A Clear Image of the Savior in an Easily Misunderstood Picture

How many of you remember 3D pictures like this? Can you tell what the 3D images in each of these pictures are?

The first one is a shark. The second one is a dinosaur. The third one is a heart.

When these types of pictures first came out they were amazingly popular. They would sell them framed, as posters, and in picture books for your coffee table. I remember in high school standing in the middle of the mall at one of those kiosks selling these 3D picture images. I must have stood there for a half and hour getting frustrated because I couldn’t see any 3D image. All I could see was a great big mess. I’d stare, cross my eyes, get really close to the picture and then slowly back away – but I just couldn’t get past all the jumbled mess to see anything. While I’m standing there couples would walk up and look at a picture and almost immediately say “Oh wow! That’s amazing! Those flowers just jump off the drawing!” Or some ladies shopping together would come up and look at a picture and say to one another, “Do you see that rainbow? It is amazing how clear it is!”

I wanted to yell – “It is NOT! It’s not clear! It’s anything but clear! I’ve been staring at that mess for a half and hour now and there isn’t anything there! You all must be crazy!”

But I do remember the first time that one of the images became clear to me. It was an underwater scene. I remember how a portion of the picture seemed to have a third dimension to it. I wrestled for a while trying to get the whole image to come clear. I had to keep coming back to the same spot on the picture, trying to see the third dimension, and then slowly backing away until I could see it all. I remember seeing several fish in that image. And I remember standing there for what seemed like an incredibly long time admiring the amazing scene that I had been missing for the longest time because of the apparent busyness and mess of the picture upon first examination.

It’s fun now to look at these images and to see what is there, even when the image at first glance already appears to have some order to it and seems to be a clear representation of something (like the heart picture we looked at earlier).

A Misunderstood Picture – Jesus’ lordship and control in the final hours before His death on the cross.

There are several accounts of Jesus’ final hours before the crucifixion in the Bible. And in those accounts there is so much that takes place in just a few short chapters and verses. For me it’s often difficult to see clearly some of amazing attributes of Christ because the accounts go by so quickly and they are filled with so much emotional material. It is easy to just look at the picture and say Christ sure did endure a lot of hardship and suffering on our behalf. That’s true! Christ did endure a lot of hardship and suffering on our behalf – but if that is all we see we have missed an amazing picture of Christ’s lordship and control – even when things seemed to be completely out of control.

The verse that was great for helping me focus in on Christ’s lordship and control during the time around his crucifixion is John 19:11. Jesus is before Pilate and is being questioned. Beginning in verse 10 the text says, “So Pilate said to Him, ‘You do not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?’” Jesus is before the man who appears to be the one who has the power to determine His fate – whether He will live or die. Jesus has been arrested, accused before the priests, scourged, and now brought before the governor for final sentencing. At first glance it seems like Jesus may not actually be in control. But listen to Jesus’ response. “‘ Jesus answered, ‘You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above. . .’” In the final moments before His death sentence Jesus tells Pilate, “You may think you’re in control of this situation here, but the only reason you’re exercising any power is because I have permitted you to do so.” In the middle of this incredibly difficult narrative beginning with His arrest and ending in His crucifixion Jesus claims to still be the One exercising control.

Do you get that? That’s a great starting place to begin working back from – like the first place in the 3D picture where it’s easiest to see the third dimension taking form. Once we clearly see Jesus control here then we can work back and begin to see an amazingly clear picture of Christ’s power and control all throughout the final hours of His life prior to the crucifixion.

Back up to John 18:3-6. “Judas then, having received the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, ‘Whom do you seek?’ They answered Him, ‘Jesus the Nazarene.’ He said to them, ‘I am He.’ And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them. So when He said to them, ‘I am He,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.” We don’t know how many men exactly came as a part of this crowd to arrest Jesus, but it was probably at least 600 men. And at Jesus’ declaration of who He was, all of them fell to the ground! There is no mistake here – Jesus had not lost His power or authority. At His arrest He was still the One who was in control.

In Mark 14:55-62 we see further evidence of Jesus’ power and control, even in these last hours. “Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus to put Him to death, and they were not finding any. For many were giving false testimony against Him, but their testimony was not consistent. Some stood up and began to give false testimony against Him, saying, ‘We heard Him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands, and in three days I will build another made without hands.’’ Not even in this respect was their testimony consistent. The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, ‘Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?’ But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, ‘Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?’ And Jesus said, ‘I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming with the clouds of Heaven.’”

Having been arrested and placed on trial before the council of religious leaders, Jesus’ power and control is still not usurped. The religious leaders try to take control of the situation and dictate the outcome so that they are able to accuse Jesus without question. But even in their attempt to do so, those bringing false accusations are unable to put together a consistent claim against Him. Instead Jesus boldly proclaims not only His deity but also demonstrates His control by telling them just how this is all going to play out.

When Jesus is taken before Pilate to be questioned, He does nothing but affirm His rule and His kingdom. John 18:33-37 says, “Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, ‘Are You the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, ‘Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?’ Pilate answered, ‘I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?’ Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.’ Therefore Pilate said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’”

A few verses later we get to the passage we began with in 19:11 where Jesus clearly communicates His authority.

Even on the cross we see Jesus in control and fulfilling the very purposes of God. In Mark 15:34 we hear Jesus crying out “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” – an undeniable reference to Psalm 22 and a declaration that even on the cross He was in control and fulfilling the words of Scripture. And again in John 19:30, when Jesus utters the words, “It is finished.” An amazing statement in the perfect Greek tense. The work was completed, but its affects are on going. It was Jesus declaring from the cross “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!” What I was sent to this world to do has been done! This cross – although it seemed to many to be a sign of His lack of power, authority, and control, was in all reality the last tool which He used to complete what He had been sent to do.

The ultimate picture of Jesus rule and power was just three short days away, when the sun arose on an empty tomb. We see clearly in the resurrection that Jesus was in control. But I fear that we too often look at these two events, the crucifixion and the resurrection in separate frames. We think the arrest, trial, and crucifixion is where Jesus lost control; then we believe that the resurrection is where Jesus regained it. When in reality – Jesus never lost control, rule or authority. Sometimes we just lose the image in all of the other busyness and mess that seems to be taking place. But once we see it clearly, we ought to gaze on it with amazement, because our Savior is an amazing sight to behold!