"We have mocked his (Jesus') victory by whitewashing the enemy for the sake of our neighbor’s approval.” He blinked and drew a deep breath. “Imagine me talking like that from the pulpit. It would scare the breath out of most of them.”"
from "Heaven's Wager (The Heaven Trilogy Book 1)" by Ted Dekker
open quote from Amazon.com
Chances are you haven't heard anything even close to this.
You should be asking - "why not?"
After all, Jesus Himself said things like this -
Jesus Predicts His Death
Jn 12:20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.
Jn 12:23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Jn 12:27 “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!”
Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.
Jn 12:30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die.
Jn 12:34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?”
Jn 12:35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36 Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Jesus talked about His own death many times.
He also talks of how His heart is troubled about His impending death. As do many of us.
However - He goes on to say -
... what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?
No - He is not going to ask the Father to save Him from what's about to come.
No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour.
Jesus goes on to say that His death was the very reason that He came to earth! Without the suffering and death that He's about to endure, His life would not serve the intended purpose. That's because without His suffering and death, there would be no payment for our sins - there would be no justice. Then we'd be like some other religions, with no hope - leaving it up to us to have to try (and fail) to do enough good to "deserve" going to the next life.
Father, glorify your name!”
Finally, Jesus' death is also to glorify the name of the Father.
Maybe that sounds weird to you. How can the death of His Son possibly glorify the name of The Father?
Well - look what we just said happens with that death. It pays the penalty for our sins - if we accept it. It allows us to spend the rest of eternity with Him.
If that's not awesome, I don't know what is.
and Jesus said things like this -
The World Hates the Disciples
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