For the Joy Set Before Him

Imagine you can have everything you’ve ever truly wanted. Deep, perfect relationships with everyone you love. Life with God, seeing Him face to face without any cause to doubt that you are fully known and fully loved. Freedom from fear, want, and pain. Access to every answer, every good opportunity, every wonderful place and experience. All securely, all without end. You can have it all.

But first, you have to die.

Add in that your death must be painful, an execution in which you are convicted of and tortured for crimes you didn’t commit. Your death will be shameful because you’re dying in the place of people who deserve this punishment. Your loved ones will turn away from you. God Himself will forsake you.

Now imagine you endure all this not so you can gain everything you’ve ever wanted but so that you can give others all they truly need.

“For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” – Hebrews 12:2

Jesus endured all the horrors described, but not to gain paradise for himself. From before time began, Jesus called heaven home and knew the perfect relationship of the trinity. He was, is, and will always be fully God. He has all power, knowledge, and joy forever. Everything we dream of was already His when He became also-fully-man. 

But He became a man, suffered, and died so that we could enter paradise with Him. So that He could give us the gift of new, perfect, everlasting life. So that we could see His unveiled glory and worship Him face to face.

Sharing eternity with us was a huge part of the joy set before Jesus. Reconciling us to God was worth the incalculable cost to Jesus of the crucifixion.

Us! You and me. Sinners who slip up and outright rebel. We who foolishly, needlessly make ourselves the enemy of the only one who loves us perfectly. Who stand on two feet in just one place at one time and think we can do a better job than the God who made our feet and sustains everything, everywhere, all at once, all the time.

The truth that life comes through death is hard to believe.

The truth that Jesus came for us seems like insanity.

But God’s whole Word and Jesus’ whole life, death, and resurrection agree: The joy set before Jesus includes everlasting life with redeemed human beings. 

Now, for those who belong to dear Jesus, the joy set before us is everlasting life with our redeemer. All we need to do is believe.

Easter is our celebration of the proof we have that all this is true: Jesus rose again, and is alive today, seated at the right hand of God. If you’re curious about why I believe this, I’d love to chat, recommend good resources, or just pray for you as you look into Jesus yourself.