|
April 1999
The last week of Jesus' life pulses with drama.
The drama gathered momentum with Jesus' triumphant entry into
Jerusalem. Daily confrontations with the Pharisees ensued. Judas'
betrayal pushed the drama to a tragic, though victorious, climax.
"It is finished" was his cry. But death was swallowed up
in the victory of the resurrection.
Jesus died for our sins and was raised for our
justification (Rom. 4:25). "He is the atoning sacrifice for
our sins, and not only for ours, but also for the sins of the
whole world"(1 John 2:2 NIV). His death as a "ransom for
all" will be "testified [to all] in due times" (1
Tim. 2:6). In God's Kingdom it will finally be fulfilled, Jesus is
"the true light which enlightens everyone" (John 1:9
NRSV). Their wholehearted acceptance of Jesus will determine their
eternal destiny.
First there is an intellectual understanding of
the purpose of Jesus' death. But faith doesn't stop with head
knowledge. There must be a heart response of full
consecration-complete dedication. Jesus invited us to deny self,
"take up his cross daily" and follow him (Luke 9:23).
Heart Communion
Heart appreciation, also, involves another
aspect of Christian experience-heart communion with Jesus. If we
take the time to meditate, to probe the meaning of all his
experiences, we will find ourselves living in our hearts every
event in that momentous life. To know Jesus is to love him and to
love him is to emulate him-to want to be just like him. This is
one way we become filled with the holy spirit. We will want to
think like Jesus thought, talk like Jesus talked and love like
Jesus loved. We will be very concerned to meet the needs of those
around us. Why? Because Jesus died for them.
Sheer Pathos
The drama of Jesus' last week climaxed in sheer
pathos on his last day. The Jewish day began at sundown. We find
Jesus in the "upper room" celebrating the Jewish
Passover that he was about to fulfill by his own death as the
antitypical Passover lamb (1 Cor. 5:7). What drama! While Jesus is
emotionally overwhelmed with his imminent death, his disciples are
boasting which one would be greatest in the kingdom. Since the
roads were dusty and people wore sandals, it was the custom for
one to wash the feet of others. Being so concerned over whom would
be greatest, they were too proud to wash one another's feet. But
Jesus humbly knelt before them and washed their feet. Are we
willing to perform any menial task for others?
Then Jesus instituted the Last Supper-our
communion of his death. Bread broken, wine poured out-again a grim
reminder of his death. These were emblematic of his body that
would be broken and his life soon to be poured out unto death, as
"a ransom for all." After Judas departed to conclude his
secret scheme of betrayal, Jesus lingered in the upper room with
the eleven, his dearest friends. Jesus knew his imminent arrest
and death would stagger their faith. Oh, how his heart ached for
them. "Let not your heart be troubled"-in tender words
of loving concern, Jesus tried to prepare them for the immediate
events that would temporarily shatter their lives (John 14). At
about 11:00 p.m. he said, "Arise, let us go hence." Yes,
Jesus had a Divine appointment with his enemies in Gethsemane.
"I am the vine, ye are the branches."
On the way to Gethsemane, Jesus used the imagery of the vine and
the branches in John 15 to assure them of his oneness and presence
with them. Further words of comfort followed in John 16. They were
not grasping the full implications of Jesus' words that "the
shepherd would be smitten and the sheep scattered."
They stopped. And Jesus offered the most
powerful intercessory prayer in the history of Christianity (John
17). So powerful that Christians today feel its benefits.
Remember, Jesus prayed not only for the eleven but also for
"those who believe on their words." This includes all
Christians even to our time.
Somewhat comforted by Jesus' prayer, the weary
little band followed their Master over the brook Cedron and up the
Mount of Olives to the peaceful Garden of Gethsemane. Finally
Jesus confides, "My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto
death" (Mark 14:34). How selfless! During the whole evening
Jesus ignored his own dire needs to comfort his disciples. Can we
emulate Jesus and forget the needs of self to serve others?
Despite Jesus' plea that they watch with him, his closest friends
slept while he agonized in prayer. "O my Father, if it be
possible, let this cup pass from me." Jesus was always there
when they needed him. But they were not there when Jesus needed
them. Where are we when others need us?
Arrest and Trial
As Jesus woke them he said, "Behold, he is
at hand that doth betray me." Soon a band of temple soldiers
led by Judas surrounded them. For thirty pieces of silver, Judas
was to deliver Jesus to the High Priests and Pharisees, away from
the multitudes who loved him and would have defended him. A kiss
of betrayal by Judas would identify Jesus. That night and the next
day, Jesus' face was marred in many ways-bruised with blows, spat
upon and rent with thorns. But nothing pierced his heart more than
the profanity of this kiss of betrayal by a close friend.
Jesus could have escaped arrest. He stopped
Peter's attempt to protect him. He knew all the brutality that
awaited him. Willingly he submitted. His mission was to die as a
"ransom for all." Are we willing to perform the Heavenly
Father's will regardless of the cost in pain or loss?
During the long night and breaking of day, two
trials (civil and religious) were held - each in two parts. In
reality, it was a grueling ordeal of six trials. Jesus was
continually abused, mocked, confronted by false witnesses, spat
upon, ridiculed, beaten, taunted and scourged. Yes, he was
scourged by a whip, with a cat-o'-nine-tails each containing metal
cleats, that tore flesh out of his back.
In mockery the Roman soldiers dressed him as a
king. A king must wear purple. And so they found an old cloak of
this color and threw it over his shoulders. A king must have a
crown so they crushed a crown of thorns upon his head. Each
soldier advanced one after another to Jesus and bending low said,
"Hail, King of the Jews!" After passing him with mock
solemnity, each turned and with a burst of laughter, struck him
with a rod and covered his face with spit.
There is an instinct in all of us to desire to
see others cast down beneath us in esteem. Whenever we have the
desire to belittle another, even in a dignified manner, think of
this mockery of Jesus.
The temple mob cried, "crucify him,"
"crucify him!" Jesus' heart response was a willingness
to die for them because he loved them. Are we willing to love our
enemies?
Pilate "delivered Jesus to their
will."
"And they led him away to crucify
him." With the crushing weight of his cross, Jesus began the
long journey to a place called Golgotha. But the merciless ordeal
of the long sleepless night had so weakened Jesus it was necessary
for the soldiers to constrain a bystander, Simon, to carry the
cross. Finally the journey ended with their ascent of a hill
shaped like a skull.
As the soldiers set about their preparations for the last act of
history's greatest drama, a common incident occurred, but Jesus
filled it with significance. It was the benevolent practice to
provide a stupefying drink for those condemned to the excruciating
punishment of crucifixion, in order to dull the senses and deaden
the pain. A cup was handed to Jesus. Exhausted with fatigue and
burning with thirst he grasped the cup eagerly and lifted it
without suspicion to his lips. But as soon as he tasted it and
smelled the stupefying mix, he laid it down and would not drink.
It was a simple act, yet full of heroism. Face to face with
outrageous torture, Jesus chose not to allow his intellect to
become clouded. His obedience was not yet completed. The Father's
plan for him was not fully carried out.
On the Cross
Jesus' sufferings on the cross defy our
comprehension. At 9:00 a.m., he was stretched upon a cross lying
on the ground. The sound of a hammer against nails was mingled
with the sound of groans as the nails tore through flesh and
grated on bones. Several husky soldiers lifted the cross and
dropped it into a deep hole. The pain of flesh tearing against
nails was unbearable.
Jesus gazed at the crowd beneath him. The priests and Pharisees
stood in front with hate radiating from their eyes. They lost
their dignity and as common rabble hurled insults at Jesus. The
crowds followed, then the soldiers and even the thieves so that
the mob under his eyes became a sea of scorn like angry waves that
dashed about his cross.
Suddenly at noon every voice was hushed as
every light in creation seemed to be snuffed out and an intense
darkness settled over the earth for three hours. Lightening
flashes thundered across the sky. It was as if the wrath of God
joined its fury with that of the mob against the forsaken One. The
heart that so bravely endured man's rejection could not seemingly
endure separation from his God. "My God, my God, why hast
thou forsaken me?" Then the cry, "It is finished."
But before Jesus died, he confidently said, "Father, into thy
hands I commend my spirit."
Then God verified that Jesus was indeed the Son
of God. The earth shook and the veil into the Most Holy of the
Temple was torn from the top to the bottom. The death of Jesus had
opened a new and living way into the Holiest (Hebrews 10:19, 20).
Some said, "Truly this was the Son of God." WHAT A
SAVIOR!
|
