CHRIST’S REIGN: The Victory of Calvary

Read John 12:31-33. 

The popularity of Christ among the masses was diminishing. The tide had turned.  Most of the religious leaders had rejected Him, and now the common people were following suit.  Christ had come as their rightful Ruler, but because He was not the kind of king they were looking for, they would crown Him with thorns, rather than gold. 

Yet, in judging Him unworthy to reign over them, they were actually judging themselves unworthy of His kingdom. Their act of rejecting Him on earth would bring His rejection of them in eternity.  The only way to evade judgment for sin is to receive by faith the Savior’s work on the cross.  To refuse to bow at His nail-scarred feet is to endure judgment for sin which is deserved.

In the apparent defeat of Christ in His death, was actually accomplished the true victory over death. The ruler of this world—Satan—was overthrown. This fulfills the first prophecy concerning Jesus in Genesis 3:15. Sin had entered the world, as the serpent seduced Adam and Eve, but God already had a plan of redemption in place. “I will put enmity between you [the serpent, Satan], and the woman [Christ would be born of a virgin—the Seed of a woman, rather than man], and between your seed and her Seed [the spiritual warfare between sinners and saints seen in the hostility of the world rejecting Christ]; He shall bruise your head [the death of Jesus, crushing the serpent’s head], and you shall bruise His heel [the suffering for sin Christ bore].”

The cross, far from ending Christ’s claim as Lord, assured it!  The message of the cross will have a magnetic effect on all people. The Jews rejected their Messiah, but the result would be people from every nation will have opportunity to bow to the Lord and Savior.  An old rugged cross would become a royal throne!  He would not be a victim, but the Victor!