But God Can
Today we’re reflecting on the horrific torture Jesus endured before he died. Matthew 27 recounts how Pilate ordered Jesus to be flogged with a lead-tipped whip before handing him over to be crucified. The governor’s soldiers mocked Jesus, dressing him in a scarlet robe, placing a crown of thorns on his head, and striking him repeatedly. This passage emphasizes the brutal treatment Jesus faced as the entire regiment beat him until they were too tired to continue. Jesus endured unimaginable suffering on the cross, and in his humanity alone, he couldn’t have done it.
Let’s ask two questions of Jesus’ crucifixion:
1. How did Jesus endure the cross?
Everyone has felt the urge to quit at some point. We all face moments of doubt. “I’m not smart enough. No one will help me. I don’t have enough money. I’m too shy. I’m too ugly.” Maybe you want to quit your marriage or job. Quitting is easy and perseverance is hard. You might have to work harder or fail more than others. You might have to be more disciplined. You might not be as smart, pretty, or wealthy, but God has given you everything you need to do what he created you to do. Do the best you can with what God has given you, and it will be enough.
There have been many days I wanted to quit my job. I think “I’m not a good enough preacher. People keep leaving! I can’t remember your names!” After four failed IVF attempts, my wife and I wanted to quit trying to have children, but we are so glad we did a fifth IVF. Our two sons are pretty happy about it too.
All through Scripture God asks people to do things, and they make excuses for why they can’t. He gives a command, and they respond with, “But I…”
God wanted Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and speak God’s words to Pharaoh, and Moses said, “But I am slow of speech” (Exodus 4:10). God asked Gideon to go to the Midianites, and Gideon said, “But I am the least in my entire family” (Judges 6:15). God asked Jeremiah to be a prophet, and Jeremiah said, “But I am too young!” (Jeremiah 1:6). God asked Esther to deliver his people, and she said, “But I have not been called to go to the king” (Esther 4:11). God wanted to make Abraham into a great nation, and he said, “But I’m too old.” Jesus told Peter to cast the nets on the other side of the boat, and he said, “But I already tried.” And in each of these stories, the reader wants God to say, “You can do it!” But he didn’t. Instead, God turned the focus away from the person and onto himself.
The city of Corinth was a thriving Roman city, the New York City of the first century. They had a saying: “In Corinth, only the tough survive.” Yet, in this city, there was a group of unskilled, uneducated people who started a movement that amazed everyone: the Christian church. In their struggle you’d assume Paul would write to praise them, Instead, he talked about their inadequacies. A lot of the people leading this church were poor or even slaves, but Paul didn’t lower his expectations. Instead, he pointed out their weaknesses.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
We make excuses for why we can’t do what God wants us to do, but it was never our strength we should have been relying on.
Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
We’re tempted to say, “But I can’t do it. I’m not wise. I’m not popular.” The truth is, God is bigger than your “but.” Instead of saying, “But I,” Scripture says, “But God.” Those words will change your life. I’m not good enough, but God is!
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart.
Joseph said to his brothers who sold him into slavery, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20). Jesus said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible” (Matthew 19:26).
How can we be good enough? How can we handle the pain? How can we face the problems? We can’t, but God can. God can do more through us than we could ever do in ourselves! He gives us strength.
[The Lord] said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
How did Jesus endure the cross? In his humanity, he couldn’t, but God did.
The second question is about Christ’s intentions.
2. Why did Jesus endure the cross?
What did Jesus’ death accomplish? First, he won a spiritual victory over the spiritual world.
In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.
In the Old Testament, we see an evil partnership between humans and spirits in Babylon, in Egypt, and throughout the Old Testament that isn’t possible today. Jesus took their power. The last thing Jesus said before he ascended to Heaven was a description of this reality.
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.
Secondly, Jesus endured the cross to give us resurrection. We use the word “gospel” when we talk about Jesus’ death and resurrection. “Gospel” means “good news.” Jesus’ death is good news.
There’s a difference between good advice and good news. We’re tempted to turn the gospel into good advice, a list of rules we need to follow or wise advice for living in this world, but that is a weak version of the gospel. Good advice is a teacher telling her students to study for the test. She says, “If you do the homework and read the book, you’ll do fine on the test.” That’s good advice, but what if the teacher said, “Scoot over. I’ll take the test for you.” That’s good news, and that’s what Jesus did on the cross. We were supposed to die for our sins, but he died for us. That student did not deserve to have the teacher take his test for him, but the teacher did it anyway. That is called Substitutionary Atonement. Religious minded people don’t like it. They think this kind of gift gives people license to sin. That’s what Paul emphasizes after laying out the good news in Romans 6.
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?
After he shared the good news, he had to clarify that we shouldn’t react to the good news by doing whatever we want. If our flesh still controlled us, we would use our flesh for selfish reasons. If my heart’s desire is to get human pleasure, I will use the gospel to satisfy my flesh. However, if I surrender to God, I am living with a renewed mind. When my “But I” mindset changes to a “But God” mindset, Jesus sanctifies us. If we don’t teach in such a way that people respond with, “but that doesn’t seem fair,” then I haven’t actually shared the good news. The beauty of God’s grace is that it isn’t fair.
When humans hear about God’s gift, it should sound too good to be true, but not all good news is easy news. Good news could be that you got a new job, but that’s not a promise that the job will be easy.
If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.
Jesus didn’t die so we can live in this world. Jesus died so we could die with the promise of resurrection. The good news requires death. The old self must die, but the new self is better. Imagine owning the whole world: Apple, Google, America…the Kansas City Chiefs! Jesus said that power would actually be bad for us.
But [God] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Trade your “But I” excuses for “But God” empowerment. You’re not who you used to be. You are a new creation. The old is gone. When I am weak, God in me is strong. Jesus’ death and resurrection should give you hope that you can endure anything in this world because you know this world isn’t your home.
