The Man Who Can't Be Moved (Part 4)
Policeman says, “Son, you can’t stay here."
In the second verse of The Man Who Can’t Be Moved, a policeman tells the young man he can’t stay on the corner. He has to move.
When Jesus hung on the cross, the religious teachers of the law tried to get him to move.
“The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. ‘He saved others,’ they scoffed, ‘but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (Mt. 27:41-43).
Why didn’t Jesus yield to those hate-filled insults and sarcastic challenges? Why didn’t he call on his Father to send thousands of angels as he claimed he could (Mt. 26:52-54)? Why didn’t Jesus come down from the cross in front of the jeering crowd and prove them wrong?
Because he loved you and me with an immovable love and he gave his entire self—body, soul, and spirit—to redeem us (Gal. 1:4, Gal. 2:20, Gal. 3:13, 1 Pet. 1:18-19).
A Love Stronger than Death
Nothing in heaven or earth is greater than Christ’s love. Consider the following descriptions of it:
“...love is as strong as death, its jealousy [passion] unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame. Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away” (Song of Sol. 8:6-7).
“...nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).
Because of that love:
- God’s Son stepped out of heaven and has forever “camped out” in a sleeping bag of flesh and blood (Jn. 1:14).
- Jesus lovingly obeyed all of God's commands in your place even though he was tempted everyday (Heb. 4:15).
- Christ “gathered up his courage and steeled himself” to endure God's justice for your sin (see Lk. 9:51 in The Message translation).
- Jesus resolved not to be moved from the cross.
- Christ could not be bribed or tempted to take an easier path (Mt. 4:8-10).
- He endured taunting and mocking while he hung on the cross.
- Jesus gave his body to be beaten and broken so you could be made whole (Is. 53:5, Is. 52:14, 1 Pet. 2:24).
- He gave his blood so your sins could be forgiven and your conscience washed clean (Heb. 9:14).
- Jesus gave up his spirit so you could become an adopted son or daughter of God (Mt. 27:50, Gal. 4:5).
- God the Father raised Christ to life again and offers you a new, hope-filled life through his resurrection (1 Pet. 1:3).
- God seated Jesus at the highest place of authority in heaven and has reserved a place for you next to him (Eph. 2:6).
If one day you wake up and find that you're missing me and your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I can be . . .
Christ’s love fills the ache and emptiness we all carry. It answers the question, “Is there more to life than this?” His love is what you are searching for but may not have the words.
Jesus' immovable love and resolve to win your heart is so great, you need God's help to understand it (Eph. 3:16-19).
When you do experience it, even in small doses, you can’t help but yield to it over and over again. You can’t help but run to him—not just once, but a million times throughout every season of life.
So I’m not moving, I'm not moving.
I'm not moving, I'm not moving.
A prayer: Jesus, thank you for your determined resolve and immovable love for me. Thank you for dying for me. Thank you, Father, for raising Jesus back to life, and through it all, making it possible for me to become your friend. Help me, Jesus, to receive your love over and over again throughout my life. I need you. Amen.
