No one can grasp hold of the cross of Christ which atones for sin without also taking hold of the cross of discipleship. When Christ calls a man to salvation, He calls him to self-denial and the cross. The call to salvation is the call to the cross. In this study, we examine not only the words of Christ in this text but also the rest of the gospels and the epistles to see this resounding message of Christ that all who are saved indeed bear the cross of discipleship to serve and obey the Lord.

Jesus saw His cross as the means of displaying the glory of God’s grace and as the way to usher in the nations to the salvation blessing of God. It is through Jesus’ willing self-sacrifice on the cross that the gates of heaven were opened up to us, the nations. Jesus hears the meager request of the Greeks for a meeting with Him and speaks of a gift beyond their wildest imagination.

The disciples needed divine illumination to understand prophecy fulfillment. The enlightening of spiritual eyes is necessary for conversion and for spiritual growth. In this study, we examine what Scripture says about divine illumination and consider its implications for us today.

Jesus consciously fulfilled Scripture. With full knowledge of messianic prophecies regarding Himself, Jesus takes the initiative to fulfill Scripture, not only in this passage but in many other passages in the gospels. The gospel writers unabashedly record these types of prophecy fulfillments because they viewed prophecy biblically, as the divine revelation of the plan of God to be carried out by divine initiative by God. Hence, Jesus, the Son of God, took the initiative to accomplish the plan of God revealed in Scripture, because this is what God ordinarily does.

Jesus fulfilled Scripture. Biblical prophecy is no mere foreknowledge. God does not portray Himself as the cosmic fortune teller who has mere super-human powers to predict accurately the future. Sovereign God reveals His plan before He brings it to pass to reveal His glory. In this sense, Jesus is the fulfillment of the plan and the purpose of God as revealed beforehand in Scripture. Jesus comes to His people Israel with humility and peace, endowed with salvation. This is why we pursue after Christ. He is the humble and peace-seeking Savior, who came to bring the nations peace with God and peace among men.

John provides a more precise reason for the great enthusiasm that was on display at Jesus’ triumphal entry than the other gospel writers. John connects the great excitement of the large crowd on Palm Sunday to Jesus’ power over death as demonstrated in Lazarus’ resurrection. In this first installment of the series of studies in why we pursue Christ, we look at Jesus’ power over death as the basis for which we ourselves also energetically pursue after Christ.