Why Jesus Chose The Cross

But hang on, didn't the Lord Jesus come to die? Yes, of course, but which death is the Lord begging his heavenly father to save him from? What was the Lord Jesus doing in the garden of Gethsemane? You see the Lord, he knew he was going to die. I.e. being crucified prior to the actual hour. He knew beforehand he was going to die.

And this is why he begged his father to save him from death i.e. prolong his life in the flesh until the time comes and Jesus says the word, it is finished. He says, father, save me from death until I'm able to say it is finished. He was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin, Hebrews 4.15. He was in all points tempted as every single human being, except he was without sin.

Meaning if he doesn't eat, he'll be hungry. If he doesn't drink, he'll be thirsty. If somebody smacks him, he will feel the pain.

If somebody says a nasty word, he will be hurt. Everything he shared with us except sin. But in the flesh, he was like every single other human being, i.e. weak like every human being.

The flesh is weak like every human being. And this is why the Lord Jesus prayed and begged his heavenly father in the garden of Gethsemane to prolong his physical life until he is able to say it is finished. The Lord was worried that he will die before saying this statement.

And where do you find this statement? In John 19.33. The Lord Jesus while hanging on the cross said 7 statements. And the 7 statements go hand in hand with the 7 days of creation, Genesis 1 and 2. They go hand in hand. Statement 1, day 1. Statement 2, day 2. And so on until all 7. One of those 7 statements, the Lord says, it is finished.

In John 19.30, not 33, John 19.30. It is finished. He begged his father, keep me alive in the flesh until I am able to say it is finished. Now it is finished, in Greek they have used this word in the New Testament, Greek language.

And please excuse my Greek pronunciation of words, I don't speak Greek so if I mispronounce it, my sincere apologies to all those who are of Greek origin. In Greek it is finished, they used in the New Testament this word, tetelestei. Tetelestei in Greek is not what is written in English, it is finished.

But rather in the literal transliteration of the word tetelestei, it says paid in full. So in the Greek language it should say in English paid in full, tetelestei. And that is what the Lord said, this is why in the garden of Gethsemane, he begged his father, leave me alive in the flesh because I am about to die, I can't handle it.

Remember, he was shredded to pieces, he lost all of his blood. So he was begging the father, before the event takes place, before the scourging, before the nails, before the cross, before everything, father I can see what is going to happen to me, I know what kind of a pain I will go through, I am begging you dad, just let me be until I say it is paid in full. Tetelestei, my goodness.

So he asked his dad to keep him until he says, tetelestei, it is finished or paid in full. And then give up his spirit. Exactly after mentioning this, the Lord says in your hands, my dad, I commit my spirit.

And then he dies in the flesh. Wow. Because he wanted to complete salvation.

He didn't want to leave nothing unless it was all perfectly done and completed. The way he endued all those pains, agonies and sorrows. He should have been dead prior to completing that salvation.

He should have been dead. No human could have handled such immense chastisement. No one.

See people usually when they think of the Lord Jesus, they say, well he is the son of God. And the son of God is powerful, he can do anything and everything. The Lord truly said, however, we need to understand there is the other side to the Lord Jesus, which is the human side.

That human side is as weak as every single human being. The flesh is weak, my beloved. You expose it to all that scourging.

His body was shredded to pieces. While he was carrying the cross, bits of his flesh were falling from his body. Because you have no idea how ruthless those Roman soldiers were toward the Lord.

How ruthless. If you read history, you have seen the passion of the Christ. Mel Gibson.

That one I will say it is 90% accurate. The Lord went through even worse than what the passion of the Christ really shows. He went much worse.

Bits from his flesh were falling while he was walking to Golgotha. Let us come and contemplate for a moment on how the Lord Jesus felt. While knowing all the sorrows and the agonies which he was going to enter and endure.

In the garden of Gethsemane, when he begged his heavenly dad, when he cried out to his father. He was seeing everything before his eyes. What will happen to him in a few hours time.

He was seeing it all. So let us contemplate on those last couple of days before the cross. From Wednesday, the Lord was absolutely sleepless.

Why? Because the Lord realized that Judas Iscariot had sold him for 30 pieces of silver. The deal has been made, Jesus will be killed. So from Wednesday, he was sleepless.

Then Thursday, he stayed up with them, you know the last supper. He stayed up with them, he didn't sleep from Wednesday till Thursday. And then when they finished from that supper, did you know what time they normally get up and leave after midnight.

So when they got to the garden of Gethsemane or Gethsemane, it would have been around 1am. So Thursday going on to Friday 1am. So from Wednesday no rest.

Thursday he stayed all day and all night up till 1am. 1am they went to the garden of Gethsemane, Gethsemane. Then he was arrested in that garden.

And he was taken to Annas house. Annas house was the high priest prior to Caiaphas. But at the time of the Lord Jesus, it was Caiaphas the high priest.

I want you to know this fact about the history of the Israelite nation and the priesthood in the Old Testament. The high priest could only remain as a high priest for 4 years. You know it's like the presidents or prime ministers, they only last for 4 years and then they have to be voted.

However the high priest at the time had a term of 4 years and 4 years only. The moment his 4 years were finished, he had to step down. No more chance to be a high priest.

So Annas was a very cruel high priest, very cruel. Realizing his time is up, he made Caiaphas marry his daughter. So Annas was the father-in-law of Caiaphas the high priest who was at the time of the Lord Jesus.

Why? Because Annas wanted to remain in control because he gave his daughter to Caiaphas. Whatever he says he can't say no to Annas, otherwise he will say to his daughter, give him hell. And being a high priest for his wife to control him, that is an absolute embarrassment before the entire Israelite nation.

He is the high priest for God's sake, his wife. So whatever Annas said, Caiaphas did. This is why when the Lord was captured in the garden of Gethsemane, he was taken to Annas house, not Caiaphas.

Yet Caiaphas was the high priest, not Annas. Annas was retired, but he was in charge by the looks of it. And then from Annas house to Caiaphas house.

And from Caiaphas house to the Sanhedrin council. And from the Sanhedrin council to Pilate. And from Pilate to Herod.

And from Herod to Pilate. And he begins to be crucified. From Wednesday till Friday morning.

From one place to the other. From one place to the other, no rest, no sleep. And don't forget, the sweat turned into blood.

Immense, beyond immense stress. The body was already gone. The scourging hasn't taken place yet.

He was already gone before the scourging. And then at Pilate's, he was sentenced finally to be crucified. At 9am, they made him carry the cross and walk.

And when he was nailed on the cross, it was 12 noon. For three hours, every blood in his body was gone. Because the scourging took place.

After scourging, they made him carry the cross. They shredded the body, if I tell you what they did. They shredded the body.

Psalm 129, King David explains the scourging a thousand years before it took place. When you read Psalm 129, it is written in a prophetic way, but it is about the scourging. You know what, I'm going to read it.

Look, this is the last chapter of Trilogy of Tears, so you better hang in there. Look at Psalm 129. Look at Psalm 129.

I didn't plan to say anything about it, but it looks like the Lord wants me. Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth. Psalm 129 is a prophecy about the crucifixion or the scourging of the Lord Jesus.

And it was written a thousand years prior to his coming. Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth. Let Israel now say, many a time they have afflicted me from my youth.

Yet they have not prevailed against me. Verse 3, the plowers plowed on my back. There were good olden days when they used to unearth, like turn the soil from beneath and bring it up.

Because that soil needs to be unturned. Why? To receive more oxygen and to be more fertile to plant the seeds. How would they plow that earth? They would bring either a cow, one of these animals, and there's two ropes tied to that cow.

And those two ropes come to a piece of wood. And at the end of that piece of wood there is a big sharp knife. And there is a platform.

The plower stands on that platform to dig that knife deep into the ground. And then says to the cow, move to plow the earth. The Lord is saying, the plowers plowed on my back.

That whip, when you read history, actually that Romans whip is still in a museum. Displayed in museums. The whip is made out of, the strings are made out of like the horses strings, like the tail of a horse.

They are very sharp, those strings are very sharp. At the end of those strings they put either a metal ball and in some a hook. Sharp hooks.

Exactly like the plowers plowed on my back. Then they would order that soldier, Roman soldier, who would be about 110-120 kilos, all muscle, extremely healthy young man. They would say to him, you are ordered to whip this person.

He would go back at least 20 meters and would come running. And then jump with all of his might, with all of his power. And then slam that whip with those metal balls and the hook on the back of that person.

And obviously the hook is going to go deep in the flesh. Then he would pull it with all of his strength. The flesh is shredded.

They whip the Lord on his back and on his chest. Sorry, I don't know, I had to say it. Anyway, so then they put the cross on him, 9am.

12 noon, after 3 hours, the blood is gushing down because the body is shredded. At 12 noon, he is nailed on the cross. 3pm, he gives the last breath and dies in the flesh.

That's why he begged his dad in the Garden of Gethsemane, just keep the body alive until I say, Teteleste, it is paid in full. Because I could see, the body is not going to last. But, what does the Holy Bible say? He was heard, because of his godly fear.

He was heard. The Father granted Jesus, the perfect man, his wish. His cry was heard and his request was granted.

Not because he is the son of God, nor he is the son of man, but because of his godly fear. Now, St. Paul continues in Hebrews 5.8 and explains what does this word mean, godly fear. Why did God the Father hear the cry and the prayer of Jesus? Not because he is the son of God, no, no, no, not because he is the son of man, no, but because of his godly fear.

What does the word godly fear mean? St. Paul explains what it means in Hebrews 5.8, the verse after 7. In 5.8, St. Paul says what godly fear really means. It says, verse 8, Though he was a son, meaning the son of God, Though he was a son, son of God, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. What is godly fear? Obedience.

Why was his prayer granted by his heavenly father? Because he was obedient, not because he was the son of God, nor the son of man, but because he was obedient. That's why his prayer was granted. This is a lesson to all of us.

You want God to hear you, you need to be obedient to him. My daughter, my son, when you are disobedient to your parents, don't ever expect them to do things your way. Anybody home, when the mom comes and says to you, darling, daughter, come let's go, you say no.

Come let's cook, you say no. Come let's clean, you say no. You always say no to mom.

Why are you expecting mom to do what you wish? You want mom to hear your request, to grant your request, you better be obedient to your mom and to your dad in order for the parents to respect what you're asking for. How much more God, the perfect father, the perfect parent. How is he going to listen to us if we are disobedient to him? We need to be obedient in order for God to hear our prayers and grant them, and grant them.

See, though he was a son, son of God, yet he learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Now, a question, because you're saying, yet he was a son, son of God, he learned obedience. Does that mean he was not obedient? Of course not, he was obedient.

But what does that mean, he learned obedience? He learned obedience. You see, some criticize the gospel and say, how is it that Christ is the son of God and yet he learned obedience? We get attacked on this. How is it Christ, you Christians claim that Christ is the son of God, but here it says in Hebrew 5.8, he learned obedience.

So, there is contradiction. On one hand he's the son of God, he should be always obedient, but he's saying here, he learned obedience. So which one is it? No, no, no, he is the son of God and he learned obedience and it's so absolutely beautifully said.

I'll explain to you. Let's look at an example. John had a prophet.

John had a prophet, God came to him and said, I want you to go to Nineveh, Iraq. He went to Tarshish, Spain, opposite direction. He was disobedient to God.

God put him through tribulations, hardships, the whale swallowed him. He remained three days in the belly of that whale in the depths of that sea. Absolute darkness, alone, nobody can hear him, nobody can come to his rescue.

He realized his mistake for being disobedient, begged God for mercy, just get me out of here, I'll do whatever you say. John learned how to be obedient after going through tribulations. But Christ learned obedience, how? Prior to his incarnation, he commanded others and they obeyed him.

After incarnation, he was commanded and he obeyed. Prior to his incarnation, he is God and God gives orders and everybody obeys those orders. After this God put on the flesh, he was commanded by God the Father to do things and he obeyed.

He had to learn how to be obedient once he put the flesh on. He was never used to be given orders prior to the flesh being put on because he is God. No one orders God, God orders everyone and everyone listens.

But this God became man. When he became man, he became lesser and there is another authority above him. That's why he had to learn to be obedient.

The one who commanded is now being commanded. Amazing. I hope you got what I said.

Now you see the picture in the garden of Gethsemane is absolutely beautiful. The Lord Jesus laid the foundation that he will enter the cross press. He got pressed on the cross.

That olive became crushed, that grape became crushed on the cross. He trodden the wine press alone, Isaiah 63. He got crushed on the cross.

He got crushed on the cross my beloved. He is the stone which David striked Goliath and Christ is the true stone which will strike Satan. Which will strike Satan.

And achieve victory to bring us back to the garden i.e. paradise once again. For this reason on resurrection day when the Lord rose from the dead, he was in the garden of Gethsemane. Mary Magdalene comes looking for the Lord.

Where is the master? She sees someone there. She calls him Gardner. Now was she wrong? No.

Mary Magdalene was not wrong when she called Jesus Gardner because he is the true Gardner. You see my beloved, the first Gardner lost everything that is Adam. But the second Gardner brought back everything that was lost.

So when she called him Gardner, she was absolutely correct. He is the true Gardner. Adam got kicked out of the garden, paradise for failing being a good Gardner.

Jesus entered the garden, paradise and accomplished God's will and word to the fullest and became the true Gardner. Gardner tell me, where have they taken him? And he turns and says, Mariam. The tone, she recognized him by his voice, not by seeing him but by hearing him.

Because Christ is the Logos, the word. The word in its nature can only be heard first and then when you hear it, believe it, accept it, then the word will reveal himself to you. You cannot find him, he will find you.

But your job is, when you hear his voice, do not shut the door in his face. Believe in that voice, believe in the word you heard. And when you believe in what you heard, Christ will reveal himself to you.

When he said Mariam, the tone, the voice of Christ, she recognized him and said Rabooli, the teacher of all teachers. Well you just saw me Mary, why didn't you recognize me? Because I was faithless. And faith cometh through hearing.

That faith was restored to Mary when she heard the voice of the Logos, Mariam. The moment she heard the voice, believed in that voice, faith came back, she recognized him. And when you recognize him, that means Christ has revealed himself to you.

The second Gardner brought us back all, brought back all that was lost. The Gardner brought us all back to the garden again. Tears of the garden opened to us paradise.

The Lord Jesus, while hanging on the cross, said to the thief at his right, Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. The true Gardner brought us back to the garden paradise. Wow, truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.

Luke 23, 43