Not so long ago (while lying upside down at the bottom of a car-inspection pit), I felt very sorry for myself.
I was working on my car and in the process of hopping back and forth across the pit, slipped and fell in. I was shaken, bumped and bruised, but fortunately not seriously injured. However, over the next few days the whole world seemed to revolve around my pain and me. Worst of all were my bruised ribs. Nearly every movement I made caused me to wince from sharp pain in my side. Suddenly, simple things that normally wouldnt irritate me, started to do so and I seemed to lose patience with people too. Thinking back on the incident, I am embarrassed at how easily a little pain and discomfort caused me to become self-focused and un-Christian in my behaviour.
In stark contrast stands Jesus Christ, hanging on the cross. Crucifixion was such an agonizing torture that they needed a new word to try to describe the pain. Hence we get the word excruciating, which is derived from crucifixion. Pierced hands are way above bruised ribs on the pain-o-meter. While my ribs were a bit bruised, our Saviours hands were pierced. While I lost some skin on my elbows, our Saviour had a spear thrust in his side. While I lost my footing, our Saviour lost his life.
Please pause for just a moment and think about it. Jesus was fully God but at the same time he was fully human and felt pain, discomfort and emotions just like us. However, the big difference is that while we tend to become very inward focussed during times of physical pain and emotional stress, Jesus did not. From the time he sweated blood in Gethsemane until he cried out, It is finished on Golgotha, he had each one of us in mind. All through those long hours of lack of sleep, hunger, thirst, physical abuse, emotional abuse and pain, Jesus never once took his focus off his love for us. Talk about the epitome of dying love.
Awe-struck and dumbfounded
It is for realities such as the ultimate dying love that Jesus had for us, that we love him so much. That we adore and worship him all the more. It is hard to fathom (on the self-centred human scale) that after hanging painfully for almost six hours on a cross, Jesus still takes the time to ask God for forgiveness of his oppressors and to ensure that his mother will be looked after once he is gone. How is that possible? It is no wonder that a battle-hardened Roman centurion, who had probably officiated over many executions before, was awe-struck and dumbfounded. Never before had he seen such a display of outward love and caring for fellow humans. How could a mere mortal, going through such excruciating pain, abuse, mockery and torture, not once lash out at his accusers or think of himself, but only consider the needs of others? Truly this was the son of God! (Matthew 27:54).
But that is not all. There is much more to that first Easter some 2000 years ago. When I was working on my car and fell, it was by accident. Trust me, I did not do it on purpose, nor did I plan it all beforehand. Once again, our Lord Jesus Christ stands in stark contrast. I fell by accident; Jesus did it on purpose and was fully in control all the time.
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). For he was crucified from the foundation of the world. It was all planned long in advance and Christ did it of his own accord. I lay down my life (John 10:15). It was not taken from him. It is one thing to do something good because you are forced to; it is entirely a different matter to do good because you have a burning desire to do so of yourself. The difference is true, deep, unconditional love. For he loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
The crux of what really took place that first Easter those many years ago is beautifully captured in the words of John the Apostle, This is how we know what love is: Christ gave his life for us (1 John 3:16, GNB).