Jesus Bore The Cross For Me, Part One

JESUS BORE THE CROSS FOR ME

Jesus bore the cross for me,
Jesus bore the cross for you,
Our Savior chose to die
so we could live with Him.

I praise Him with my heart,
I choose Him with my soul.
I believe Him with my mind,
I serve Him with my strength.

God’s own eternal plan
led Jesus to the cruel cross
to take the sting of death
and crush the serpent’s head.

I praise Him with my heart,
I choose Him with my soul.
I believe Him with my mind,
I serve Him with my strength.

The serpent did his worst,
he offered all he had,
he spoke his boldest lies
but Jesus spoke God’s Word.

I praise Him with my heart,
I choose Him with my soul.
I believe Him with my mind,
I serve Him with my strength.

The Pharisees set traps,
the Sadducees sowed doubt,
the Romans mocked the King,
but Jesus chose to die.

I praise Him with my heart,
I choose Him with my soul.
I believe Him with my mind,
I serve Him with my strength.

Peter denied his Lord,
disciples ran away,
they left Him all alone
while Jesus chose to die.

I praise Him with my heart,
I choose Him with my soul.
I believe Him with my mind,
I serve Him with my strength.

Mary stood with her son,
John stood beneath the cross,
some stood close by and mocked,
while Jesus died for love.

I praise Him with my heart,
I choose Him with my soul.
I believe Him with my mind,
I serve Him with my strength.

The soldiers did their job,
cast lots for His dear robe.
Would they call His dear name?
Jesus, the Son of God.

I praise Him with my heart,
I choose Him with my soul.
I believe Him with my mind,
I serve Him with my strength.

Jesus surely bore the Cross for me. He just as surely bore the Cross for you. He obediently bore the Cross to set us free from our sin which separated us by our own choice from the perfect Love of God. He bore the Cross in accordance with God’s Eternal Gospel plan. He bore the Cross as He fulfilled the Promise in the Garden that the Seed of the Woman would, indeed, crush the head of the serpent. He bore the Cross to fulfill the prophecies which were written faithfully as the Holy Spirit inspired the Prophets throughout the Old Testament. They pointed their people toward the coming of the Messiah. No wonder believers over the ages have raised their praises to Heaven for such a unique gift shared from our Great God above with us, His children here below.

During March we will examine the seven sayings of Christ on the Cross.  In doing so, we will experience the depth of God’s Love expressed through the Son. In His life, death, and resurrection Jesus never failed to demonstrate the perfect nature of sacrificial love God has for each of us. It is a testimony to the uniqueness of Jesus, as we see Him seeking each of us as lost and wandering sheep without a shepherd. It is a testimony to the compassion of Jesus, as we see Him entering into the midst of our suffering to deliver us. It is a testimony to the power of Jesus, as we recognize His deliverance even when it seems we had no hope.

We first hear Jesus speaking from the cross looking down upon those who have spat out hate-filled mockery, which completely ignored the goodness of all He had done during His miraculous ministry. I have to wonder how many blasphemous conversations were interrupted by His blessed prayer for forgiveness on behalf of these who had not only beaten and taunted him with curses, but had insisted that He be nailed naked to the humiliating torment of the Roman cross. Imagine the broken heart of Him who came from Heaven to deliver us from sin—to hang there and be battered by the ugliness of this vile rejection of His loving intention to deliver. And yet His Words to the Father: “Father, forgive them.”

In the midst of the chaos going on all around Him, Jesus continues to fight for breath. He endures the incredible physical pain He bears due to the nails in his hands and feet, and also from the wounds ripped across His back. And then there is the paint from the crown of thorns crushed down upon his head. And yet even on the Cross he continues to act as the Good Shepherd. One lost sheep cries out to him from a cross next to His own. Jesus listens and answers, assuring him he will be with Him in paradise. Another sheep, lost and found, even as the Good Sherphed lays down His life.

Luke 23:39-43

One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying,
“Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God,
since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds;
but this man has done nothing wrong.”
And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
”And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

So, first Jesus turned to the needs of the crowd (desperately needing forgiveness), then to the thief begging for Jesus to remember Him in His Kingdom; and then He looks down to His very own mother. And behold, the beloved disciple of John is there with her as she weeps for her son. Does she remember the prophetic words of Simeon at the Temple, warning her that a sword would pierce her heart. Now, she knows that essential pain. How can she bear looking up at His suffering? How can she bear to hear the blasphemous and hateful words hurled from all around her at Him who is the very One the Angel had promised her as the Savior of the world? How will she carry on without Him? Jesus is far from being too far gone to ignore His mother and His beloved disciple:

John: 26-27

When Jesus saw his mother
and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby,
he said to his mother,
”Woman, behold your son!”
Then he said to the disciple,
”Behold, your mother!”
And from that hour
the disciple took her to his own home.

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Jesus Takes The Time

Even on the cross
He bears for you and Me
our devoted Shepherd,
Jesus takes the time
for you and me
and everyone
who sees their need
for a Savior, one
who will hear their cry
and respond to them
in deepest and devoted
dying love.