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The Joy of The Cross

By
Real Estate Agent with Equity Fifty Five Realty, LLC

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
We must focus on Jesus, the source and goal of our faith. He saw the joy ahead of him, so he endured death on the cross and ignored the disgrace it brought him. Then he received the highest position in heaven, the one next to the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

My wife and I sat down last evening (Sunday) and watched The Passion of the Cross movie by Mel Gibson.
This movie truly depicts much of the horror and suffering that Christ endured for our sins.

It was a "Passion" that Christ indeed had for all of mankind. A redeeming passion, a love that few would endure for a friend, and especially for "sinners" that had no love for God, that mocked, kicked, spit upon, beat, and whipped Him all of the way to Calvary.

We often describe someone that has a passion, as someone that has a strong love, or lust for what lies before them. Such as a passion for a hobby, hunting, bowling, or a job that someone loves to do and does well, almost seemingly with a special knack. Doing such as "with a passion".

Whenever we have such a "passion" for a job well done, or for our hobby, we do this with "Joy". We "enjoy" our hobby, or job. Can you imagine Christ enjoying what He endured for our sins? Hebrews 12:2 reads that "He saw the joy ahead of him". I'm sure that most could never have "joy" while in such pain, and humanly speaking I'm sure that Christ did not have any "joy" while enduring this pain, but He was also the son of God. He did receive joy and pleasure for serving (doing) God's will.

Many times as Christians we also are mocked, made fun of, perhaps even endure a negative blog on Active Rain, while we share our "passion" for Christ. And as a Gideon, I've experienced others making fun or mocking me for reading and passing out "God's Word". But there is a certain "joy" that comes from being a faithful witness for Christ. It is a joy unspeakable and full of glory! It is the joy that Paul felt while in prison, while he shared his knowledge of Christ. This was a personal knowledge, because Paul met Christ on the road to Emmaus. Because of this personal experience of meeting Christ, Paul did not stray or back down from teaching the Truth though he also experienced all kinds of persecutions and sufferings. In 2 Timothy 3:10 Paul writes "But you know all about my teachings, my way of life, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love and my endurance for the cause of Christ.

Rejoicing Always in Christ,

 

Paul

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Joni Bailey
101 Main St. Realty - Huntsville, TX
Your Huntsville / Lake Livingston Area REALTOR®
Rejoicing with you, My friend! God is.... Indescribable! But we will just keep on trying!! :)
Apr 18, 2011 04:54 PM
Maggie McFarland
RE/MAX Pearland - Maggie McFarland - Pearland, TX
Pearland Realtor, Homes for Sale in Pearland Texas

Isn't God amazing? I will never understand all that He endured for us but I'm SO greatful He did!!

Apr 18, 2011 11:12 PM
Bob & Bonnie Horning
Mount Joy, PA

We too watch that movie at least once a year and usually around this time. We like to get it in us fresh right before our Passover feast dinners. It still rips me to shreds emotionally. I enjoy your posts Paul and you are the joy set before him... don't you just love God's Word version??

Apr 20, 2011 04:35 AM
Paul Walker
Equity Fifty Five Realty, LLC - Scott AFB, IL
Scott AFB IL Area Realtor

Hi Bob,

Yes, I have to say that God's Word version has really become my very favorite translation for simple pick me up and read, understand clearly, and how it seems to really "speak" to my heart. Also I love reading from The Message, wow it is so "alive and sharp" cutting right to the heart. You know we are so blessed in the country to have so many readable versions of the bible and so many in most homes, but many just set around and are never opened, and certainly not "applied" to our daily thoughts and actions, as you and I know we are to LIVE by the scripture as it is God's instruction for life, love, our meditation and to become our "BE-Living" not just our beliefs, but much much more.

This is a great time of the year to watch "The Passion", it also rips and shreds us while we watch how it. You know as bad as it depicts His torture, I think it was actually worse. I also, (just my own thought), think that it was a cold and miserable day, temps perhaps in the mid to upper 40's or low 50's, cloudy, a bit windy. In other words a typical Easter Sunday as they always seem cold and dreary. About like today is here in Belleville, IL. I'm ready our sign out front and it is 49 degrees, cloudy, and a "chill" in the air after storms last night. I would really doubt if it was a sunny day in the 70's, even it had been nice weather up to then. We had 80's yesterday, and now "chilly".

Can you imagine all that He endured, and hanging from the cross and it is chilly and miserable?

While He could control the weather, I bet He did not make it a pretty day! Have you ever thought about that? I guess I always have because it just seems most every Easter weekend is chilly, so it makes me wonder how it would have been then.

Apr 20, 2011 05:24 AM
Mike Frazier
Carousel Realty of Dyer County - Dyersburg, TN
Northwest Tennessee Realtor

Paul, you know there are some preachers who will not watch that movie because of the rating. Everyone including preachers should watch this over and over again. It makes you appreciate what the Lord did for us all(everyone).

Apr 20, 2011 06:05 AM