Jesus The Conqueror

Luke 23 continues and Jesus is paraded like a fool in front of a king who wanted to see Jesus work miracles and do tricks when called upon like He was some kind of street magician. They even dressed Him up and mocked Him and made fun of Him. I am sure Jesus was tempted to correct everything that was wrong in this situation. Jesus conquered His pride and committed Himself not to speak and not to play the political games into which He was thrust. Jesus is being made into a circus and He has to conquer His desire for self-centeredness and anything else ‘self’ related because He is obediently doing the will of God the Father.

Would you have just stood there and stayed silent?! Not me.

Eventually Jesus is given back to Pilate the Roman Governor and He is again declared not guilty of any crimes and is not Someone who deserves death. Pilate is swayed to do what the crowd wants and He hands Jesus over to be crucified. The Bible shares with us that Jesus was severely beaten before He is sent on His way through Jerusalem to be killed. Matthew 27:26 uses the word “scourged.” Jesus was not guilty and yet He was scourged and sentenced to death. Jesus drags part of the cross through Jerusalem after having been severely beaten.

It is at this point, make no mistake, as Jesus takes one step after another through the streets dragging His own method of execution along with Him, Jesus is absolutely conquering the desire to quit. Every step the rough wooden cross digs into already bloody back He wants to quit and yet He conquers it. Jesus conquers the desire to quit every single step as He marches to His death.

THREAD: JESUS CONQUERED EVERYTHING

READ Luke 23:32-34 (ESV)

“Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with Him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on His right and one on His left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide His garments.”

Do you catch what Jesus is conquering as He says aloud “Father, forgive them?” Jesus is conquering blame and hate and anger and the grand desire to smite them all with fire from Heaven like the good old days (Genesis 19:24, Job 1:16, 2 Kings 1:10-12, 1 Kings 18:38). Jesus is bleeding while suffocating to death and conquers His feelings about the injustice of it all. Jesus conquers the temptation in His heart to resent God because this was the chosen path for Him. He did not nurse a grudge against those standing by watching.

Luke 23 continues…

READ Luke 23:35-38 (ESV)

And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He is the Christ of God, His Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up and offering Him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

Not only were people watching, but they continued to yell and Him and mock Him and call Him out as the Savior. Make no mistake, the Jesus Who changed water to wine and healed leprosy and made the blind to see and walked on water and raised the dead and calmed the sea absolutely had the power to come off that cross at any point. Every single insult Jesus conquered by submitting His will to God’s. Jesus conquered His desire to do anything else than what He was enduring. Jesus conquered the feelings of giving up or lashing out or even doing something spectacular which would have been for His own gain. Jesus conquered His innate desire for justice because everything about this is wrong.