BIBLE FACTS OF THE DAY

Bible Facts Of The Day, September 08, 2026 “THE JOY SET BEFORE US – Part I”

PART I — THE JOY THAT WAS SET BEFORE HIM

Jesus Saw Beyond the Cross

Hebrews 12:2

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

There are two things standing together in Hebrews 12:2 that ordinarily do not belong together:

The cross and joy.

The cross speaks of suffering.

The cross speaks of rejection.

The cross speaks of humiliation.

The cross speaks of sacrifice.

The cross speaks of death.

Yet Scripture says:

“For the joy that was set before Him endured the cross.”

Jesus did not call the cross joyful. The cross itself was agony. The joy was set before Him.

There is an enormous difference.

Christ could endure what was happening now because He knew what was coming afterward.

He could see beyond Calvary.

He could see beyond the nails.

He could see beyond the crown of thorns.

He could see beyond the mocking crowd.

He could see beyond the darkness.

He could see beyond the tomb.

1. JESUS KNEW WHERE THE CROSS WAS LEADING

Hebrews tells us:

“…and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Notice the movement:

Cross → Glory.

Suffering → Throne.

Humiliation → Exaltation.

Death → Resurrection.

The cross was not Christ’s final destination.

The throne was waiting on the other side.

Philippians 2:8–9 says:

“He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him…”

Jesus descended into humiliation before He was exalted in glory.

This establishes a principle that appears repeatedly throughout Scripture:

God’s road to glory often passes through suffering.

The world says:

“Escape suffering.”

Christ says:

“Follow Me through it.”

The world says:

“Preserve yourself.”

Christ says:

“Deny yourself.”

The world says:

“Find your life.”

Jesus says:

Matthew 16:25 — “For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”

2. WHAT WAS THE JOY SET BEFORE CHRIST?

The joy included the completion of the Father’s will.

Jesus said:

John 4:34 — “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

But there was something else.

Through His sacrifice, sinners would be redeemed.

The lost would be found.

Enemies would be reconciled to God.

The condemned would be justified.

The spiritually dead would receive eternal life.

Revelation 5:9 declares:

“You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”

We are among the redeemed purchased through His blood.

Christ looked beyond the suffering of Calvary to the accomplishment of redemption and the glory of the Father’s purpose.

That joy strengthened Him to endure.

3. HE ENDURED THE CROSS

Hebrews does not say Christ avoided the cross.

It says:

He endured it.

The Greek idea behind “endured” carries the sense of remaining steadfast under something rather than running away from it.

Jesus stayed.

When Judas betrayed Him, He stayed faithful.

When Peter denied Him, He stayed faithful.

When false witnesses accused Him, He stayed faithful.

When soldiers mocked Him, He stayed faithful.

When nails pierced Him, He stayed faithful.

When darkness covered the land, He stayed faithful.

He endured until He could declare:

John 19:30 — “It is finished!”

Beloved, Christianity is not merely about starting well.

We must finish.

Many become excited.

Many begin running.

Many make promises.

But Hebrews 12:1 tells us:

“Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.”

The Christian race requires endurance.

4. STOP LOOKING ONLY AT THE CROSS — LOOK BEYOND IT

Hebrews 12:2 begins with:

“Looking unto Jesus.”

If you look only at your suffering, you may become discouraged.

If you look only at your sacrifice, you may become weary.

If you look only at what Christianity costs you, you may become tempted to turn backward.

But when you look at Christ, your perspective changes.

Paul said:

Romans 8:18 — “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

There is something before us.

There is resurrection before us.

There is glory before us.

There is the presence of Christ before us.

There is an inheritance before us.

There is eternity before us.

There is a kingdom before us.

There is a day when faith becomes sight before us.

Therefore:

Do not allow today’s cross to make you forget tomorrow’s glory.

Closing Declaration

Jesus endured because He saw beyond Calvary.

And the believer must learn to see beyond today.

The cross is not the end.

Glory is coming.

“Maranatha! Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”

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