Jesus Carries His Cross

"Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight His paths." (Matt 3:3)  He cried out!  He didn't speak, as if it was a passing thought like: "Oh by the way, did you know the Lord is coming?"  He cried out!  He cried!  There was urgency!  There was passion!  He was risking his life to proclaim the Lord's coming.  When he came out to the desert, and began to tell everyone to repent, he was on the way to his death.  Why did he do it?  He had no choice.  Only God can give that kind of courage; and John the Baptist had known the Lord from the time he was inside his mother's womb.  "When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leapt in her womb." (Luke 1:41)

Did John know what kind of road they would prepare for the Lord?  Did he ever, for one moment, consider it could be the Road to Calvary?  God, the Father in Heaven did not reveal the whole plan to John.  If He had, would John have been able to lay the groundwork for our Lord's first coming?  He told everyone who would listen, to repent.  Did those who were present, that joyful day, hear with their heads and act through their hearts?  Did John's words find a place in their lives?  When Jesus was baptized by John in the River Jordan and the Father's words descended from Heaven: "This is My beloved Son.  My favor rests on Him." (Matt 3:17) was a thorn planted in their hearts?  Then, why did they, three years later, place a Crown of thorns on His Head?

Our Lord received word that John had been beheaded, John, His messenger and dear cousin, the one who recognized Him, while He was still in His Mother's womb.  He was dead!  What did Jesus do?  He went away to pray.  Did He grieve?  Had He seen the good that John could have continued doing and was now silenced?  Or did He know in His Heart of hearts that John had lived for one purpose and that was to proclaim His coming, to pave the way for Him, the Redeemer, to save the world?  John's words, "He must increase while I must decrease." (John 1:30) were they coming to pass?  Did Jesus grieve for the loss to the world of this great prophet?  Did the Father come to Him and prepare Him for His total mission?

When did Jesus begin His way of the Cross?  Was it

Open by Steve Bailey