“And taking the twelve, He said to them, ‘See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. For He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. And after flogging Him, they will kill Him, and on the third day He will rise.’ But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.”
(Luke 18:31-34 ESV)
It’s clear that Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him in Jerusalem. He didn’t just know He was going to die—He knew all the horrible details of it. I can’t imagine what it must have been like—to still walk forward, heading willingly straight for the cross.
Why do such a thing? The author of Hebrews gives us a clue when he writes that Jesus, “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2b ESV).
What was that joy Jesus saw ahead of Him? It was you. It was me. It was all of us, all humanity, set free from slavery to evil and let loose into the glorious freedom of the children of God. That would be the fruit of His cross.
“And on the third day He will rise,” Jesus said, speaking of Himself. He knew that it wasn’t just death coming to Him—it was resurrection and everlasting life. That was the gift that He would share with every one of us who trusts in Him. That would be His great joy.
Prayer: Lord, thank You for loving me so much. Amen.
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on March 17, 2022
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights reserved
Reflection Questions:
* Jesus finds joy in you. Who do you find joy in?
* When have you willingly suffered because you knew it would bring about a particular joy?
* Name a tiny way you return the love Jesus shows you.
(To view the entire “Lenten Devotions” mini-series, please click here.)