How Did Jesus Do It?

We know that Christ arrived on this planet with the explicit aim of ransoming sinners (Mark 10:45). We know that on the night before He was crucified, it scared Him so much He asked the Father that if there was any way possible this cup would pass (Matt 26:39). Ultimately, we know that Jesus went to the cross willingly. How? How did He do that?

Hebrews 12 has a little insight that might just surprise us. Jesus, it says, endured the cross and counted the shame as of no loss by doing one thing -- He looked at the joy set before Him (Heb 12:2). Wait ... what?? That's what it says. Looking at the joy set before Him, He endured the cross and despised the shame. Jesus willingly went to the cross because of joy. Okay, now, just what joy is that? Because of the cross, He "has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Heb 12:2). For the honor of being eternally with the Father He endured the cross, and He did it with joy.

So what? The author of Hebrews urges us to do the same. The author urges us to fix our eyes on Jesus as we run the race set before us (Heb 12:1-2). He goes on to say, "For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart" (Heb 12:3). We all, Scripture promises, will endure hardship of all sorts. Jesus's example on the cross is our best method of not growing weary and losing heart. That is? Look at the joy set before us. Look at the promises of an eternity with Him. Look at the certainty of our victory. Understand that all we endure here is for our best and count it all joy. Imagine that -- a strategy to endure hardships by indulging in joy! It worked for Jesus; how about us?