April 2, 2026

Written on 3/30/2026

I’m cruising at 31,000 feet, overlooking the spine of the Appalachians. Heaven knows I’m still stunned by this career page turn – relieved and excited as I may be.

Am I anxious? Sure. After all, this is only my second week at a new job, with many faces to meet and much to learn. At the same time, I’m reminded of why I’m in this situation – and, in four words, why any of us are here at all:

The joy set before.

For some of us, we read these words and instantly think of Hebrews 12:2: “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Fair enough as apart from foreshadowing samples in Psalm 16 and Psalm 110, this is the only direct mention of the phrase in Scripture.

Still, we must be careful with context. For instance, as a younger Christian, I often misinterpreted this passage, thinking the cross – the fruit of Christ’s mission – was the joy set before Him; however, as I now understand, the joy set before Christ was exaltation with the Father in the presence of a redeemed people.

You see, the ultimate sacrifice – the necessity of reconciliation – is only half the story. The other half is the eternal invitation we have with God, in the presence of Jesus, who endured the cross as a prerequisite.

Accordingly, the joy set before us should not be limited to our sins being atoned for but should extend to thy Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. Understandably, there is a temptation to base Easter joy primarily on the freedom we have in Christ because of His death and resurrection. Yet, if we are to grow into the likeness of Christ – if we desire to deepen our gratitude for that freedom – we must celebrate where it ultimately leads: the throne room where Jesus resides today and will forever.

What about the part where we “despise the shame” of the cross?

Again, referencing Hebrews 12, we find the answer. Christ did not detest Calvary but rather anything that threatened the joy of redemption – the public humiliation, disgrace, and intense suffering of crucifixion. In full submission to His mission, Jesus never faltered in obedience to the Father or in the intimacy that obedience required. In all He accomplished – in heart and in word – Jesus not only kept joy at the center of His hope but expressed love as the currency of every cost He counted.

Even as a child, Jesus knew where He was going. Unlike most journeys with a fixed endpoint, Christ’s destination was less static and more perpetual, saving those He loved and sanctifying them from His Father’s right hand. In essence, the joy set before Christ was His Father’s house: a dwelling from which He could save from an exalted place, draw near to the brokenhearted, and prepare a place for them.

Yes, Jesus anticipated completion (i.e., “It is finished”), but what He truly desired was to give people the opportunity to experience what He knew – to invite them into a place where pain and strife fade into glory.

My question to you, my friends, is simple: Is joy set before you? If not, what is? What is driving you, calling you, fueling your purpose?

Whatever your answers, let the cross be a prompt to recalibrate your perspective – your heart, and all the aims and burdens you carry. Do not let them drift. Instead, let them compel you to look to Jesus, not just as the founder of your faith, but as the restorer of your faith, who purifies your sin and shame, from where joy was, and still is, set before you.

Selah.