Part Three, An Analytical Look at the Cross

The Betrayal
To me this is the hardest to look at. The reason is because we can’t imagine Jesus as flesh and blood. We still want to idolize Jesus as being God on Earth and He wasn’t. He was flesh and blood just like we are. His feelings got hurt just like ours. He got angry just like we do. The only difference was the coping mechanism Jesus had. He truly took everything to the Father. He got disgusted with his disciples. “Oh, Robert such sacrilege coming from the prophet.” Read your WORD.

How many times did He say, “Oh ye of little faith. How long do I have to walk with you before you understand that you can have the same faith as me?”

At the top of the hill, with the beam laid down, they threw Christ upon it. As the soldiers stretched out his arms, forcing his shoulders out of socket and tearing the rotator cuffs, they took big, square-shaped spikes and began to hammer Christ to the crossbeam. These spikes were placed right above the hand in the opening where the two bones (radius and ulna) joined together above the wrist. We know this because the scripture says not a bone was broken (John 19:36).

As the nails pierced his skin they ran into the medial nerves of the wrist or the carpel tunnel as we call it today. Medical doctors say that with just the lightest touch of wind to the exposed nerve in this area is so excruciating it would cause you to pass out. Now forget about the light wind, this is a metal spike! It wasn’t the sharp nail we use today, remember they were experts in torture and pain. So electric-like bolts of pain coursed through the outstretched arms of Christ. Then the pain dramatically increased as they began to hoist the cross up into place. The whole weight of our Savior was placed on his nailed wrists. The nails and his body weight began to stretch and tear apart the joint were the wrist and hand meet.

Reach down and find this area I’m talking about on your own wrist. Then take your thumb and finger on either side, pinching down as hard as you can. Do you feel the pain and pressure? And you didn’t even touch the nerve, you just pinched into ligaments and muscles. As they lifted up the beam, they went above the resting brace of the cross beam so that they could drop it down into place. This would have jarred Christs’ body to every fiber of His being.

Then they placed the bottom plate were his feet were going to be placed. They shoved it up far enough his knees would have to bend. This would make him have to raise up on his bailed feet to be able to take a breath, because with his arms stretched out it constructed his diaphragm under his lungs to restrict air flow. Then they folded his feet one on top the other and with the same kind of spike, they hammered his feet in place. If you are like me, I can’t stand my feet to be touched let alone gave an object placed on it just to be hammered through them.

Now here comes a problem because the same way the hands were nailed above the wrist is the same way the feet were nailed. We always imagine that they went through the top of Jesus’ feet but they couldn’t because those nails would have broken the bones in the feet. His legs would have been shoved up and the spikes placed right above the ankles where the tibia and fibula meet. So, his legs were folded one on top the other and then twisted so that his legs right above the ankle was hammered through to fasten his feet to the cross. This puts a completely different light on this subject of torture.

Or his proclamation to the clergy of his time “You viper and scorpions, you white washed graveyards”. I know I get it. I’m touching on a sensitive topic when you deal with the psychological suffering but put yourself in his shoes. The Word says He was a man just like us.

So, what would you do if a close friend of yours came up to you and kissed you on the jaw right before you got arrested? Jesus said, “You betray me with a kiss, Judas? You come here and perform the most intimate act of friendship, which is a kiss on the jaw, right after you told the soldiers it will be the one I kiss.” His feeling of betrayal was just as real as if it happened to me or you. Look back at when you thought your trust was betrayed. The same anger and hurt welled up in him as it did you. The biggest difference is he knew he couldn’t buy into it. He had to put it behind him and quickly.

Before this ever happened, he had to suffer the anxiety of the future. You see He knew from the get-go he was supposed to be the sacrifice of mankind. You think he knew it so it didn’t bother him? Why do you think He went to the garden and prayed three different times, “Father if you can take this cup from me. But not my will but thine be done.” Next came the kiss and the arrest.

He looked around and nobody stood there with him. They all ran. Then in the court Jesus locked eyes with Peter right after denying He even knew him. Did you ever have a friend that in certain crowds wouldn’t even acknowledge your existence? That hurt that you suffered Christ suffered too.

Just imagine the havoc the enemy was playing on Christ’s mind. “Look, see even your closest confidante doesn’t want anything to do with you. You thought you had friends? Look! I wouldn’t treat my worst enemy like that.” Jesus had to fight through this. You see, He had to because he couldn’t entertain anything that would stain him from becoming the perfect sacrifice. That doesn’t mean He wasn’t suffering, but he dealt with it differently. He didn’t allow it to stay causing him to have bitterness or unforgiveness He had to become the ultimate sacrifice.

Then came the beatings from complete strangers. A different culture. Even a different race. We forget this. It was a Roman from Western Europe beating on a middle eastern man. Have you ever contemplated this, right in the middle of the separatism/racism we suffer here in America now. It was a white cop beating on a middle eastern or Asiatic man.

Really guys this just came to me. I never really thought of it like this, but this is real deep stuff. Jesus had to fight past the rebellion that could have risen up in him due to the political scene of his time. He had to fight past racism. He had to push past the resentment of being betrayed and abandoned. Then we get to the cross. Here he is exposed to the world literally. Being mocked and spit on. I know my pride would have raised up. “Who do you think you are, making fun of me? Can’t you see all the good I did? Not what the Father did through me but what I DID! How can you treat me this way. I AM your savior. I am the answer to your problems. If only you knew.” He had to push past all this.

He could’ve looked at all of that and cried, “Father kill them all! I am GOD! No more!”

But instead He said< “Father forgive them. They know not what they are doing.”

Then came the ultimate suffering: His Father having to turn His back on His only Son.

You see Jesus being totally innocent had to take on all of our sins. Father cannot look upon sin, so He had to turn away from Jesus. The One person Jesus knew he could count on day in and day out. The one who said he would never leave or forsake, turned away. The emptiness of nothingness fell upon Jesus so much He cried out, “Father? Why have you forsaken me?” The loneliness.

Imagine your spouse of 60 years just passed away. Nothing feels right. Nothing looks right. You can’t hear their voice in the background. There is nothing left. All hope is gone. I’ve read several encounters of people experiencing Hell and coming back. They said the worst part was there was no hope and no sense of God. Complete abandonment. This is what Jesus suffered. God I never want to experience the lack of or the ability to be in your presence.

In The Beginning
This is the final section. No, it is not the end of the story. It’s actually the beginning. From here we are able to seek and receive Salvation. All is NOT lost! Jesus hanging on the cross, gasping for air, knowing He was fixing to give up the ghost, said two very special distinct things. The first one was a request, the second a bold proclamation.

First, He asked, "Father, forgive them they know not what they do!" He looked past all of time and looked each one of us in the eyes and asked Father to forgive us. He opened the path for us to be reconciled back to His kingdom through his ultimate sacrifice of death. The Word says He was slain from the foundation of the Earth. The Word says without the shedding of blood there is NO remission of sin. Jesus responds to that by proclaiming, "I Am the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE, and no other way can you get to the Father but by ME!" You see we all have to go by the way of the cross least we be counted as thieves and liars.

The second thing He said (the proclamation) is probably the most profound statement Christ ever made, "IT IS FINISHED!!!" What is finished?

I'm glad you asked! Everything you have need of was made complete right then at that moment. As Christ died, He made provision for everything we will ever need.

You need salvation? It was completed at that moment, believe and receive.

You need a healing? You find it at the same place you found your salvation, right at the foot of the cross. His stripes were found at the cross.

You need deliverance from the demonic? You find it right there at the cross, right as he made that declaration, He made provision for your deliverance.

Hooked on drugs? You defeat it right there in His suffering, as He finalized His statement, “I AM THE WAY.”

Need financial help? He made the way.

You suffer from depression and fear and anxiety? He declared freedom from it at the same place He hung, at the cross.

There is nothing left undone. When He declared it is finished, whatever was left with loose ends, He tied them all up. Then something profound happened. He descended into Hell. Scripture says He must descend before He ascends. He went into the pits of the Earth and preached the freedom to those captives there. He took captivity captive. He took the keys of Death and Hell.

The Enemy has no more authority unless we give it back to him. The problem is we give it back daily. Here is one thing we need to correct. A lot of people will say death, hell and the grave. That is not correct. Many of us will still go by the grave. But His promise is those that believe will not suffer the second death. He didn't say we won't go into the grave.

Revelations 1:17-18

17 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, “Fear not; I am the first and the last:

18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

I love the scripture in 1 Corinthians 15:54-55
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

You see before Christ there was no hope of escaping the grave. Death was final. Not so now. He said those who abide in Him (at death of the flesh/body) are only asleep in Him to be awakened when the trumpet sounds.

So, today as we celebrate the risen Savior, the empty tomb, and the victory, if you don't know this person I've been talking about, let me introduce you today. Let me encourage you!!! There is room at the foot of the cross. You see Jesus said, “I go before you to prepare a place for you.” He has already made a place for you to abide with Him. You have no place in Hell. According to Isaiah 5 "Therefore hell hath enlarged herself," See Hell has to enlarge meaning there is no room for you there. It has to make room for you and Christ already prepared room for you.

Christ said, “I didn't come to this world to condemn it but through me ALL might be saved.” What are you waiting for friend? You read of the suffering of Christ for you. If it was only you, He would have still endured the cross.

Please contact me here and I will give you my phone number. I would love to chat with you! Or if you can, find a solid Christian church, teaching the Word of God. Even before the service begins find someone who will walk with you straight to the alter and help you find Jesus! Why wait? Today is the day of SALVATION! The price has been paid. IT. IS. FINISHED! Hallelujah! Glory!

Hang on I gotta Praise Him! He who was and is and is to come!