Virtually everyone who has walked planet earth, male or female, young or old, rich or poor, has come to a wall in their individual life.
A "wall" is that seemingly impenetrable barrier that prevents us from moving forward with our lives. The wall can be financial or relational or physical (think of your health) or professional. For some it may even be spiritual.
The wall is not easily overcome. It is too wide or big to go around; too tall to go over; too foundational to go under. You could retreat from the wall, but it's not going away. You do have to face it and come right up to it because frankly, you don't have a choice. We discussed walls last time.
We all come to a wall. Even Jesus Christ, co-Creator of the Universe, Lord of all, came to a Wall.
"I have come to the pinnacle of success in business. In the eyes of others, my life has been the symbol of success. However, apart from work, I have little joy. Finally, my wealth is simply a fact to which I am accustomed.
"At this time, lying on the hospital bed and remembering all my life, I realize that all the accolades and riches of which I was once so proud, have become insignificant with my imminent death. In the dark, when I look at green lights, of the equipment for artificial respiration and feel the buzz of their mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of my approaching death looming over me. Only now do I understand that once you accumulate enough money for the rest of your life, you have to pursue objectives that are not related to wealth.
"It should be something more important: For example, stories of love, art, dreams of my childhood. No, stop pursuing wealth, it can only make a person into a twisted being, just like me. God has made us one way, we can feel the love in the heart of each of us, and not illusions built by fame or money, like I made in my life, I cannot take them with me. I can only take with me the memories that were strengthened by love.
"This is the true wealth that will follow you; will accompany you, he will give strength and light to go ahead. Love can travel thousands of miles and so life has no limits. Move to where you want to go. Strive to reach the goals you want to achieve. Everything is in your heart and in your hands. What is the world's most expensive bed? The hospital bed.
"You, if you have money, you can hire someone to drive your car, but you cannot hire someone to take your illness that is killing you. Material things lost can be found. But one thing you can never find when you lose: life. Whatever stage of life where we are right now, at the end we will have to face the day when the curtain falls. Please treasure your family love, love for your spouse, love for your friends... Treat everyone well and stay friendly with your neighbors."
Those words were written down by the founder of Apple, Steve Jobs. In human terms, Jobs had literally the world in his hands. He had power, money, success. He was brilliant in virtually everything that he did. And yet Jobs was still a frail human being that would succumb to sickness and death. I don't know what his spiritual health was, but he did understand that in the end, even having and possessing anything and everything, it was for naught. He would die.
Jesus being God had literally everything. It didn't seem that way in human terms, but Jesus, being God owned and controlled the universe - and still does. Yet, He set aside everything to show the rest of us that there is a better way, the only way to get through the Wall.
For about 33 years Jesus lived as God in human flesh. He personally knew joy, sorrow, pain, love. He experienced the loss of family and dear friends. He watched injustice happen in the community. You may ask "why didn't He do anything about those situations? You say that Jesus is God and loving and caring, yet He sat and watched the suffering and injustices continue; that's not right! That's not fair, Jesus could have and should have done something about!"
You know, you're absolutely correct. And that's why Jesus walked the earth for those brief 3 decades and surrounded Himself with people whom He loved and cared for. Jesus walked with a single purpose in mind: to come to His Wall.
As Master and Creator of all, Jesus didn't have to (in our minds shouldn't have had to) even HAVE a Wall in His life. It doesn't sound rational or reasonable, but that's the dichotomy of the Christian faith. You have to lose to win. You have to give up in order to have. You have to die in order to Live!
So after a relatively unremarkable life, Jesus enters a period (season) of Ministry. He calls His disciples, He teaches people with power and authority. He reveals the Scriptures. He heals sick people. He miraculously feeds hungry and thirsty people. He even raises people from the dead. He triumphantly comes to Jerusalem just before the Passover, fulfilling prophecy after prophecy. The people want Him as their King!... But do they really?
Jesus breaks bread with His disciples one last time and then does the unthinkable: Jesus heads directly for His Wall! In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus will beg and plead with His Heavenly Father to take the cup that He must drink away. He has come face to face with His Wall.
The Enormity & Majesty of Jesus Wall
When we look at Jesus Wall and really think about it, it's an amazing thing, and in order to more fully understand it or come to grips with it, we have to see the individual bricks that make up the wall.
The Wall was not just the Cross and Calvary's hill, but we'll start there. Jesus created the Hill. Jesus created the trees that would be used for the beams of the Cross that He would be nailed to. Jesus created the iron that would be forged into the Nails that pierce His hands and feet. Jesus allowed there to be thorns growing in the garden that would garnish His head.
He intimately knew the names, faces and actions of every single player in the story of His crucifixion; His unjust crucifixion. He created the men who would be soldiers who did the dirty work of scourging and nailing. He created the pious Jewish leadership who brought Him to trial. He created the Roman government by who's hand and laws the deed would be done. The thing is, regardless of position or deed, Jesus loved all of these players.
All of that is merely the backdrop for the Wall; the setting if you will. The Wall itself was something much greater, higher, longer lasting than any of the temporal backdrop of the setting. For millenia, the Wall had been building, brick by hideous brick. Since the time of Garden to the time of Noah, the Wall was being built. From the the Patriarchs through the Exodus to the Judges and United Kingdom of David. From the dividing of the Kingdom to the Exile to the dispersion. To the rise and fall of Empires, the Wall was being built brick by evil brick.
From then until now and tomorrow and the day after tomorrow until Jesus returns again, the Wall was built. The Wall is comprised of our individual sins. The sins of every man, woman and child who have ever walked this planet. The ultimate Wall is the that which separates the creation from its Creator. Sin is the Wall that separates us all from an eternal and loving relationship with the God of the Universe Who created and loves us and wants the best for us. This ultimate Wall is not only sin, but death. This ultimate Wall had to come down. Life had to be restored!
And now Jesus was facing this Wall that separates man from God. He faced is head on.
There was only ONE way to break down the Wall, and even though Jesus is God, He couldn't do it alone. He had to depend on His Father's love to use Him in breaking down the wall. Jesus was obedient. Jesus didn't fear and turn away or look for another way over or around or under the Wall. He trusted God the Father to take Him THROUGH the Wall. Unfortunately, only Jesus' sacrificial death would suffice.
On that grim and foreboding Friday afternoon Jesus would hang on the Cross, seemingly forgotten by His own Father. He would physically DIE. His spirit would no longer inhabit His body. His life would stop...dead.
Over the time of Friday night through Saturday and into Sunday, the first day of the week, we don't know the details of what transpired, but Scripture tells us that Jesus descended into Hell and stripped away the keys of sin and death (Revelation 1:18).
On that beautiful Sunday morning, Jesus would show us that He has been brought through this ultimate wall. He stepped forward from the Tomb victorious over sin and death. The Father lovingly and powerfully brought Jesus to the Wall and miraculously brought Him through, never having to do it again.
As Jesus was dying, He said, "it is finished". And as He spoke, billions and trillions of examples of sin and failure and separation were taken upon Him and put to death. In Jesus' death, but more importantly, His resurrection, that all disappeared.
That's how Jesus got through the Wall. That's how we get through our Walls. God alone. Let Him take you through your Wall.
Music: Hillsong United, "So Will I"
