Welcome to Hank’s Place —
Hebrews 12 begins with the encouragement that we have a great cloud of witnesses, men and women of faith, who have gone before us. Their witness encourages us, Hebrews says, to let go of every wound that has pieced us and resist the sin of unbelief, for unbelief can prevent our receiving God’s promises.
Then, verse 2, urges us to look not on the natural realm around us, but instead to look to Jesus. Here’s how it reads in the Passion Translation:
“We look away from the natural realm and we focus our attention and expectation onto Jesus, who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith’s perfection.” Or “He is the author and finisher of our faith.”
The verse goes on. In the NASB it says of Jesus, “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross….” Let’s hear it in the Passion Translation (I love this translation for it expresses the PASSION of God). It says, “His example is this: Because His heart was focused on the joy of knowing that you would be His….” What does that mean?
It is the joy of OUR salvation. The Passion notes explain that Jesus placed before His eyes the bliss we would forever share TOGETHER WITH HIM, which empowered Him to go through His agony. Instead of remaining in heaven’s glory with the Father and all the angels, He chose YOU and me as the joy set before him. He desires US to the point of laying down His life and being God for all eternity — to be with US.
He pursued us, not seeing our weakness and failures but what we will be. He can see what we will be in the end from the beginning. This was the JOY that prompted Jesus to become a man. He endured the agony of the cross and conquered its humiliation. He thought nothing of its shame, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!
This might help your understanding. Suppose you are a parent with young children — at Christmas you scrimp and save and do without personally, going the extra mile, just for the JOY you will see on your child’s face when they open that extra special gift. It’s THAT JOY that made your sacrifice worthwhile to you.
And it is the JOY of our salvation – the JOY we experience in realizing we are united with Jesus for all eternity — without reference to sin or performance — that prompted Jesus to become a man and endure the agony of the cross.
My friend, won’t you share salvation’s joy with someone today — they may COME ALIVE!
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