Hanging On To Life?

Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. [John 19.28-30]

I am going to play with words here for just a bit to inspire a thought...

Jesus did not die on the Cross as if it was out of His control. Instead, Jesus gave His life on the Cross in full control. He remained a man on mission even through His last words and final breath.

But, doesn't Matthew's (and Mark's) account beg to say otherwise? 

At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” [Matthew 27.46]

This is where it is critically important to know the Bible (as opposed to knowing just a verse or two). 

Before this time, Jesus never asked a question of anyone that He did not already know the answer to. As the Son of God, this was consistent with God the Father Who also never asked a question for information! The questions God and Jesus asked in the Bible all accomplished a purpose of revealing something not seen by others. God asked Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" not because He had lost them, but because they needed to understand they had lost their way! When Jesus asked Peter, "Do you love me?" it was not because Jesus needed to 'hear the words,' but because Peter needed to give it more thought!

So, when Jesus asked God, "Why have you abandoned me?" it served to confirm to the Father that Jesus had fulfilled His purpose! John heard it like this, "It is finished!" Either way, consider Jesus' own words about His purpose back in a private conversation with Nicodemus:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. [John 3.16-18]

Why did God abandon Jesus on the Cross? To save the world! What was finished on the Cross? Saving the world!

It is not surprising then, that to understand Jesus' question on the Cross, we must also understand that God's question to Adam and Eve, "Where are you?" was not just for Adam and Eve, but for all mankind!

"Where are YOU?"

Until we understand that we are lost in our sin, we will not understand why God abandoned Jesus. Consequently, Jesus' words, "Why have you abandoned me?" and "It is finished!" then, mean nothing more to us than that Jesus got confused at the end but knew He was about to die... but nothing could be further from reality.

Jesus came to earth, not to live, but to die. His Cross was the plan all along and Jesus NEVER lost sight of it. In fact, Jesus repeatedly reminded His followers that their purpose on earth was also NOT to live, but instead to take up their cross and follow Him. Maybe this explains why so very very many people are confused in this life on earth (both in and out of the Church). The plethora of "possibilities" offered by life can only be confusing when compared to the singular "narrow way" of the cross.

Jesus had another interesting conversation with God in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to the Cross that we should consider here:

He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” [Matthew 26.39]

If we must emotionally relate to Jesus' humanity, here is where we should do so (note: this is BEFORE the Cross). No doubt, Jesus knew the events about to take place were going to be filled with pain but He still made the conscious statement of intent to follow through beforehand. If we can see it, we too should ask this question before we commit our faith to follow Christ, "Is there any other way?" Of course, the answer is eternally the same, "No." Jesus answered our question, "Is there any other way?" when He said this:

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. [Luke 9.23]

I fear too many today have believed in a pseudo-salvation that is no salvation at all. They "accept Christ" but then spend the rest of their lives with the goal of living while still wrestling with the idea of what taking up their own cross could mean. It should be stated here: no person effectively portrays Jesus Christ in this life who has not first settled up with his own cross as did Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane!

Too much? Don't use that as an excuse to Jesus! Until the cross is our singular daily goal (not life), we actually have nothing to do with Jesus of the Bible whatsoever.

If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. [Luke 9.24]

Father, forgive me for hanging on to my life.