Articles
Responding to the Cross
The crucifixion of Jesus the Christ is the central point of the message of salvation we call the gospel, for without it, there would be no such thing as Christianity, no Christians, and no hope of salvation for any man. I am not asking or expecting you to blindly believe, and neither is God, but I do plead with you to consider the story as it is recorded for us in the Bible. The events preceding, the crucifixion itself, and the events that followed are found in the latter part of each of the Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John], and I would strongly encourage you to read those accounts, if you haven’t already. Read them again, even if you have.
It is in those records of the events preceding, including, and following the crucifixion that we find different responses to the crucifixion; in those responses we will find ourselves, in one form or another. In which group will we find ourselves?
The Mockers. It is well known that Jesus was not accepted by all, and this is especially true amongst the religious leaders and rulers. Throughout His earthly life, they questioned His authority (Matt. 21:23), tried to trap Him with insincere questions (Mark 12:13-17), and they were even so bold as “to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him” (Luke 11:53, 54). It was clear to any honest observer that they hated Him, and on more than one occasion, they sought to lay hands on Him to do Him harm, but were not so bold as to do it in front of the people, because the crowds eagerly listened to Him. They “sought to destroy Him” (Luke 19:47, 48), and so great was their desire to do so that when they could no longer ignore Him and the fact so many people were believing in Him, they gathered together and decided they would find a way to have Him put to death (John 11:45-54).
When they successfully convinced the local Roman government to take Him and have Him crucified, even as He hung on the cross, these same ones who so strongly opposed Him throughout His earthly life walked by and “blasphemed Him” and mocked Him and His claim to be the Son of God (Matt. 27:39-43). Despite the overwhelming evidence and proof through the miracles they could not deny, their response to His crucifixion was blasphemy and mocking. We should not be surprised, seeing how they opposed Him from the beginning.
But what about you? You have the opportunity and, thus, the responsibility to consider the evidence God has given to us in the written record; you have the ability to consider the testimony of the eyewitnesses who walked with Him throughout His earthly life, who watched Him die, and who saw Him alive again. What will you do?
Sadly, there are many today who will join in with these religious leaders and rulers and their response to the crucifixion of Jesus. Many today call it the “cruci-FICTION” because they deny the evidence, disregard the eyewitness testimony, and mock and ridicule anyone who does accept the evidence and testimony. So opposed are they to anything of God that they, like these religious rulers, already had their minds made up to reject any claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and the world’s only Savior because they understand that if it really is true, it would upset their little world where they can live however they wish, with no consequences or accountability.
The only thing I can tell you is this: “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). If you reject Jesus, please know you are rejecting your only hope of forgiveness and escape from an eternal punishment.
Some Were Convinced. Even before this day, some were convinced by the evidence that the claim of Jesus to be the Christ and Son of God was true (cf. Matt. 16:16; John 11:27; John 3:1, 2), but even on that day when Jesus hung on the cross, and after He had breathed His last breath, it is said “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many,” and “when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” (Matt. 27:51-54). The very ones who were officially responsible for guarding Him while He hung on the cross knew this was no ordinary man!
But what about you? You have the full record of these events and more, including many of the miracles, signs, and wonders Jesus did when He walked this Earth, and John reminds us as he closes out his record of those things, “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (John 20:30, 31). John’s record alone is sufficient to cause one to believe — if they are honest and willing to accept the truth. But do you believe? After Jesus had arisen from the dead and, shortly before He ascended into heaven, He sent the apostles out into the world to preach the message of the gospel [the revelation of God’s plan for man’s salvation], and then said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15, 16). Will you believe, and will you be baptized that you might be saved?
Some Still Follow. Before Jesus was taken from them, many people did become disciples of Jesus, and they were willing to follow Him even as He was raised up as a criminal and mocked and ridiculed by the very ones who were supposed to be looking out for their spiritual instruction and example. They chose to believe the evidence, and the refusal of the religious leaders and the false accusations that put their Lord on the cross and made out to be the worst criminal would not deter them. Even as He was crucified, we find “many women who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering to Him, were there looking on from afar” (Matt. 27:55), and at one point, they and John the apostle stood by the cross with Jesus (John 19:25-27)
But what about you? Will you continue to follow Jesus, even when others mock and ridicule Him and His people? Will you stand with Jesus when others consider Him a myth or a fairy tale, or reject His teachings as “narrow-minded” and “outdated”? Will you stand with Jesus when His teachings are rejected by the majority — even the religious leaders of today — because it is “unloving” or “excludes” those who refuse to repent of their sin and who want to live however they wish, falsely believing God will simply overlook their impertinence and rebellious attitudes? Will you stand with Jesus and continue to follow Him when His teachings don’t agree with what you want to believe?
These three groups of people all stood at that same cross and saw the same Jesus hanging on the cross, but they did not all respond in the same way. Today, you can look back at that same cross and that same Jesus and you, too, will respond in some way; what will it be? Ridicule? Mocking? Belief? Indifference? Continued doubt?
Just remember that same Jesus was raised up by God. — Steven Harper
