On Easter, or Resurrection Sunday, most congregations heard the account of the Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and burial in a borrowed tomb. They also heard the old and still wonderful story of the empty tomb, with the stone rolled away and the angel sitting on it, declaring that Jesus is risen. These great truths never grow old even though they have been preached for more than two thousand years. Those of us who claim Jesus as Lord and Savior look forward to this time of year, and the preaching of the “old old story” of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection.
There is another, earlier story that we don’t hear preached very often; the story of “the first crucifixion” is not often recognized as being vital to the empty tomb, and yet it is “The Pivotal event of the New Testament”. This first crucifixion occurred in Gethsemane, (wine press); not on a hill called Golgatha.
As powerful as the scriptures concerning the crucifixion of Jesus, and the desertion by His disciples are. As moving as the account of the empty tomb still is; all this is, in a very real sense “after the fact”. The fate of Jesus was sealed in verses 39, 42, and 44 in the Garden of Gethsemane, and affirmed by verse 53. Without these hours of agony in prayer as Jesus again, again, and again, asked the Father to release Him from the Cross.
Without Jesus responding as He did in these verses there would be no arrest, or mock trials, no scourging and mocking by the soldiers and chief priests and others. There would have been no Christ on the cross; no Easter services or celebrations of His open tomb would be held. There would be no hope for you and I, no forgiveness, no way to God, and likely the end of mankind.
BUT! Jesus did crucify His will and choose the cross, He chose His Father’s will, He chose us. If you and I would be with Jesus, if we would enter into Heaven, we must take up our cross, crucify our own will and live according to God’s will, there is no other way.
No matter who we are, how much we have accomplished in life, how much we know of the scriptures, or how perfect our church attendance; the pivotal moment in our lives is when we choose Jesus and His will, not our own.
