It Had to Happen

by Katie Harding on April 18, 2025

Today as we begin the final journey to the cross, I continue to replay four words I heard the Spirit “whisper” at the end of the Good Friday service last year.

Usually, as the service concludes, my heart is in such anguish over the crucifixion of Jesus, so questions of “Why?” begin to flood my thoughts. But this time, as we were singing the final song, all I kept hearing were the words: “It had to happen.”

In reflecting on these four words, what I have discovered is they actually hold the answer to many of the questions listed below.

 Why did the religious leaders plot to kill the One who claimed to be the Son of God? Caiaphas, the high priest, didn’t come up with the understanding on his own that it was “…better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” The prophecy was given to him because it had to happen.

Why did Judas, one of His disciples, betray Him? Jesus knew this was to happen, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me...It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish…After he [Judas] received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘Do quickly what you are going to do.’” Jesus sent Judas to report his whereabouts to the religious leaders because it had to happen.

Why did Jesus stay in the garden, watching the approaching lights of those coming to take Him captive when there was still plenty of time to get away? Even though His soul was troubled, He understood this was His purpose — the “reason that I have come to this hour…” — because it had to happen.

Why did the people who praised Him on Sunday demand His crucifixion on Friday? The lack of belief among many people, even though they saw several signs, was to fulfill the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah. God blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts because it had to happen.

I have always believed it was the Jewish leaders and surrounding crowd who had Jesus put on the cross by the Romans. But it wasn’t. It was sin that put Him there; the sin of the world – including my sin and yours.

No one could take His life from Him. They didn’t have the power. Yet, He willingly chose to lay His life down as a sacrifice for our sin. The Father sent Him for this purpose, but it was still His choice to be obedient to the mission.

It had to happen. If Jesus hadn’t died, our lives would be so different. We would live forever sin-full instead of sin-free. We would live without hope, without love, and without the grace that mercy and forgiveness bring. There was purpose in His death. It had to happen, or we would be a lost people living forever in a world without our God. It is truly bittersweet. It should both break our hearts and fill us with eternal gratitude. Jesus died so we can live. It had to happen.

Scripture references: John 11-13