The Lord will never leave the side of those who love him but give the Holy Spirit and the true peace of the Lord, not the false peace of the world. Although death comes to us, we should neither worry nor fear the reality of death. We should be worried about whether we love the Lord. The Lord of love that we believe in does not forget us. He sends the Holy Spirit to be with us eternally in teaching us all things of the truth.
The Lord says him being lifted to the cross is only going to the Father who is greater than him. After going to the Father, he does not stay to the side of the Father only, but after going to the father he returns to us. He is this kind of loving Lord. Therefore, we cannot help but rejoice.
Now the cross is coming to everyone’s eyes. The end is near, ‘the prince of this world’ is coming. ‘The prince of this world’ is a designation of Satan; it is in this world that he holds sway.[1] “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Although Satan overturns and sways the world, he “has nothing at all” in Jesus, for Jesus has no sin. There is nothing in him that Satan can take hold of.[2]
In the end the prince of this world drove Jesus to the cross. It seemed to be the greatest curse and the worst shame. “ You must not leave the body hanging on the pole overnight. Be sure to bury it that same day, because anyone who is hung on a pole is under God’s curse. You must not desecrate the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance” (Deuteronomy 21:23). It seemed to be a sure victory of Satan.
But the true victory belonged to Jesus. The cross manifested to the whole world that the Son genuinely loved the Father and obeyed the Father. He obeyed in faith in loving his Father.
The cross of the Lord is a beautiful story of love and obedience between the Father and the Son. The Father and the Son became one in love and faith. It urges me to follow the life of the Lord, who loved and obeyed. The cross is the brightest and warmest light. This light is so bright and strong that it shines our darkened hearts with the light of the truth of the Lord. This light is so warm that it melts our frozen hearts and brings out tears which leads us to confess our love to the Lord just as he loved us.
[1] Morris, Reflections on the Gospel of John, 513.
[2] Morris, Reflections on the Gospel of John, 513.