“Let us notice in these verses, the steady determination with which our Lord Jesus Christ regarded His own crucifixion and death.
We read that “when the time was come that He should be received up, He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem.” (Luke 9:51) He knew full well what was before Him.
The betrayal, the unjust trial, the mockery, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the spitting, the nails, the spear, the agony on the cross,—all, all were doubtless spread before His mind’s eye, like a picture.
But He never flinched for a moment from the work that He had undertaken. His heart was set on paying the price of our redemption, and going even to the prison of the grave, as our surety.
He was full of tender love towards sinners. It was the desire of His whole soul to procure for them salvation.
And so, ‘for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross, despising the shame.’ (Heb. 12:2)
Forever let us bless God that we have such a ready and willing Saviour. Forever let us remember that as He was ready to suffer, so He is always ready to save.
The man that comes to Christ by faith should never doubt Christ’s willingness to receive Him.
The mere fact that the Son of God willingly came into the world to die, and willingly suffered, should silence such doubts entirely.
All the unwillingness is on the part of man, not of Christ. It consists in the ignorance, and pride, and unbelief, and half-heartedness of the sinner himself. But there is nothing wanting in Christ.
Let us strive and pray that the same mind may be in us which was in our blessed Master.
Like Him, let us be willing to go anywhere, do anything, suffer anything, when the path of duty is clear, and the voice of God calls.
Let us set our faces steadfastly to our work, when our work is plainly marked out, and drink our bitter cups patiently, when they come from a Father’s hand.”
–J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on Luke (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1858/2012), 1: 253-254. Ryle is commenting on Luke 9:51-56.
