Today we remember and we grieve...

We Christians are shocked at the way things turned out for Jesus. Yet imagine how his mother Mary and his followers felt as the events of Good Friday took place in real time. What were the Jewish people so afraid of? Some were afraid the Romans would punish them if this Jesus threatened to undermine Roman rule. The Jewish leaders were afraid of losing their power and influence should Christianity take hold. What Jews and Romans were really afraid of was the truth. 

Jesus stood before Pontius Pilate and declared that he was the truth. And Pilate asked. "What is truth?" For Pilate, truth was Rome and all it stood for: power, might, control, pride, authority. Yet the Roman empire would fall to the pagan Goths. For the Jews, truth was contained in all of their laws. But God himself would replace the old covenant of ritual and regulation, which did not forgive sin, with a new covenant of forgiveness and reconciliation sealed in the bloody sacrifice of our Savior. It was his body and his blood that was given up for us so that all sins would be forgiven.

He tried to prepare his disciples for his passion. Did he not tell James and John that they would surely be called to make the ultimate sacrifice, to drink of his same cup? Jesus told them that the Son of Man would be tortured and killed. Yet they were shocked when it finally happened. He also showed Peter, James and John at the Transfiguration the glory that was to follow at the resurrection. But that was still two very long days away. And it would take a lot longer before the truth of what really took place on Calvary would be understood as necessary for our salvation. 

Jesus on the way to his crucifixion encountered some women who were crying bitterly at what they saw. He told them not to cry for him, but for themselves and for future generations who would refuse to believe in him. For if they treated the Son of Man so harshly when he walked among them, how would they treat his followers once he had ascended to the Father? It has been reported that almost 200 hundred million Christians are being persecuted today all over the world, even in America. Jesus knew the day would come when we would beg for a mountain to fall on top of us than rather then endure such horrible mistreatment. But this too shall pass.

In the meantime we remember and we grieve...

We remember Jesus' sacrifice, for without his death there would have been no resurrection. We remember how he healed the sick and the dying, the lame and the blind. He was really healing their souls. And he still heals our souls today. And we grieve because we miss his physical presence. Yet he is still with us in spirit. And he is coming back! 

Let us thank the Father today for sending his son to save us. And let us repent for all that we have done to hurt our Lord. For our sins were the nails that pierced his hands and feet. Our sins were the thorns that pierced his sacred head. Our sins were the spear that pierced his side. Today we remember and we grieve. So let us in deep gratitude nail our heart to the foot of his cross and pledge to never stray from him again. Amen.

Now go and serve our King!

John