Hebrews 12:2

JOY IN GRIEF

‘Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.’

Hebrews 12:2

What made the ‘joy’ of the grief of our great Intercessor? Plainly it arose from three things—love, service, heaven.

I. It was love that brought Him to this earth, and laid Him upon that cross; love that could not be satisfied without the presence and the fellowship of those that He died to save.

II. And service—service to sinners; service to His Church; service to God.

III. And heaven—a heaven fuller than before; a heaven peopled with His friends; His own loved ones at His side; and a God glorified.

This made Christ’s joy—the ‘joy’ which rose superior to all His troubles, and which enabled Him to ‘endure the cross and despise the shame.’ So, like Him, bring into your ‘cross,’ or ‘shame,’ these three elements—love, service, heaven—and, and your ‘cross’ will be your life, and your ‘shame’ your glory!

Rev. James Vaughan.