On A Hill Far Away

"And he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called the place of the skull, which in Aramaic is Golgotha.  There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them" (John 19:17-18, ESV).

The events that surrounded the death of Jesus seem so far removed, both by time and space, from the events of our life.  Many are asking, "How can the death of one man, nearly 2000 years ago, still matter?".  Many men (and women) died long before Christ Jesus came and dwelt among us, and many have died in the time since his crucifixion.

Why is Jesus' life and death any different?  Jesus' life is different for many reasons, and his death if different, too. First, before he took on the human flesh, and became the God-man Jesus, the Son of God existed eternally with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.  Second, God the Son took on human flesh.  Thirdly, he was/is fully God, and fully man.  Fourthly, Jesus didn't have to die, because he was without sin; he died voluntarily. Fifthly, Jesus' death secured pardon from sin for all those who trust him.  Finally, Jesus didn't just die; he rose from the dead on the third day.

Jesus' death still matters because of his resurrection.  The resurrection means that Jesus is still alive.  It means he is sovereign over the whole creation.  The events that lead up to the execution of Christ are still relevant today because they force us to make a decision.  They demand a response.

If Jesus just died, how did the disciples go from cowardice to courage?  If Jesus just died, how did Christianity take root in Jerusalem, the city outside of which Christ was crucified, just fifty days after his death?  If Jesus just died, how was Christianity able to spread over the known world in just a few short years?  If Jesus just died, how did a former persecutor of the church, Saul of Tarsus, become a preacher of the gospel he formerly despised?  If Jesus just died, why did the apostles all accept death and refuse to deny their risen Lord?  The answer is to all of these questions is simply, Jesus didn't just die.  He arose on the third day.  He is ascended into heaven, and he will return again some day.

The hill on which he died may seem far away, but King Jesus is always near.  The cross where he died still bridges the gap between God and man.  Anyone who turns to Jesus will never be cast out.  Have you gone, in faith, to that hill far away, and found freedom through the old rugged cross?