It was for us

 They were in disbelief. How could their brother let the opportunity just pass by. He had turned water into wine, healed the sick and even fed over five thousand people with just five loaves and two fish. It was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters and Jesus` brothers were planning on going to Jerusalem. Large crowds of people were expected at the festival there. It would be the perfect opportunity for their big brother to show more of his amazing miracles and to get really famous. „ Show yourself to the world“ they said. But it didn’t seem to bother Jesus. He wasn`t  even going to join them to the festival. His time had not come, he said. How were they ever going to understand their older brother who said such strange things and frequently went hiding instead of seeking the spotlight?

Some time later, there was an Ethiopian eunuch returning from Jerusalem . He had travelled all the way from Africa to worship in the Temple there, probably for one of the great Jewish festivals. He was now  sitting in his rattling carriage on his way home again while reading aloud from the book of the prophet Isaiah ; 

„He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Unjustly condemned he was led away. No one cared that he died without descendants, that his life was cut short in midstream. But he was struck down for the rebellion of my people“ ( Isaiah 53; 7-8)

Who was the more than 700 years old passage  talking about? Was the prophet Isaiah talking about himself or someone else?The Ethiopian eunuch was desperate to find out. But how could  he know unless someone told him? All of a sudden he heard a voice beside him asking“ Do you understand what you are reading?“ He jumped up in surprise. God had seen his longings and sent him Philip who shared  the whole Gospel with him and related it to the Scriptures. Jesus was the one the passage was talking about. Philip showed the Ethiopian where Isaiah wrote why Jesus had come;

„All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God`s path to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all“ ( Isaiah 53;6)

All of a sudden the Ethiopian eunuchs` eyes were opened to see and his heart ready to receive the Good News about Jesus Christ who had died on the cross to take the punishment for his sins on himself. The Ethiopian  got baptised and Philip disappeared as soon and mysteriously as he had come. But the Ethiopian eunuch was a changed man who now rejoiced in his Saviour.

Although Jesus died willingly for our sins ( John 10:17-18), it wasn’t easy for him. The night before he had to walk the heavy road to Calvary, he prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. It says that he was deeply troubled and distressed.As he fell to the ground he cried out; 

„Abba Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine“( Mark14:36)

Jesus chose the cross and the prophecies about him were fulfilled. He underwent tremendous pain and mockery. Crowds of people scoffingly shouted „Save yourself and come down from the cross!“ Which again fulfilled another passage from Psalms 22:7-8;

„ Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him“

Jesus could have just focussed on his miracles  and received public recognition and fame. Or he could have come down from the cross before it was finished. But I am forever grateful that Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned (Galatians 1:4) He was the Suffering Servant who came, not to be served but to serve. Everything he did was not for himself; It was for us!

You can listen to a song I wrote based  on what I`ve written here😊 ;

https://youtu.be/IiVDDTBJD6Q?si=_jJ6Vtnl32uhgp3M