| We Were All There |
| (Matthew 26:14-27:66) |
|
| This week is the holiest week of the year. And the week moves from Sunday to Saturday.
The mood of the gathered assembly will also move from adulation and
adoration to murder, mourning and mayhem before the week has ended. The
palm branches of Palm Sunday will be replaced by the thorns and nails of the Friday
that we call "Good". Shouts of "Alleluia!" and "Blessed is He who comes
in the name of the Lord!" will be drowned out by the mocking sneers and
cries of "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" A spirit of exaltation will
dissolve into the horror of execution. |
| Jesus
would claim victory by being defeated. He would establish His reign by
serving and by dying. This throne would be the cross, his crown a weave
of thorns. Hatred was the dominant theme. It seemed to hold all of the
high cards. It made all the noise, but Jesus kept on loving, regardless
of what they did to Him. He never lapsed into ill will. He never longed
for revenge. And when the day was finished, hate lay beaten in the dust,
and love hung triumphant on the cross. |
| It
was a strange mix at Calvary. On the one side were fear and hate and
stupidity. On the other side were faith and hope and love. Were you
there when they crucified my Lord? We were all there. And we are still
there today. The only question is, on which side will we take a stand?
Will we say by our life and the way we live, "Blessed is He who comes in
the name of the Lord?" Or will we say by our life and the way we live,
"Crucify Him!" And like Pilate, wash our hands of Him. |
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