross for me. For all of us, but for you and me specifically. I have heard it said that if there had only been one person who needed His redemption, He still would have done it. In fact, the Bible says…

 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.

Matthew 18:12-14 ESV

He leaves the ninety-nine to find the one. One little sheep that went astray and got caught in a thicket. That sounds a lot like me. And you.

He’s desperate to get to us. Focused on finding us. And when He does, He rejoices more over us than over those who never went astray.

Psalm 18:6-19 is a beautiful and awe-inspiring picture of how the Lord storms down to rescue us when we cry out to Him in our distress. I will include it at the end. I hope you soak it up and realize the power of His love and care for you, and the strength of His devotion to those who belong to Him.

It was for the joy set before Him that Christ endured the cross. What was the joy? The Berean Study Bible says this…

The “joy set before Him” can be understood as the anticipated joy of fulfilling the Father’s will, redeeming humanity, and being exalted to the right hand of God. This future joy empowered Jesus to endure suffering, demonstrating the profound love and purpose that underpinned His sacrifice.

Berean Study Bible, biblehub.com

If He would do all of that for me, what will I do for Him in return? I don’t have to earn anything He has done for me. His work is finished. His salvation is complete. He loves me completely. But if He has been such a friend to me, is it possible for me to be His friend in return?

Let’s look at Moses, who has been called a friend of God… “And so the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend…” (Exodus 33:11a ESV).

Through Christ, the Lord speaks to us as friends, as well: “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15 ESV).

He has called me His friend, and maybe this is just me, but what kind of friend am I in return?

These have been the questions of my life. Will I follow Him or won’t I? Will I trust Him, or will I go my own way? Will I give Him my crumbs of five minutes in my Bible each morning while I ask Him to help me with my to-do list and all of my emotional and relationship problems… or will I give Him my true devotion… my true intimacy… and all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength to follow Him and do things His way?

If He would endure the Cross for me, how can I not endure discipline, refinement, and the upheaval of my old life in exchange for the new one He died to give me? If He scorned the shame of the Cross to accomplish that for me, how can I not scorn the judgment and criticism of others to accomplish all He has given me to do? His works and His good pleasure are more fulfilling than I can say… and that is the joy set before me.

Deep questions for a Friday morning, especially right before Christmas.

“…fulfilling the Father’s will, redeeming humanity, and being exalted to the right hand of God.”

For us it looks like this…

• Fulfilling the Father’s will – “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:2 NKJV).
  
• Accomplishing His works – “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 ESV).
  
  “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases Him” (Philippians 2:13 ESV).
  
• Enduring to the end – “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:2 ESV).
  
  “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22 ESV).
  
  “For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end” (Hebrews 3:14 ESV).

As for me, and this is the cry of my heart, I just want to follow Him. I want to love Him, and trust Him, and care for Him, and give all my devotion, intimacy… heart, soul, mind, and strength to walk with Him, and He is worthy of all of this!

He has surrounded me with peace, love, and joy. He has exchanged the ashes of my old life for the unfathomable beauty of His. He desires to take care of me, and to lift my heavy burdens from me, because of His great love for me.

So, it is for the joy set before me, and the power of God’s grace within me, that I will keep moving forward and doing my best to rest my everything, all the good and all the bad, in the palm of His strong hands. If He has done all of this for me, then that’s the least I can do for Him.

In my distress I called upon the Lord;
    to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry to him reached his ears.

⁷ Then the earth reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
⁸ Smoke went up from his nostrils,^[b]
    and devouring fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
⁹ He bowed the heavens and came down;
    thick darkness was under his feet.
¹⁰ He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
¹¹ He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
    thick clouds dark with water.
¹² Out of the brightness before him
    hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

¹³ The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his voice,
    hailstones and coals of fire.
¹⁴ And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
¹⁵ Then the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶ He sent from on high, he took me;
    he drew me out of many waters.
¹⁷ He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.
¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
¹⁹ He brought me out into a broad place;
    he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

Psalm 18:6-19 ESV