God is God, Man is Not

As amazing as the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is, the fact that three times crowds tried to kill Jesus and could not is also amazing.

In the story of Yeshua's earthly ministry, some of the things we see are:

1. God's love for the world in sending light into the darkness:

John 1:9-12 NKJV — That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:

2. God's way of putting man back into his rightful place of not trying to be God but learning to be willing to be led by God:

Luke 4:3-4 NKJV — And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ”

3. The humility God is looking for, as Jesus made himself of NO reputation.  Men try to build a good reputation, but Jesus refused to use God's power to build his own reputation:

Luke 8:52-56 NKJV — Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him, knowing that she was dead. But He put them all outside, took her by the hand and called, saying, “Little girl, arise.” Then her spirit returned, and she arose immediately. And He commanded that she be given something to eat. And her parents were astonished, but He charged them to tell no one what had happened.

Philippians 2:5-9 NKJV — Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,

4. The power of God shining through the weakness Jesus chose... That He put on... So we could follow Him:

1 Corinthians 1:18-24 NKJV — For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,

And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Mark 10:21 NKJV — Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

Yielding my life to Jesus doesn't just mean doing what He says to benefit me, increase my stature, or grow "His" kingdom.  He may lead me to these realities, or He may not.  No.  Giving my life to God means doing what He says when it looks like it will put me in a worse set of circumstances, when it WON'T advance His kingdom, as I see it, and when it costs me my reputation.  It means I stop trying and start dying (to my self leadership). 

The promise is that God is sovereign, and no one can take anything from me until God says its ok:

John 8:58-59 NKJV — Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 7:25-31 NKJV — Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? “But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? “However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.” Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. “But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.” Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”

Luke 4:29-30 NKJV — and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

The message of the cross isn't just that Yeshua paid the price for sin.  He did.  His death was infinitely unjust which makes it infinitely powerful to pay for all sin.

But,

It's much more than that.  It's a way to follow.  The main message of the cross is that we can trust God and die to our own self leadership.  We can walk right back out of the curse that Adam and Eve introduced to the whole human race by trying to be God, instead of being God's children, weak and needy.

True freedom is found when I stop trying to be God and give myself to Him.  The fact no one could kill Jesus before His time is just as important as what happened when it was His time.  God is God. Man is not.