What Really Happened on the Cross?
So many times I’ve heard about the pain that Christ endured on the cross. The crown of thorns, the nails driven through his hands and feet, the bleeding and so on. Yes, it was an agonizing way to die. But these physical pains that I’ve described above don’t come close to the agony that Jesus felt as he bore the weight of our sins. For when he hung on that cross, he took upon Himself the unspeakable consequences of all the sins of mankind; past, present, and future. Do you grasp what that means? Try to imagine all the murders of all time. The pain and agony that all those victims felt, Jesus felt it too. The suffering of the victim’s family members, Jesus felt that as well.
When He took the sin upon Himself, he took all that goes with it. The unspeakable consequences, or results of sin are more tortuous than any crown of thorns or nails. While He hung there bearing this unimaginable sorrow, He was alone for the first time. The Father could not look upon the Son. It was Jesus cup to drink from alone. He was "Forsaken". He experienced what Hell is like. I don’t know about you, but it means something quite significant to me that the Son of God went through this. It also alarms me when I realize that because of my own sins, I personally added to His pain on the cross. Yes, the suffering of Christ on the cross goes well beyond physical pain. Salvation did not come without a high price to pay.
Jesus knew what anguish he would have to endure and that’s why he actually sweat blood in the Garden the night before. We have a hard time dealing with all the hurt and pain that our own sin causes us daily. Try to imagine being hit with everyone’s sin pain for all of time & all at once! The next time you look at a crucifix, try looking beyond Christ’s beaten body & dare to focus on his mental anguish. He endured it alone. For you. Because he loved us and didn’t give fear a chance, He prevailed & defeated death and sin’s power so that we can live with Him in Heaven. It’s the way it was supposed to be since the beginning, Us and God together forever. Thanks to what Jesus did for us on the Cross.
