Evening slowly settles; the misty moon climbs up and over the horizon shining bolder and brighter as it rises into a cloudless sky. It’s silvery light casts deep shadows on the sleeping, silent city. In the early darkness, the soft shuffling of feet breaks the midnight spell as together, Jesus and His disciples approach the garden gate. Not a word is spoken. The air hangs heavy, the growing darkness is surreal. Just moments before, time had been spent earnestly conversing together, but now the air is filled with dark foreboding, the doom of a world at stake. Stumbling to the ground, Jesus pours out His grief in anguished prayers. Time keeps ticking, the intensity of this battle increases. Desperate for support in His overwhelming trial, Jesus staggers back to where He had left His sleepy disciples and He begs them to pray—pray for themselves and pray for Him. But alas it is not to be. Overcome with exhaustion, those He needed most fell into a light slumber beneath a cloudless sky. 

Jesus knows what it’s like to have the ones you need the most fail you in your deepest struggles. Jesus know what it’s like to fight your biggest battles alone. 

Suddenly the sharp sound of footsteps invade the Savior’s struggle. Rising to His feet, He calls His disciples to follow as He steps forward to meet His betrayer. The moonlight reveals a murderous mob advancing through the trees. The familiar face of a once-thought friend catches the disciple’s eyes. In horror they watch him advance toward their Master, and as the custom was, to greet Him with a kiss. Still playing the role of a friend, this fraud of a man is soon to be known to the disciples as a foe. With defiant boldness, the mob steps forward to grab Jesus, binding Him and dragging Him off into the eerie night. Overcome with terror, the disciples flee into the darkness in a vain attempt to hide from the satanic mob. 

Jesus knows what it’s like to be abandoned. Jesus knows what it’s like to have friends turn their back on you, leave you alone to face the enemy. Jesus knows what it’s like to put your whole self into loving someone only to have them betray and hate you. 

Morning light is now peaking over the mountains. The vicious mob marches Jesus through the still sleeping city, past the houses and to the palace of the high priest. Sharp cries from the mob arrest the peaceful atmosphere. At last, exhausted and in deep agony, Jesus is dragged before the high priest and interrogated. Accusation after accusation fall on Jesus’ ears. The form of Divine Innocence stands before them, yet in their perverted state they are wild with rage. With a calm and dignified conduct, Jesus stands; His silence speaks louder than the seething screams of the high priest. Unable to contain their fury, all hell is let loose. With loud cries they taunt Him, spit in His face, and raising their blood-stained hands they strike the form of Innocence. 

Jesus knows what it’s like to be bullied. Jesus knows what it’s like to be publicly humiliated. Jesus know what it’s like to be blamed for things He didn’t do. Jesus knows what it’s like to be made fun of. 

Still not satisfied, they drag Jesus to the governor to take care of this evil work. The thundering, outrageous shouts from the mob only testify of His purity and love. In this cold, satanic atmosphere LOVE Himself it given over into the hands of hate. Rough hands are lifted to bruise His already swollen body, and a crown of sharp, stinging thorns is pressed onto His head. There is no mercy in the presence of evil—of satan himself. Jesus is stripped of His clothes, beaten to the ground, taunted, whipped, and scorned. 

Jesus knows what it’s like to be abused—physically, emotionally, sexually. Jesus knows what it’s like to be treated without value, to be hated without cause. 

The mob refuses to be satisfied until Jesus is dead. At last, as tradition goes, and, giving in to the cries of the people, the governor releases to the people a criminal in the place of Purity. Evil was let loose, LOVE held captive; the death of the Son of God was sealed. The final act was now taking place as they led Jesus outside and laid the heavy wooden cross on His bleeding shoulders, forcing Him to carry His own cross down the dusty road to His torture and deathbed. Weak and worn through, Jesus stumbles to the ground. He is unable to carry His cross. Searching the crowd, they find a man, a stranger passing through, to bear the cross for the Savior. Finally, they arrive. Jesus is laid on the beams; rusty nails tear through His flesh as they secure Him to those splintered boards. They raise up the cross and Jesus rises with it. The physical pain in His body makes Him short of breath, but it is His broken heart that takes away His last breath. In the thick darkness that has overshadowed the earth, His trembling voice ascends to heaven and with His final breath He cries, “It is finished!” The battle has been won, victory born in death. 

For love, He went through hell so we could reach heaven. For love, He suffered abuse and torment so we could one day soon live in security and peace. For love, He bled and died so we could have a quality of life we’ve not yet known. For love, He chose the path of pain so we could walk the path of hope. For love, He accepted what we deserve so we could claim what He deserves. For love, He stepped into our shoes so we could step into His glory. 

For love, He did this.