The Worst Thing In History

We have been looking into the mystery of godliness. If you know these truths, you will never backslide, and you will never stop loving God.
 
Philippians 2:5-11
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Apostle Paul encourages us to have the same attitude as Christ, who being God, made Himself nothing, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant, became obedient to death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted Him. This is the perfect picture of humility and the exaltation that follows that kind of humility. Jesus did not just take the form of a man but He became a servant. Before becoming a servant of man, He became a servant of God.

John 13:3-5
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. In those days, servants were placed at four levels. The one at the topmost level was the one who had access to clean and take care of the master’s bedroom. The ones at the lower level worked outside. The ones at the lowest level i.e. the servants at the fourth level were the ones who washed the feet of the people, wiped their sandals, removed the straps of the sandals. That is what Jesus did when He washed His disciples’ feet. Jesus stooped to the lowest level of servanthood. That is the humility of Jesus. Jesus served His disciples. He served humanity. Up until then, there were myriads of angels waiting upon Him but while Jesus served man, He waited on man. That is the extent to which He humbled Himself.

He became obedient to the worst kind of death. Death on a cross, as a criminal. Jesus went through the process of the cruelest death. To the point that He was so disfigured that He no longer looked human. He was made Sin for us. He did not even look human, but He looked like the sin of humanity. The sin of the entire human race was placed on Him and He was made sin. It was the Father’s will that Jesus should die on the cross. We know this because Jesus said, not His will but the Father’s will be done. It was not Jesus’ will but He was obeying the Father’s will. Jesus suffered rejection, denial, cursing, abuse, arrest, stoning, torture. Compared to this, the issues that burden us are a mere nothing and do not even amount to suffering.

The face of Jesus was marred beyond recognition. It was the worst kind of death in human history. Crucifixion was a punishment given to the worst kind of criminals. While there were different kinds of crucifixion, piercing with nails was the worst form of punishment. Even before being crucified, Jesus was whipped, mocked, all while He committed no sin. The sinless One was counted as a gruesome sinner. When we see a sinless man suffering and being punished, we are stirred up and raise our voice against lawlessness. But no one raised their voice for Jesus. Even the disciples were scattered. No one stood for Jesus or defended Him. And yet, Jesus took all our wickedness, our transgressions and our iniquity upon Himself. Jesus shed His blood to the very last drop for us until there was none left. Jesus was born to die for us.

Jesus died and so we have forgiveness from sins, from ALL our sins. He was sacrificed for every single sin of mankind. It is at the cross that we see love at its best, patience and forgiveness at its best, kindness and goodness at its best, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control at its best.
Man did his worst on the cross but God did His Best on the cross. While man did the worst of what he could do, Jesus did His best for us; that is the divine exchange on the cross. Jesus did not stop at the cross. He went into the netherworld to save the lost souls.

At the cross, Jesus said, “it is finished”. We believe in the finished work of Christ. He fulfilled it. Now, all we have to do is believe. Just believe in what Christ has done and accomplished for us. That’s how simple the Gospel is. There are no twists and turns. Jesus did everything for us, we walk in that faith and live our life for Christ.

We started off by talking about the Magi. They came one way but after seeing Jesus, God warned them in a dream to go another way. After knowing Christ, if you go back the old way, there is death. Herod was waiting to kill them.

Let us walk in the way of Christ and He will give us the grace to withstand the storms of life. Christ and His finished work on the cross is the reason for our joy and celebration.

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About The Author:

Dr. Damien Antony
Born and brought up in a Christian family, Dr. Damien Antony possessed an unquenching quest for truth right from his boyhood days and eventually his relentless search led him to the Bible. He is a Revival Preacher, Bible Teacher, Leadership Trainer, Author and a Life Coach. He moves under the anointing for Prophetic, Healing, Deliverance, Inner Healing and Financial Breakthrough. God has also blessed him with an Apostolic Mandate to take the Universal Body of Christ to the next level of revelation and anointing.