Forsaken

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Matthew 27:27-56

TO CHEW ON: "And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachtani?' that is, 'My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?'" - Matthew 27:46

Jesus and God the Father were always incredibly close. Even at twelve years, Jesus wanted to be in his Father's house and seemed surprised that His parents hadn't thought to look there first when He was discovered missing on their journey back to Nazareth.

At Jesus' baptism the Father, in "a voice from heaven" alerted the onlookers to their relationship: "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased" - Matthew 3:16-17.

Jesus was always going off somewhere to spend time with His Father. He'd get up early, spend all night,  stay behind, go off by Himself  just so He could be with Him (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12; Mark 6:46; Luke 5:16).

Again at Jesus' transfiguration, God the Father broke through to the human bystanders in the proud pronouncement: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"- Matthew 17:5.

So when Jesus cried from the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" we know something very serious was up.

And why Had God the Father forsaken His beloved Son? Because that Son had become something the Father could not look at. Jesus became utterly abhorrent to God when He took our sins on Him.

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Why did Jesus and God allow that to happen? Because:

"God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life' - John 3:16

Explained eloquently by J. I. Packer:

"God's love to sinners was expressed by the gift of His Son to be their Saviour. The measure of love is how much it gives and the measure of the love of God is the gift of His only Son to be made man, and to die for sins, and so to become the one mediator who can bring us to God. No wonder Paul speaks of God's love as "great," and passing knowledge (Ephesians 2:4; 3:19). Was there ever such costly munificence?" - Knowing God, p. 138-9.

PRAYER: Dear God, Thank You for sending Jesus. Jesus, thank You for enduring the utter desolation of my sin and death on the cross and so that I can be reconciled to God. Amen.


MORE: Good Friday

Today the church celebrates Jesus' crucifixion. We call it "Good Friday."

The Good Friday liturgy begins with this collect:

"Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

Andrew Peterson's song "The Silence of God" portrays how we  feel when it seems God is giving us the silent treatment. At such times perhaps the best thing for us to do is follow Jesus' example and keep praying.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Remorse

Image: pixabay.com

TODAY'S SPECIAL:  Luke 22:54-23:25

TO CHEW ON:“So Peter went out and wept bitterly.” Luke 22:62


Jesus had recently predicted Peter would deny Him. At the time Peter protested, “Lord, I am ready to go with you, both to prison and to death.” Now, hours later, a mere servant woman and a couple of men, identifying Peter as a Jesus-follower elicited three vehement betrayals: “I do not know Him… I am not (one of them)… I don’t know what you’re talking about (in response to “…this fellow was with Him” - Luke 22:57, 58, 60.

The rooster crow was the ping – that and Jesus’ long, knowing look. They reminded Peter of their conversation – and he was filled with remorse: “The keen or hopeless anguish aroused by a sense of guilt; distressing self-reproach.”

Have you been there? I know I have – full of sorry, gripped with guilt, wondering why I let that person down, was silent and failed to clearly state my loyalty to Jesus, again neglected to live up to my ideals.

I guess the issue is not whether or not we’ve done something to make us remorseful, but the effect we allow it to have on our lives. In Peter’s case, when Jesus took him back to that day in a pointed conversation  (though He never made a direct reference to Peter’s betrayal - John 21:15-19), it was an acknowledgement that the betrayal was indeed real and significant. Peter needed to say the words, “I love you.” Jesus’ acceptance of Peter’s profession made things right between them and allowed Peter to forgive himself. Then Jesus restored him to even greater responsibility.

Jesus gave Peter a glimpse of who he really was by allowing this remorseful situation, and He does that for us too. When we let Him (and ourselves) down, we see how easily we can blow it. But when we return to Him, and acknowledge our betrayal, He is there to restore us (1 John 1:9), though now way less confident in ourselves, more needy of Him, like He restored Peter.

PRAYER: Dear God, help me to have a realistic view of my weaknesses. May my remorse teach me to draw on Your strength, and be less confident of mine. Amen.

MORE: Good Friday

Today is the day we remember Jesus' death on the cross for us. We call it "Good Friday." The Good Friday liturgy begins with this collect:

"Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Why we can call this day "good"

The Crucifixion - Alexandre Bida

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Mark 15:1-41

 TO CHEW ON: "So when the centurion who stood opposite Him saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, 'Truly this Man was the Son of God.' " Mark 15:39

As we read the detailed account of the hours leading up to the cross and the hours Jesus spent on the cross, we get the sense of several things:

• How typically human this whole drama was.

The religious leaders had manipulated things their way—finally. The crowd was as wishy-washy as crowds typically are. The soldiers gloried in their power and got themselves a few laughs even as they meted out Roman punishment.

• How inevitable this whole drama was.

We got glimmerings of that inevitability yesterday as we heard the resignation in Jesus' voice when He prayed through (Mark 14:36). In today's reading He was silent in His own defense (Mark 15:2-5). As the scene played out, He fulfilled prophecy (as Mark points out: Mark 15:28).

• How pivotal this event was.

Jesus' words from the cross, His quick death without the aid of numbing myrrh or wine, and the temple veil torn in two from top to bottom (no human hand could do that!) were all sources of incredulity. Even that hardened Roman soldier looking on recognized that this was no ordinary man being crucified (Mark 15:39).

These many years later we are still seeking to get our minds around how that moment changed everything. Bible writers have probed it too, both prophetically and in hindsight. Here are some of the accomplishments of Jesus' death—and resurrection three days later:

• Jesus  bore our sin, became sin for us - Isaiah 53:12; Romans 5:6; Hebrews 2:9.

• He laid down His life for our lives as He said He would - John 10:11.

• In dying He made possible the crop of Christ-followers that has sprung up over successive generations, and around the world - John 12:24.

• His death and resurrection conquers life and death - Romans 14:9.

• He fulfilled Scriptures showing that this chain of events was no fluke but in God's plan from the beginning - Genesis 3:15; 1 Corinthians 15:3.

• His death gives those He died for the motivation to live for Him - 2 Corinthians 5:15.

• His death makes it possible for us to stand before God "blameless and above reproach" - Colossians 1:22.

• His death results in His glory as the world's Redeemer - John 12:23; Revelation 5:9.

No wonder we call this "good" Friday!


PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for going through with this! I know how only eternity will reveal the true weight of what You accomplished that day on Calvary. For all that I understand of it now, I thank you, thank you, thank you!

MORE: Good Friday

Today the church celebrates Good Friday. The Good Friday liturgy begins with this Collect:

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Unless otherwise noted all Scripture quotations are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Yes / No reactions to Jesus

"Woman Onlooker at the Cross" - still shot from The Passion of the Christ movie

TODAY'S SPECIAL: Luke 23:26-56

TO CHEW ON: "Now as they led Him away … " Luke 23:26

Jesus' steady progress through the events of His last hours reminds me of words from Isaiah:

 "Therefore I have set My face like a flint
And I know I will not be ashamed" - Isaiah 50:7.

What I notice today is how this flinty life affects those it touches as it carves its way through the little bit of history in today's reading.

Simon a Cyrenian, a seemingly innocent passerby, is pressed into service to carry Jesus' cross. Out of the blue he gets pulled into this eternal story.

The multitude that follows consists of mostly the curious who, by the end of the day leave, 'beating their breasts.' I'm not sure what that means. Obviously something they see amazes, puzzles, even troubles them.

Within that multitude are women who were Jesus' close friends and followers. They have made their commitment to Him long ago and never falter in it. Jesus, even in His weakness, talks to them one last time. They stand at a distance watching everything. They see where Joseph buries Him and go home to prepare spices to give Him a proper embalming.

The 'rulers' in the crowd (presumably scribes, Pharisees, and council members) have their victim where they want him at last. They gloat and hurl sarcastic insults.

The Roman soldiers are mostly a rough, uncouth bunch. They too mock Him, gamble for His clothes, and torment Him with sour wine. However, the centurion, after he observes how things play out—the unnatural darkness and Jesus' final cry—has a change of mind, concluding, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"

Jesus' cross is planted between the crosses of two thieves. One curses Jesus to his death but the other proves himself a believer.

Joseph of Arimathea, the Jewish council member who hasn't been in on the council's decision to kill Jesus, plucks up his courage and asks Pilate for Jesus' body. Then he buries it in a new tomb.

These Yes / No reactions to the touch of Jesus' life, even in death, remind me of His words in other places. On one occasion He describes His presence as a sword, dividing even close family members (Matthew 10:34-39). Talking about what will happen at His second coming He says, "Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Then two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left …. He will separate one from the other, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats" - Matthew 24:40,41; 25:32).

I ask myself, if I had been a player in this story, how would I have reacted to Jesus? What about you?

And what about now? As we encounter the sword of Jesus' claims now, do we find ourselves falling on the Yes side, or the No?

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, thank You for Your claims and how they sift me. I want my life to be a continual Yes to You. Amen.

MORE: Good Friday

Today the church celebrates the death of Jesus. The liturgy for Good Friday begins with this collect:

Almighty God, we pray you graciously to behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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The Holy Bible, New King James Version Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. - Used with permission.