At The Crossroads Of The Cross

At The Crossroads Of The Cross
John R. Petrilli

Each year we welcome the Easter season with open arms anticipating the warmer temperatures and renewal that so fittingly parallel this holiday’s theme of resurrection to new life. As natural life revives in full bloom, we’re visually reminded of history’s defining moment, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I’ve noticed some reluctance in the church to spend much time on the bad day that preceded that great day. But can we ever fully enter into the joy of that glorious Sunday until we’ve passed through the grief of that notorious Friday? The cross of Jesus Christ was, in so many ways, a crossroads. It was the place where heaven intersected earth, the juncture where God met man, the location where judgment kissed mercy, the thoroughfare where the powers of good collided with the minions of hell and the spot where time touched eternity. Isaiah, God’s princely prophet, provides a blow-by-blow description of the passion, and then ends on the exhilarating note of ultimate and total resurrection victory. Come with me to a crossroad. Indeed, to THE crossroad of the Cross.

AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE CROSS JESUS ENCOUNTERED THE EPITOME OF HUMAN CRUELTY. Isaiah 52:14

Abuse has unfortunately reached epidemic proportions in our culture. Whether it’s physical, social, or verbal, abuse leaves its victims wounded, crippled, and sometimes scarred for life. In the world of boxing sports commentators sometimes use the phrase “beaten beyond recognition” to describe the battered face of the losing fighter. Unpleasant as it may be, that is precisely how the prophet Isaiah described Jesus appearance as He hung on the cross. Contrary to most mild depictions, the Man of Sorrows was truly beaten beyond recognition. In his film, The Passion, Mel Gibson tried to correct this inaccurate picture by intentionally pulling out all the stops to show a much more true-to-life version of the bruised, beaten, broken and bloodied body of Jesus. Christ entered the ring against the devil’s clan, but elected to reserve His knockout punch for a later place and time. Instead He humbled Himself and took every blow that wicked crowd could land on Him that dreadful day (Philippians 2:8). Isaiah’s post-bout medical report states that Christ’s face was, “marred more than any man”. Now that’s quite a comparative statement when one considers that the culture of Jesus’ day was overtly brutal. Yet Isaiah says that no man had ever sustained the kind of pummeling that our Lord did. In short, the pre-cross beating Jesus sustained left Him looking like something other than a human being … shocking, but true! Isaiah says that the disfigurement was complete from head to toe. His visage (face) and His form (body) no longer resembled that of a human being! We tend to focus on the nails, the death by asphyxiation, the spear. But the whipping and pounding themselves were almost enough to take Him out. How much he suffered for us … for me … for YOU!

AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE CROSS JESUS EXPERIENCED THE ISOLATION OF TOTAL REJECTION. Isaiah 53:3-4

In his song, Alone Again, Naturally, singer/songwriter Gilbert O’Sullivan communicates something of the depth of despair we feel when a friend or loved one seems to have slipped through our fingers like sand. Being alone was never God’s design (Gen. 2:18). We’re so made for fellowship and relationship that without it our lives quickly become empty and meaningless. Sometimes isolation is self-inflicted, while at other times it just enters our lives as an unwelcome guest. Jesus’ rejection was prefigured or at least previewed in the life of Job. This man of antiquity endured a loss so total it was palpable. Few of us will ever enter the dark valley that man travelled through. More amazing, he did so without the support or comfort of his family and friends (Job 19:14-19). Like Job, the Psalmist also experienced a period of isolated pain with no one to show him the milk of human kindness and empathy (Psalm 88:18). The reasons we sometimes suffer in solitary silence will someday be answered when we “know even as we are known” (1 Cor. 13:12b). Our text informs us that Jesus had to go it alone on that day in history when one man sustained the very worst abuse humanity could dish out. Perhaps He drew some relief from those on Golgotha’s Way who wept aloud (Luke 23:26-31), but even then He gave comfort instead of simply receiving it. Or maybe His sighting of those family members and friends at the base of the cross gave Him the strength He needed to see death through to its intended end (John 19:25-27). Other than that, there was nothing but mocking, spitting, raging and cursing for the condemned Man of Galilee. As Werner von Braun astutely observes, “When God became a man Himself, the experience proved to be nothing short of pure agony. In man’s time-honored fashion, they would unleash a whole arsenal of weapons against Him: misrepresentation, slander, and accusation of treason. The stage was set for a situation without parallel in the history of the earth. God would visit creatures and they would nail Him to the cross!” Anyone going through a time of rejection can come to Him for comfort today, right now, because rejection is something He knows all about.

AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE CROSS JESUS ENTERED THE BLACK HOLE OF COMPLETE SPIRITUAL SEPARATION FROM THE FATHER. Isaiah 53:5-6

People who are forced by circumstance to part with a loved one for a time sometimes undergo what has been called “separation anxiety”. It’s a condition of great stress mingled with a very real sense of grief and loss. Sometimes we experience complete parting from another that can cause the onset of a most extreme form of separation anxiety. That’s what the cross really boils down to. Not only did Jesus suffer immeasurable physical abuse, but, more importantly, He sustained the unbearable pain of total spiritual separation from the Father. That’s what sin’s penalty of death really is. Death is separation. Physical death separates body from spirit and soul. Spiritual death separates spirit and soul from God forever. Jesus’ separation from the Father was real and total (Mark 15:34). Our sins sent Him into a black hole of absolute spiritual darkness (2 Cor. 5:21). He passed through the darkest night of the soul ever ventured upon. Think about that! Jesus experienced a total spiritual blackout that left Him completely shut out from God’s presence. On that cross He heroically and willingly bore the indescribable pain of eternal separation from God that each of us deserves. On that cross he also absorbed the aggregate penalty of all sinners who’ve ever lived! He accepted the death penalty of eternal separation from God for all men for all time (Heb. 2:9). Jesus took our hell so we could enjoy His heaven! At Calvary Jesus changed forever our status with God from arch enemies to intimate friends (Romans 5:10). Hallelujah! What a Savior!

AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE CROSS JESUS ENDURED THE HEIGHT OF PERSONAL INJUSTICE. Isaiah 53:7-9

Our news programs frequently report stories of how convicted criminals who’ve already served-out decades of jail time are proven innocent as a result of DNA evidence. We lament over the unintentional yet very real injustice of it all. That inmate lost the prime of their life! No career, no children. Unjust as that may be, it pales in comparison to the injustice endured by Jesus on Good Friday. Sometimes we get all bent out of shape when the driver ahead of us cuts us off or the driver behind us won’t let us change lanes. We cry “FOUL!” But our “injustices” seem trivial when compared to the trial, sentencing, and execution of Jesus Christ. Now THAT was injustice! He was illegally arrested, yet offered no resistance. His rights were ignored, yet He made no protest. He was tried under false charges, yet made no self-defense. He was accused by false witnesses, yet remained silent. As Peter would later reflect, “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats; instead He entrusted Himself to Him Who Judges JUSTLY” (1 Peter 2:23). If ever there was the lynching of an innocent man, it was the capital execution carried out on Jesus Christ. Indeed, even a non-believing, idol-worshipping Roman governor declared Him free from any culpability. Bottom line? They killed an innocent man!

AT THE CROSSROADS OF THE CROSS JESUS SMASHED THE GATES OF HELL AND FLUNG OPEN THE GATES OF HEAVEN! Isaiah 53:10-12 ; 52:13

Two monumental things occurred the very second Jesus died. First, Satan and the spiritual tyrants of the universe were exposed, neutralized, disabled and destroyed (Colossians 2:13-15, Message). Secondly, the veil of the Temple was ripped in two, fully exposing the Holy of Holies where God’s presence dwelt (Matthew 27:51). This was a symbolic sign from Heaven that Christ’s death had secured unprecedented, direct access to God for every one who believes … forever (Hebrews 10:19-22). Up until this point, we’ve worked through some of the necessary yet unpleasant and gruesome aspects of the crucifixion of Christ. Now it’s time to turn the corner and look at the splendid outcome of all that pain, suffering and injustice. The great news is that all that darkness was broken by the daylight the following morning. In the soft light of daybreak that same Jesus came back to life! He exited that cold, damp tomb, official government seal and crack Roman troops notwithstanding. Isaiah says that this was God’s plan all along. With the death penalty for our sins spoken for, Jesus rose triumphant from that grave! It gets even better. Isaiah indicates that God’s wrath against sin was satisfied as He looked upon His crucified Son: “He [the Father] will see the travail of His [the Son’s] soul, and will be satisfied.” Perhaps when Jesus watches each new soul step across the threshold into glory He says, “All that I suffered was worth it!” How will we ever be able to express our thanks to Him for such a sacrifice on our behalf? One way is to win others to the Lord, thus making His sacrifice effectual. Count Zinzendorf, leader of the legendary nineteenth-century Moravian Missionary movement, used his own take on Isaiah 53:11 to describe the Great Commission: “To win for the Lamb that was slain the reward of His suffering.” The fact of the matter is, all eternity won’t even come close to being long enough to exhaust our “Thank You’s” to Him! Have YOU thanked Him by telling others what He did on their behalf?

Life has its share of crossroads. When we come to a crossroad it’s decision time. Do we continue straight ahead, turn to the left, turn to the right, or entirely reverse our direction? At the crossroads of the cross we find ourselves faced with the decision of a lifetime. There’s no neutral ground here. A decision is necessary. Do we say “Yes” to God’s offer of forgiveness, or turn and head our own way? We here at the Good News Paper hope you’ll choose the former because we KNOW that when you let Him enter your life, He’ll make you into the great person you were created to be. What better time than Easter to make that life-changing decision! Happy and blessed Easter to all!