Jesus was mission focused. He set his eyes on a single goal that his father had given him (John 3:16), and did not release his focus for that goal until he had achieved it. He intended to redeem the human race and restore its willing members back to a full relationship with God. He did this through a great deal of distress. He knew that he was going to die a difficult death (Mark 8:31). But more than that, he was fully aware of the suffering that would meet him on the cross (John 18:4). The distress caused by this knowledge fostered so much anxiety, anguish, or agony that his sweat was like blood (Luke 22:44). And on the cross he felt the abyss of an abandonment by God (Matthew 27:46).
And yet he remained focused. Consider for instance a couple of choices he made in his final moments of life. On his way to the cross, Soldiers offered him wine mixed with gall (Matthew 27:33-34), or as Mark puts it, wine mixed with myrrh (Mark 15:23). This drink was concocted by the Romans to be a sedative, or perhaps a poison, to deaden the pain of crucifixion, or in the case of poison, to hasten the arrival of death. Jesus refused the drink, choosing instead to complete his mission with full mental faculties. Later, as he hung on the cross, he was offered another drink, called sour wine. This wine was a cheap drink used by Roman soldiers. It had no immediate sedative effect, and to drink it could have conceivably prolonged his life. Jesus took that wine specifically to fulfill prophecy (John 19:28-29). He wasn’t going to give up until he had completed the mission. Upon consuming that wine, and fulfilling the prophecy, Jesus stated, “it is finished,” and gave up his spirit.
Jesus finished the work that God had sent him to do. He did not lose faith or focus. And although his mission to reconcile us was finished, his victory was not. He rose from that death (Matthew 28:1-10) proving that we, too, can have victory over death (1 Corinthians 15:20-21, 1 Corinthians 15:50-57).
Because Jesus died and rose, you now have assurance that you can rise, not only from spiritual death, but physical death as well!
So follow the example of Jesus, be mission focused, be a part of his body in this world, and bring life to others! He has given you the power to overcome the world (1 John 5:1-5).
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