May 13, 2016

Jesus Leads The Way

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. -- Luke 23:34

As far as anniversaries go, it really isn’t a major one. And yet it changed so many lives forever.

One person made a decision. It was his to make, though no one else agreed with it. That set off a chain reaction of events and consequences that we will live with for the rest of our lives.

It wasn’t so much that the decision changed us all. It’s that the decision, and its aftermath, revealed hearts and desires and motives that had been carefully hidden from view. Once exposed, such things never go back into hiding. We are all different for that.

The events began a long, long time ago. It’s what happens when anger and resentment and jealousy aren’t dealt with and are instead allowed to fester and grow. It’s what happens in broken families who focus on pretending to be what they aren’t rather than trying to become what they desire.

It comes back to the hearts of the people involved. We’re all flawed. We’re humans after all. But lies and hatred are a lethal combination, one that can only be overcome with prayer.

The Pharisees hated Jesus. They felt threatened by Him. Certainly, Jesus knew who and what they were. So they rallied a crowd against Him and Jesus died an unimaginable death on the cross.

While people watched. What could possibly have been in the hearts of those who watched Jesus die? Certainly some of those who loved Him were there. His mother. John. Others.

But what about those who were part of the crowd? How could they join the frenzy? And how could they live with themselves afterwards? Even if they didn’t believe Jesus to be the Messiah, surely they understood that a good man shouldn’t die for the sins of others?

And, yet, He did. Jesus died for me and you. He died for us all so that whoever believes in Him, believes that He rose three days later and now sits at God’s right hand, will spend eternity with Him in heaven.

And you know what else this passage says? Jesus forgave them. As He suffered on that cross, Jesus forgave those who put Him there. How powerful! How magnificent! How could we ever not forgive our own to tormentors?

Life will never be the same. Forgiveness is hard. But Jesus lights the path and I follow Him. In the end, that’s really all that matters.

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Stand Firm Before Jesus

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will. -- Luke 23:23-25

A few years ago Toyota, a car company that had been respected by so many, took a public beating. It seemed that the company could do no right. There was recall after recall. And many, many complaints of cars getting away from their drivers.

The company was in a horrible possible. The only way to defend itself was to basically call its customers liars. And that’s certainly no way to do business.

Things finally came to a head when a man called the California Highway Patrol to report his leased Prius was speeding down the interstate and he couldn’t stop it. Well, it finally did get stopped. Panic and outrage against Toyota was the rage. The National Highway Transportation Board said it was sending representatives to check out the car. Toyota said it would do the same. And then they let slip a little known fact: the car had a black box similar to those on planes that would reveal exactly what had happened in that car.

Oops! Because the car was never out of control. The driver was facing financial ruin -- even about to lose the Prius -- and he saw a way out. He planned to play to the crowd mentality of the time, unaware that Toyota could disprove him with technology.

A hush prevailed. All those who had rushed to report problems quietly filed away. Oh, Toyota had done some things wrong and its public image was damaged. But so had the crowd that had joined a bandwagon headed in the wrong direction.

The Bible tells us that those who witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion beat their breasts and walked away. They knew they’d been wrong. They knew they’d urged Pilate to kill an innocent man. They understood, somewhat at least, what they’d done.

They were probably full of excuses, of course. We always have excuses when we do wrong. We always have a reason when we go along with the crowd, doing what it says is right, even when we know it’s wrong.

On this side of the cross we understand that it had to happen for we believers to live. It doesn’t lesson the horror of what Jesus endured. Perhaps that makes us more thankful. More aware of what He did. Less likely to follow a crowd that still condemns and criticizes Him and more determined to stand firm before Jesus in love and faith.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Jesus Forgave His Tormentors

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” -- Luke 23:34a

The crowd watched as Jesus suffered on the cross. The religious leaders laughed. The soldiers mocked him. Even one of the criminals hanging beside Jesus hurled insults at Him.

What did Jesus do? How did He retaliate? He asked God to forgive them because they didn’t realize what they were doing.

That is just such a powerful lesson and one we frequently move right on past. Yeah, we know we’re supposed to forgive. But we want to wait until the other person admits he’s wrong. We want to wait for a better day, when maybe it doesn’t hurt so much. We want to wait until that person deserves forgiveness. We want to wait until we feel like it.

Jesus didn’t. While they were still tormenting Him, while He hung in pain and agony, Jesus forgave them. Did they admit they were wrong? No. Did He wait until He arose from the grave? No. Did they deserve it? No. Jesus forgave first -- and so must we.

It’s rarely easy. It’s especially hard when the other person refuses to admit the wrong he’s done. It’s even harder when the wrong continues -- again and again and again. How much must we take? How many times must we forgive? However many times it takes.

Do you realize that we were part of that crowd that stood around Jesus that day? We might not have been there in bodily form but we were there just the same. We are the remnants from that day, the sinners who inhabit the earth. Jesus didn’t just forgive His tormentors. He forgave all sinners who cry out to Him in faith and repentance.

Somehow we know intellectually that Jesus died to take our sins upon Himself. We understand that. But we rarely think of ourselves as part of that disbelieving crowd. It is easier, no doubt, because we live on this side of Calvary. But had we lived in Jerusalem that day, would we have reacted any differently?

And, yet, Jesus forgave us. We are free to take our sins, our mistakes, our regrets, and place them at the foot of the cross. We can hear Jesus say those powerful words of forgiveness and know that, indeed, we are forgiven.

As we walk away, we are to remember that our forgiveness came at great cost. God’s Son died for my sins and for your sins. Just as He died for the sins of the person who has wronged you. Forgiveness is rarely easy. But it is necessary because it’s what Jesus taught us to do.

Friday, April 2, 2010

The Day Hope Died

"Jesus called out in a loud voice, 'Father into your hands I commit my spirit.' When he had said this, he breathed his last." -- Luke 23:46

On this day two thousand and ten years ago, hope died. We are fortunate because we know the outcome. We know Jesus rose three days later and now sits at the right hand of God. But His followers, those who lived and traveled with Him, who sought His teaching and placed their hope in Him, didn't know what was to come.

Imagine the devastation they had to feel. Darkness filled the sky. The temple curtain was torn in two. The earth shook, rocks split, tombs broke open and bodies were raised to life. And, still, Jesus was dead. Those brave enough to watch, saw Him take His last breath and give His Spirit up to God. They saw His body as it was placed in a tomb.

Then what? The disciples gathered. But where was hope? He had told them what was to come but how could they believe what they had not seen? How could they understand? Even these who had seen miracle after miracle, doubted reports that He was, indeed, alive.

Today we mourn the death of our beloved Savior. And we celebrate Him as well because without His sacrifice we would all be doomed. He gave us life. He gave us hope. But that is all to come. On this day, the day of the cross, we remember His suffering. We see Him hanging from the cross. We see His wounds. We remember the cost.