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Why Didn’t Jesus Stop the Crucifixion?

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38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself.”  Matthew 27:38-42

I know Easter has past, but put yourself at the scene of the crucifixion as they add the two robbers up alongside Jesus. You know them and the heinousness of their crimes and you see the great contrast between the reason they are there and the reason that Jesus is there.  Why is He up there? You wonder with the others, “He saved others, but why can’t he save himself? If he is truly the king of Israel, the Son of God then why doesn’t he come down?” If God really had his seal of approval on this Jesus - how could this happen to Him?  If He really is God’s son, why doesn’t God save Him?  

As you watch this man breath his last breath a million questions swirl again in your mind. Why didn’t he come down from the cross? Why didn’t he put a stop to all of this? He could have stopped the nails, the cross, the thorns, the false trial. He could have called a legion of angels to fight for Him in the garden before He was ever apprehended. If he was really who He said he was: the king of the Jews, the Son of David, the Son of God, why didn’t he stop it all? Why didn’t he stop the crucifixion?
In one word… love. He didn’t stop it because of love for you and for me.  He endured this because of love. And he showed us love in its fullest expression. It cost him the ultimate price to purchase that which is most valuable. What could be most valuable for us who are guilty, us who have blood on our hands? We are more like the robbers than Jesus. What could be most valuable for those who have failed in sin and find ourselves alienated from God, deserving the wrath of God?  All of us stand condemned after the trial that we should undergo, except in this case all the charges against us are not false, but 100% true and just.  We all have fallen short we all deserve death and punishment and hell.
Here is love. Jesus stood in our place. Jesus took all of what we deserved on Himself.  In love he satisfied the perfect justice and punishment of God that we deserved. He took your wrath, your penalty, your sin, and ultimately made your payment for the sinner that you are. Even more, Jesus in love not only took our punishment on Himself but also gave us the righteousness and perfect relationship with God that He deserved.  Love meant that he took our place in deserving punishment from God and gave us his place in perfect relationship to God. 
Love has been extended to us ladies and gentlemen.   Why didn’t he put an end to the false trial, why didn’t he show his power as the Son of God? Why didn’t he come down from that cross? Why did he endure the scorn, the mocking, the ridicule, the pain, the nails the cross?  He could have stopped it in an instant. Why didn’t he? All those questions that swirl through our heads as we watch the God man endure the cross are answered for us.  Why didn’t he stop it? Why didn’t he come down from the cross? One word - Love. If you would believe that he, the Son of God has stood in your place, taken your sin on himself, and took the punishment that you deserved, then his love to you will not have been in vain. His righteousness might be yours and his death on the cross would bring you all the way to resurrection and life eternal.
“6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 8 God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6,8

In Christ, My Only Hope, Pastor Steven

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