A Conquering Victor

It offends me when movies about the life of Christ present Him as losing control, almost as though everything was going great until one of His disciples betrayed Him, and He was taken against His will and crucified.

This was always the plan of God from the very beginning. Jesus spoke of it frequently. He would tell His disciples, in effect, “Guys, listen to what I’m saying. I am going to be betrayed. I am going to be crucified. And I am going to rise again on the third day.” Somehow this went right over their heads. They just didn’t get it.

Jesus did not go into Jerusalem as a helpless victim; He went as a conquering victor in full control of the circumstances. And here is the amazing thing: He knew what was ahead.

I think all of us, at one time or another, have wished we could have known what the future was. We’ve thought, “If I would have known this, I would have never done that.” But there are times when I’m glad I don’t know what is ahead. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

Jesus knew everything. That is why, in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Bible says He sweat, as it were, great drops of blood and said, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done” (Luke 22:42).

So the Bible says He “steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51). He would let nothing or no one stop Him from His course.

Why? He knew there was no other way we could be forgiven of our sins. He knew there was no other way we could come into a relationship with Him. So He went to the cross for you and me.