John 17

I find this chapter fascinating. It is Jesus's prayer to the Father during the last supper. Jesus speaks in no uncertain terms about His divinity, His eternal nature, and His authority, given to Him by the Father. In this chapter, we see Jesus setting up God's plan of salvation for the generations (vs. 20) so that all may be sanctified by the truth of God's Word (vs. 17).

In verse 12 we also see a glimpse of the incredible leadership responsibility Jesus was carrying, the responsibility that all leaders carry. Jesus tells the Father that He has succeeded in His mission - each one of the disciples is still walking in God, preserved in the knowledge and worship of the Father. All except one, Judas Iscariot, who is destined to be lost.

Reconciliation with the Father

All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal his children.

Rom 8:19

The word Hosanna (or Hosannah) comes from the Hebrew "Hoshana" which is a cry for salvation. "Hosanna" is a joyful shout of praise and adoration to the one who brings salvation. It is an adjective used solely to describe Jesus Christ, the Messiah. The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, before the final act that would redeem the souls of man forever, crowds gathered, excited in their spirits they burst out with the cry. "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!". The religous leaders were angered:

Then some of the Pharisees in the crowd spoke to Jesus. "Teacher," they said, "command your disciples to be quiet!"
Jesus answered, "I tell you that if they keep quiet, the stones themselves will start shouting."

Luke 19:39-40

Hallelujah! All of creation was excited at the act that was about to take place. Reconciliation with the Father. That is the principle desire that burns in the heart of every man woman and child. Jesus does a lot for us, in our lives. Our joy comes from the things that bring God joy. But salvation cannot be based on that. Salvation cannot be based on emotion or whim, obligation or greed. True salvation must come from a person's inner-most desire for redemption to the Father.

Random thoughts on a road trip

The cross is a place of death, disgrace, humiliation, pain. When Jesus came to this place He was flogged, mocked, spat on and killed. Even at this point He was showing us the path to walk. When we come to the cross we must be humiliated before God. It is the place where we face up to our sin and disgrace. It is a place of pain and shame where, as with Simon Peter, we say to God "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man". The only way to come to the cross is to be humiliated before a completely righteous God. To be in awe of His holiness, as that is what separates Him from us. This brings us to a place of desire - desire for reconciliation.

Once Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God, went through that, He rose form the dead in glorious life. When we lay "Our Lives" down, He raises us into abundant and overflowing life. That is why we look back at the point of the cross as a beautiful thing. That is why we are overwhelmed at the sacrifice He made. He had to do it, so we could do it. By going to the place He did not have to go to, He allows us to come to the place we are desperate for.