The King on the Cross
One of my most cherished memories as a young girl was attending Easter sunrise services with my family. We would wake up around five o’clock on Easter morning, dress warmly, pack our blankets and lawn chairs into the back of our 1983 Mercury wood-paneled station wagon, and drive south of town. Year after year, Brown Memorial Park was the place where Jesus welcomed many into His presence. As the sun rose, Jesus always broke through the chill of dawn with the warmth of His steadfast love, unwavering hope, and faithful promises.
I remember sitting on the edge of my child-size, jelly blue, plastic tubing lawn chair, listening to the crowd shout, “crucify Him, crucify Him.” I’ll never fail to remember the suffocating heaviness that lingered in the air when King Jesus was nailed to the cross. As the sun rose, the warmth of hope washed over the mesmerized crowd. Joyful anticipation replaced the heaviness, and celebration burst out when the tomb was found empty.
Decades later, I still feel deep gratitude for what King Jesus did for me and you, on the cross, thousands of years ago.
King Jesus modeled how to face trials and endure hardships on the cross; He always kept His focus on the Father and communed with Him through prayer. Jesus exemplified love amid suffering, from forgiving the man on the cross next to Him who was being crucified to asking John to care for His mother while they stood below.
King Jesus demonstrated sacrificial love by giving up His life so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. Jesus could have called down angels to rescue Him from the cross, but He faithfully chose to endure so that He could conquer death and offer each of us the gift of eternal salvation.
Jesus bridged the gap between God and people through His death and resurrection. Our faith now gives us direct access to God. We can pray anytime and anywhere, and our prayers are heard by the LORD of Heaven’s armies. Our prayers are a sweet aroma to Him.
The King on the cross gave us a new identity through His death and resurrection. He paid our debt in full on the cross. He paid the debt for our past, present, and future sins. We are complete in Jesus; chosen, loved, forgiven, and redeemed. We are heirs of God, accepted, and adopted into the family of faith. We are worthy because He is worthy; we are enough because we are in Him. We are heirs of God—children of God. Christ gave up His life so that we could not only have life but also have it abundantly. We lack nothing in Christ. We have received every spiritual blessing in Jesus. We are sealed and saved by the blood of Jesus.
God teaches us through His Word that we cannot earn or buy salvation for ourselves or others; salvation is a gift given only from God. God grants us salvation individually, not because of anything we have done or will do, but because of our faith in the finished work of Christ. John 14:6 says, “Jesus answered, I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." Jesus is the only way to God.
King Jesus is no longer on the cross – He is with each of us now, leading, guiding, and teaching us. He continually pursues us with unwavering, steadfast love. He is present in waiting rooms, surgery centers, and schools. He is present in workplaces, on the streets, and in every rehab. He is present in homes and automobiles. He is always present everywhere. He is with those broken and crushed in spirit, listening to our prayers, and collecting our tears. He is advocating for us, defending us, and interceding on our behalf. He is always with us, redeeming and rewriting stories for the glory of God.
I encourage you this week to stop striving for God’s love and acceptance and rest in the full and finished work of Jesus Christ. Rest in the security of God’s unfailing, unconditional love.
Thank you, Jesus, that we don’t have to earn Your love or approval; we already have it because of Your completed work on the cross. Help us rest in the peace and promises of Your love today and always. In Jesus name. Amen.
If this encouraged you, check out more articles from our Flatirons Spiritual Formation Team for practical tools, encouragement, and ways to grow in your faith and leadership. Click here.