John 12:12-36

"When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to me." (12:32)

When I first read this line, I assumed it was talking about the resurrection, or maybe even the ascension. But John goes on to explain that Jesus is actually talking about His crucifixion - "In saying this, He indicated the kind of death He was going to suffer." (12:33)

To the people of His day, crucifixion was a punishment saved for only the most heinous of criminals. It was public and humiliating. It took hours, and the public was free to watch as each of your bodily functions began to shut down.

In a very literal sense, Jesus knew that His recent fame would draw a large crowd to His death scene. If the death of Jesus was a quiet, private affair, it would have been much easier to fabricate a resurrection. In being "lifted up", Jesus could prepare the crowd for what was about to come next.

But perhaps Jesus saw even further into the future, into our days. If not for the death of Jesus, crucifixions would only be a gruesome footnote in history books. How does this type of death still speak to us today?

For Christians and non-Christians alike, the image of Jesus on the cross is instantly recognizable, and culturally powerful. It is shown in countless painted and film images. We sing of the cross in hymns and songs.

This man, barely clothed, weak from beatings, with nails in His hands and feet, stretched out in a painful position, speaks to us of love and sacrifice. He seems to be calling out to us. And we are all free to hear that voice individually, receiving a personal call from Jesus.

Singer-songwriter, David Phelps, interpreted the image this way, "You lived and died with arms open wide."

Another musician, Jimmy Wayne, sings about the cross in his song, "I Love You This Much". In the song, a young boy has spent his life seeking love from a distant father. At the father's funeral, the now-grown man looks up and sees the true Father on the cross, and realizes he has been loved all along.

The image of the cross has brought countless people to their knees, overwhelmed by the love and sacrifice of Jesus. In His public death, in being "lifted up from the earth", Jesus has given us a powerful and eternal symbol of God's love and glory.


So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

(George Bennard, 1913)