What Was Jesus Doing On The Cross?

# 4 (He was) pleasing the Father 

In the early 1990’s all the ‘cool’ Christians in the popular Churches began following a new trend called ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ 

The merchandizers made a truckload of money by selling WWJD necklaces, bracelets, T-shirts and anything else they could attach their logo to 

They even made a movie in 2010 called ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ 

The whole idea about WWJD is that you would use it to make important decisions in life – so, whatever the situation required you would say, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ 

Here’s a few examples: 

‘Should I resign my job and get a better job somewhere else that pays more money - ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ 

The problem with this question is I don’t think Jesus was motivated about getting more money 

‘Should I divorce my husband/wife and marry someone better - ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ 

The problem is I don’t think Jesus was motivated to get married 

‘Should I brush my teeth tonight before I go to sleep - ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ 

The problem is I don’t know if Jesus used toothpaste 

The overall problem with the ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ trend was that Christians were using it/the idea to make their lives better, be successful, ‘go to the next level’, and live their best life now 

The ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ trend came and went after about 20 years and has been all-but forgotten (I’m wondering what the next trend will be?) 

So, should we be guided in our Christian life by whatever is trending at the moment, or should we be motivated by something else? 

I say that we should be motivated by something else - that something else is called ‘pleasing the Father’ 

What was Jesus doing on the cross? 

He was pleasing the Father 

In Genesis 22 we see in Isaac the Christ type that God was foreshadowing Jesus' motivation to please the Father in dying on the cross 

Genesis 22: 2-6, 9-10  

You will notice that it pleased Abraham to sacrifice his ‘son, his only son’  

Abraham even loaded the wood, to fuel the sacrificial fire, upon Isaac to carry up the mountain 

Almost 2, 000 years later, in the same way, Jesus, God the Father’s Son, His ‘only Son’ carried the wooden cross to calvary (on the same mountain) on which He was impaled and died 

And you will also notice that to please his father, Isaac humbly submitted himself to death at the hands of Abraham. Isaac didn’t struggle or resist but instead willingly allowed himself to be tied up with ropes and wait for that dreadful moment! 

The great Prophet Isaiah wrote that it was the will of the Father that His Son Jesus Christ would die a sacrificial death on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven 

Isaiah 53: 1-10a, 11 Read 

Ephesians 1: 9, 11; Ephesians 3: 11; Hebrews 10: 7 

Look again at the first part of verse 10 

Isaiah 53: 10a ‘the Lord was pleased to crush Him severely’ HCSB 

Incredible isn’t it!? That the Father was pleased to crush His Son on the cross and just as incredible that the Son Jesus Christ was willing to be crushed and die so that He might please the Father! 

Ephesians 5: 2b ‘He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.’ 

When we think about making a sacrifice for God, we tend to think sacrifice is giving something to God that we don’t really want to give 

Here’s a few examples: 

“I don’t really want to go to Church today, but OK I will attend as a sacrifice for God.” 

“I don’t really want to give any money to the Church for ministry purposes, but OK I will give some money as a sacrifice for God.” 

“I don’t really want to attend the Monday night Prayer Meeting, but OK I will log on as a sacrifice for God.” 

No, no! That’s not a sacrifice at all, sacrifice is not giving something to God reluctantly, something that is left over, something that is 2nd best, something that doesn’t ‘cost’ you anything. NO. Sacrifice is giving everything we are and everything we have, to please the Father – as Jesus did! 

The last 2 times Jennifer and I were in Israel, we visited the beautiful Garden of Gethsemane on the slopes of the Mount of Olives where 2, 000 years ago Jesus went to pray on the night of His betrayal and arrest 

The word Gethsemane means ‘oil press’, the place where the olives are harvested and crushed for their oil 

And it was in the Garden of Gethsemane that Jesus prepared Himself for His sacrificial death on the cross 

Matthew 26: 36-39 Read 

38a ‘He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with Me.” 

39b “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” 

John 6: 38; John 8: 29 

So, ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ (WWJD?) 

Jesus would please the Father! 

What should we do? 

We should live and do all things to please the Father! 

1 Thessalonians 2: 4b ‘Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.’ 

Romans 8: 8; Romans 14: 18; Galatians 1: 10; Hebrews 11: 6