Why Him?

Mark 15:15 And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. 16 And the soldiers led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together the whole band. 17 And they clothed him with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and put it about his head, 18 And began to salute him, Hail, King of the Jews! 19 And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him. 20 And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

There have been people convicted of crimes, but they weren’t guilty. Many have been hanged, burned at the stake, or electrocuted but were innocent. Many were guilty. Of all who died innocently, one was not guilty of anything. He had no sin at all. He simply loved people more than he loved himself. Even his disciples failed and denied him. All of them were flawed. The only one to ever be 100% perfectly innocent was the man I just read about: Jesus of Nazareth.

He knew no sin but became sin for us. Why him? It should have been us–you and me. Everyone could have done something to stop it. Pilate knew it. He tried to convince the people saying that Jesus had done nothing amiss. He symbolically washed his hands stating that we was innocent of “the blood of this just man.” Pilate was guilty. He had the power to stop it. The mob, the Sanhedrin, the soldiers, the thieves–all of them were guilty. One of the thieves admitted they were there justly but that Jesus had done nothing wrong. Why him? Why not the soldiers? Why not Barabbas? Why not Peter or Pilate? If justice had won they all would have been crucified but not Jesus. Pilate didn’t think the people would choose Barabbas over Jesus, but they did. It was everybody’s cross but Jesus took it.

We are sinners. We all deserved the cross. Jesus was condemned because of what we had done. The curse of sin was all laid on Jesus. That day, in April of AD 29 or 30, the human race was represented by all the people there, but why Jesus? Joseph, his earthly father, was guilty. He needed a Savior. Jesus came to save him. His mother was a virgin, but she was still in need of a Savior. God sent the angel to her and told her that the baby would be born to save people from their sins; that began with her.

Mary stared at her son, watched him dying and probably said “why him”? Mary Magdalene probably wanted to die instead of Jesus. He had done so much for her saving her from a life of demon possession. All of them knew they should be on the cross and not Jesus. Even you and I should have been there. The cross belonged to us. It bore the weight of sin of all the human race.

Why him? Why treat him the way he was treated. Why a crown of thorns? Why crucifixion? Jesus knew that if he didn’t go to the cross, and hang there till he died that you and I would have to go. We couldn’t’ do it. Why him? He was sinless, spotless. He was tempted just like we are, but he didn’t fail. We fail, but we’re forgiven for Christ’s sake. Why him? There was no question in the Father’s mind. All the heavenly hosts would have done it but no one in heaven or earth but Jesus, the son of God, could die. God hung with him. At one point Jesus cried out asking why God had forsaken him. God couldn’t look at the sin. He had to close his eyes against every sin that has or will be committed. At that point Jesus was bearing all our sin. Don’t talk about how hard it is to be a Christian. Look at how hard it was for Jesus to be crucified. He was hung between heaven and earth and was aggravated until his dying breath. Why did he stay on the cross? It was settled. Bob Surber won’t have to get on the cross. Roger won’t. Sonny won’t. He suffered all the punishment of sin so we wouldn’t have to get on that cross ourselves.

This world is a cruel place but Jesus loves. John 13:1 says Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. His is an “unto the end” love. No one loves like that. As families we try. Couples try. Brothers and sisters, friends, neighbors–we all try but come short. Our feeble attempts are nothing. We have never been loved like Jesus loves.

John 3:16 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son.  Why? It wasn’t to put us on the cross but to put Jesus. He didn’t come to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. And it was with an “unto the end” love.

Why him? It had to be him. Him or me. Him or you. He would let it be us. Before we ever sinned our first sin, he loved us and died for us. I can guarantee you he’ll love you to the end. As Christians, we have everlasting life. That means there is no end to the love of the Lord.

Don’t end your love. All he ever asked of us is for us to take him into our heart and love him. Stop asking why. Just believe. Respond to the love of God.