GOING TO THE CROSS

John 7:31-36
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Is Jesus the Messiah?

31 Many among the crowds at the Temple believed in him. “After all,” they said, “would you expect the Messiah to do more miraculous signs than this man has done?”

32 When the Pharisees heard that the crowds were whispering such things, they and the leading priests sent Temple guards to arrest Jesus. 33 But Jesus told them, “I will be with you only a little longer. Then I will return to the one who sent me. 34 You will search for me but not find me. And you cannot go where I am going.”

35 The Jewish leaders were puzzled by this statement. “Where is he planning to go?” they asked. “Is he thinking of leaving the country and going to the Jews in other lands? Maybe he will even teach the Greeks! 36 What does he mean when he says, ‘You will search for me but not find me,’ and ‘You cannot go where I am going’?”


Jesus was going to the cross.

Others before Jesus had suffered crucifixion at the hands of the Roman authorities. Jesus was not the last person to ever suffer that fate. When Jesus said, “You cannot go where I am going”, His reference was to the way.

Jesus was going to the cross with determination. He was not trying to avoid what was coming. Rather, He knew the Father’s plan and was about His Father’s business.

He was going to the cross with forgiveness in His heart. “Father forgive them, they know not what they do.”

Jesus was going to the cross innocent. Only the unblemished sacrifice could pay the price.

Jesus was going to the cross as no one before or no one since could go. “You cannot go where I am going.” Jesus is the Messiah, sent to the cross to deliver mankind from the oppression of sin!