Jesus' Acts Cannot Be Contained

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.  John 21:25

Well, I can't believe this month is over.  It's been such a wonderful focus for me!  I've enjoyed this time tremendously.  I don't know if anyone ever even reads this blog - it really doesn't matter.  Making the commitment to do it has sent me into the Word day after day, and I have learned so much.

But now we come to the end of this particular story.  To me, this last sentence is the only "flowery" message John has written in this book.  His eyewitness account of the greatest life in history has been quite fact-based, evidence driven.  That's what makes his gospel so compelling to me!

But this last statement is a little different, and to me it shows just how much John has wanted to share his heart, his opinions, his thoughts - more than just the facts.  (Perhaps that is what his other letters were for!  lol) 

The Message version says it this way:  "If they were all written down, each of them, one by one, I can't imagine a world big enough to hold such a library of books."

That's an amazing thought.  And it holds an important promise, pointing us to the verse in 1 Corinthians 13:

Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.  All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely . . . (verse 12)

I can't wait to get to heaven to see and hear and read all the other things Jesus did during His time on earth.  After a thousand years or so of listening to Him, maybe - just maybe! - I'll move on to John.  Then Peter.  Then Andrew - I'm really dying to talk to Andrew.  I can't wait to hear all the eyewitness accounts!

Then I'll share my own eyewitness account.  About what He did for me.  About how He changed my life.  About how he took my little, sinful heart, and filled it with love and forgiveness and grace.

I can't wait.

Jesus Speaks About John

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”)  When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.”  Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.  John 21:20-24

You may think that it's strange that I've included these verses in our month of Easter devotionals.  But what a lesson it is!  What a reminder!

It's possible that at this moment, Peter still didn't totally get it.  He had just had such an intimate, compelling conversation with Christ, but he just had to push it a little bit.  Maybe he's thinking - oh great, when I'm old people are gonna take me places I don't want to go?  No fair!  What about John?

Or maybe he's just curious.  Hmmm, I'm going to live till I'm old, apparently.  What about John?  He's been so good to me, especially these last few days.  What will happen to him?

I don't know that it's wrong to have these thoughts.  But Jesus sharply rebukes him, and reminds Peter a telling lesson.

It's not that it's none of his business.
It's not that John is going to have a different future.
It's that Peter is focusing on the wrong person.

Peter isn't focusing on Jesus, his risen savior.  He isn't focusing on God, whose great and merciful plan of redemption had been accomplished.  He isn't focusing on the Spirit, even having just receiving Him in recent days.

He's taking his focus - just for a moment - off God and on man.  He's putting the emphasis - even if for a good reason - on earthly things instead of heavenly things.  He's living - whether it's in worry or wonderment - on a what if plane.

We can all - easily - fall into this trap.  We look around, instead of up.  We focus outward, instead of upward.  I do it, I'm sure you do it. 

That's what happens when we aren't looking at God.  We get distracted.  Now, do me a favor.  Put your hand in front of your face for just a second.  This is an illustration I've used a lot.  When my hand is stretched in front of my face - right in front of my eyes - I can't see anything else but my hand.  But the farther I pull my hand away from my face, the more of things around me I can see.

It's the same thing with God.  When I've got my nose pressed right between Jesus' shoulder blades (figuratively speaking), I can't see the world around me, and I can't focus on anything else but Him.  But the farther I get away from Him, the more the world distracts me.

Jesus' admonition to Peter isn't harsh, it's truth.  It's reality.  Don't focus on others.  Focus on Him.

Jesus Reinstates Peter

[Note:  I'm going to combine today's and tomorrow's post into one, because it really should be one!]

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”  John 21:15 - 19

This is an amazing passage of love, acceptance, and instruction.  Notice that, as Peter denied Jesus three times during His trial, so Jesus asks Peter this question three time.  Remember, three is the number that signifies God's will or purpose.  God used Peter's three denials to his better purpose; in the same way, Jesus is challenging Peter - three times - to a better purpose.

Let's look at what is similar in each case.  Jesus calls Peter, "Peter, son of John" each time.  Do you think that's significant?  I do.  I think it's Jesus being particular.  It's Jesus saying, I know exactly who you are and where you've been and what you've done.  Jesus is specifically calling Peter, son of John.  Not Peter, son of Joe.  Not Peter, son of Eli.  No - THIS Peter.  At THIS time. 

He also says, Do you love me each time.  Was this a little dig on Christ's part, a reminder that three times you denied me, so I'm asking you three times if you love me?  Maybe.  Not a dig in a negative, accusing way - God doesn't need to do that.  But maybe a reminder.  Maybe it's like this:  "Peter, you had three opportunities to stand up for me, to claim me.  Each time you failed.  I'm giving you three chances to change your mind here.  Three chances to say, no I don't love you.  No, I can't love you.  No, I'm going to turn away again."

The key here is that Peter is steadfast.  He responds the same way each time.  He is not bragging or being hypocritical.  He has learned a very, very tough lesson.

I like to imagine that this whole exchange happens around the fire, in front of all the other disciples, with everyone listening.  Because I think it's Jesus showing the other disciples that He has forgiven Peter, is bringing him back to restoration, and they should all continue doing the same.  It appears that, through this last week, they have all embraced Peter, and held him up with love and forgiveness, and for good reason - they all denied Jesus!  Peter is no worse than they are.

Jesus is establishing Peter as a leader in his kingdom.  What a blessing to know, that no matter how much you have let Him down, how greatly you've fallen, how much you have sinned, God will still use you.  He doesn't need your gifts, your talents or abilities - He has plenty of that, thank you!  He wants your heart.  Your sinful, fallen, incomplete heart.  That's how He builds His church.

There's a song that we sang a couple of weeks ago at church that had me weeping - during practice!  It's called "Take My Life."  One of the phrases is, "Take my heart it is your own, let it be your royal throne."  My heart - my sinful, fallen, incomplete heart.  For His royal throne - which Isaiah says is bigger than the circle of the earth - in my heart?  My sinful, fallen, incomplete heart? 

My first thought was how could God lower Himself to make my heart His throne.  Then I realized, He doesn't lower Himself.  He raises me up, to be closer to Him, more like Him, ready for Him. 

My sinful, fallen, incomplete heart - becomes a royal throne.  Peter's sinful, fallen, incomplete life - became the beginning of Christ's church. 


Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.

Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as You choose.

::Chorus::
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

Take my will and make it Thine
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own
it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.

Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

Jesus Appears to Thomas

Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  John 20:24-29

Thomas gets a bad rap, and that's not fair.  He's known as "Doubting Thomas" or the "Doubting Disciple," but in reality, all the disciples doubted.  They didn't believe that Jesus was going to be resurrected.  When Peter and John saw the grave clothes, they didn't immediately understand.  When Mary Magdalene saw the empty tomb, she didn't know what was going on.  She didn't even recognize Jesus when she saw Him!

Thomas should be known for his words in the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead.  The other disciples were trying to talk Jesus out of going to Judea, where Lazarus was, because the chief officials were plotting to kill him.  It was Thomas who said, in John 11:16:  "Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, 'Let us also go, that we may die with him.'”  

That doesn't show doubt, that shows bravery.  That shows a man who fully believed in Jesus - to the point of death!

I guess it seems like that is where Thomas is right now - the point of death.  We don't know why Thomas wasn't with the other disciples when Jesus first appeared to them.  But when they tell him what has happened, of course he doesn't believe - who would?  The others didn't! 

What a merciful God, what a wonderful Savior.  Jesus didn't ridicule Thomas.  He appeared and invited him to freely look, and touch, and see, and believe. 

And then Jesus talks about you and me.  Did you know that you are in the Bible?  You are, and so am I:  "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."  That's us.  Jesus knew that we would not see Him in the way the disciples and followers were.  Yet we have a special blessing from Him, because we believe!

What a merciful God.  What a wonderful Savior.  

Jesus Appears to the Disciples, part 2

Yesterday I had to post very quickly.  Easter is an awfully busy day!  But it was a really wonderful day; hope you had every blessing and comfort in this Easter season. 

It's not over, you know?  Jesus stayed with the disciples for 40 days.  I am working through a very personal focus during these 40 days; perhaps I'll share with you when the time is over.  For right now, though, please pray that I will be able to hold fast during this period!  I want to experience Jesus in a whole new way!

Anyway, I wanted to talk about the way Jesus breathed on the disciples.  What I love about the Bible is that from Genesis to Revelation, God is the same.  Nothing written about Him in Revelation contradicts what was written in Genesis.  I also love that the Godhead - the Trinity, the Three-In-One, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - has always been talked about, right from the beginning of Genesis:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.  Genesis 1:1-2

The following is taken from an article on cbn.com, called, "The Holy Spirit: the Breath of God":

The interesting part of this is the Hebrew word for spirit. We almost get a little spooky talking about the Holy Ghost, but the Hebrew word behind spirit is ruach, and it means "air in motion." It is the same word for "breath." It also means "life." By resemblance to breath and air in motion, it means "spirit." That’s where we get the translation, and the Hebrew word contains all those different meanings. If we just leave it with our English word "spirit," we’re not getting the full attributes of what the Bible is trying to describe. It’s trying to describe that there’s a breath involved.

Interesting.  So the Spirit of God is the Breath of God . . . and God breathed our being into existence:  "Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."  Genesis 2:7

When God speaks, He breathes.  Every time God breathes, His Spirit is, in essence, moving and working.  When Jesus breathed onto the disciples, He was putting the Spirit in their hearts so that they did not have to exist without Him.

Think about breathing for a moment.  More accurately, think about how we don't think about breathing.  You don't purposely decide to breathe - you just do it!  The only time you probably think about breathing is when it's hard to do!

When we live in the Spirit, with the Spirit, and by the Spirit, being one with God becomes our nature.  We don't think about it.  We just are. 

And I think on that day, when Jesus introduced the disciples to the Holy Spirit, He was saying:  Be like this all the time.  Work like this all the time.  Stay like this all the time.  Live in the Spirit.  Die in the Spirit. 

You don't have to have some days that are spirit-filled, and some days that are not.  We should live in the Spirit, as Paul said in Galatians 5:25:  "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."

Jesus continued to give Himself to the disciples - now He was giving them His Spirit.  Just by breathing on them!

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”  John 20:19-23

Happy Easter!  This is the day!  This is the place we've wanted to be - a resurrected Jesus, our Savior, the Messiah, walking and talking among us.

Can you imagine what it must have felt like to be a disciple that day?  Think about being behind locked doors.  Their locks were not a simple flip on the door knob.  Their locks were heavy bolts that fell in place across the door.  No one was getting in there.

Then suddenly Jesus appeared.  The rumors were true!  He really was alive!

Was it a ghost, an apparition?

No, Jesus showed them his wounds.  I wonder, since he had conquered death and the grave, were they healed?  Were they still healing?  I don't know.  But Jesus used his wounds as proof that he was the real thing!

I wish I had a lot of time to write today.  I should have written this last night.  ;0)  But right now this is enough:  Jesus was dead.  Now he's alive.  He has not left us.  He is with us.  He has given us his Spirit, so that we can live in peace, without fear, with joy and victory every day.

He is not dead.  He's alive! 

Jesus Does Not Allow Mary to Touch Him

Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”  John 20:17, New Living Translation

Imagine the joy Mary is feeling right now.  Sorrow is fading, mourning diminishes, and hope is taking root.  Jesus tells her not to cling, yet wouldn't that be your first thought, too - to throw yourself on Jesus, hugging, weeping, clinging? 

Jesus gives two clear reasons:  first, he had not yet ascended to his father.  From finishing what He started.  That tells me something about Jesus - no person, no thing, was going to keep him from seeing His Father.  His dad!  Imagine being so close to your Dad that at age 33, you have never been apart from Him, not for one day.  Obviously, they had been physically apart, but not spiritually.  Not emotionally.  Not in any other way.  That's close!  That's bought in!  As much as Jesus loved his earthly friends and family, even they could not stop Him from going home.

The second reason Jesus gives is that he wants Mary to go tell the others.  What a joy that would have been!  To tell the brothers, the disciples, who were lonely, afraid, and guilt-stricken, that Jesus was alive!  And Mary, a woman, got that job.  (I'm again so proud to be female!)

Can you imagine being the first person in the whole world who has seen the resurrected Jesus?  No one, in all of history, will ever be able to say that again.  This honor fell on Mary alone.  He could have waited until after he had been to heaven before he appeared to her, or any of the disciples.  But he didn't wait.  That also tells me something about Jesus.

It tells me that he was excited to share his resurrection.  It tells me that he wanted his loved ones to know he was alive!  It tells me that he was anxious to put an end to their sorrow and pain. 

You know, he shares that same excitement with us.  He wants us to know him!  He wants us to see him!  He wants to end our pain! 

The point here is not that he told Mary to stop clinging; it's that he appeared to her at all! 

He arose!  He arose!  Hallelujah, Christ arose!

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.  

They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”  “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”  At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”  Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
  
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). John 20:11-16

Wow.  This is it!  This is the moment!

Remember yesterday, when the disciples believed (something) but didn't understand the resurrection.  Now Mary stands at the tomb, mourning.  She doesn't understand either.  None of them truly believe.  Not until this moment.

Biblegateway.com's commentary says this:

This section contains a series of encounters with Christ that show him overcoming a variety of barriers to faith, including ignorance, grief, fear and doubt (Westcott 1908:2:334, 336-37). Five occasions of faith are mentioned, forming a chiasm.

I had never heard of the word, chiasm, before, so I looked it up.  You're gonna love this:  the cross-shaped connection produced by the crossing over of pairing chromosomes during meiosis (a process of cell division).  
At the crux of this moment is a cross.  The cross is both a real, actual presence in this epic, and a metaphor, a representation of change.  

The disciples, Mary, all the believers are about to see the cross differently then they did a few days ago.  They are being given the opportunity to use the cross to make a new connection, a new belief.  The cross, which three days ago meant death, now means life.  

The cross.  The wonderful cross.

Death to life.
Pain to joy.
Mourning to gladness.

We all have this same choice.  Will we see the bad?  Or cross over to see the good?  Will we focus on the pain?  Or cross over to see the relief?  

The cross.  The wonderful cross.

Three days ago, it wasn't wonderful.  It was a curse - to Jesus, to his friends and family, to everyone who wanted to believe.

Now, it's wonderful.  Even though they clearly don't fully understand the context, that Jesus not only HAD to die but also HAD to rise, they still believe.  

Mary believes.  Because, as the text says, he's standing right there!  Standing.  Right.  In.  Front.  Of.  Her.   

It's amazing to me that Mary is so overcome, so grief-stricken, that she doesn't notice that the men in front of her are angels.  She doesn't notice that the gardener talking to her is Jesus.  He has to say her name before she truly sees him.

Isn't it the same with us?  God is always, ever, all around us.  And we don't notice, we don't see.  Until he speaks our name.  That speaking can happen in many ways.  Sometimes bad ways - Illness.  Pain.  Exhaustion.  Death.  Sometimes good ways - Celebration.  Babies.  Healing.

But we don't notice until it effects us.  Until it - HE - speaks to us.  Then it all comes together.  Then we fall to our knees, we repent, we are grateful, we set aside the world and surrender.

We don't have to fully understand to do those things.  Mary didn't.  Peter and John didn't.  Jesus brought the understanding later.

But the joy came first. 

Jesus' Disciples Believe

Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.  (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) John 20:8-9

The "other disciple" here is John, the author of this gospel.  If you remember, he had run with Peter to the tomb, but outrunning Peter, he held back.  He waited and allowed Peter to go into the tomb first.

So now he enters, and he believes.  But what does he believe?  Because the next sentence says that they didn't understand Jesus was resurrected.

Or does it?  Actually, it says they didn't understand that scripture said Jesus HAD to rise from the dead.  In other words, the disciples didn't understand prophecy.  It seems to be a credit to John's testimony of truth that he admits not understanding the prophecies about the Messiah. 

At this moment, all they understood, what they believed, was that Jesus was no longer in the tomb.  They weren't sure where he was, but he wasn't there! 

But this passage begs the question:  why did Jesus have to die?  I'm not trying to question God here, to question His means, His methods, but I have always wondered . . . why death?  Was there not some other way that our sins could be paid for?

I think it comes down to a few simple sentences. 

• God is holy.  
• We chose sin over holiness.  
• Sin and holiness are incompatible.  
• Therefore, sin separates us from God.  
• The only justifiable penalty for sin is death.  All sin - big ones, little ones, fat ones, skinny ones.  
• God's holiness is so vast, so complete, that sin is sin, and all sin is reprehensible to him.  

With me so far?  For us to be holy - like God - we cannot be sinful.  The penalty for sin is death.  But if we are dead, we cannot be with God.

The only other option for God to live with His created, is for one person to pay the penalty for all. 

That person could only be one without sin.  Otherwise, he would be paying for his own sin, and not the sin of others.

So God's son, who was eternal and infinite, confined himself to an earthly walk, so that he could take the punishment for us. 

But why did he have to rise from the dead?  That's what the scripture here says.  I found this acrostic on the internet (I love me a good acrostic!)

R-Reveals God’s Purpose
I-It fulfills Scripture
S-Satisfies Proof
E-Experience the Power of God
N-New Life

Jesus rose from the dead because it was God's purpose, it was His will and plan to show that He alone how power over death.  It fulfilled the prophecies, it proves the existence of God, it allows us to experience His power, and it promises new life. 

This gets me excited!  What a powerful God!

Tomorrow, we get more evidence.  I almost wish I didn't know how this story ends, because it keeps getting more and more exciting and suspenseful. 

Jesus' Burial Clothes in the Tomb

So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.  Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in.  Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.  John 20:3-7

Yesterday I told you about burial clothes, or shrouds, in the Jewish custom.  It's interesting that John is the only gospel to include these precise details.  Remember when I told you at the beginning of the month that John's gospel is so unique; he wrote it as an eyewitness; he used signs - or miracles - to prove that Jesus was God - and he spoke very plainly, matter-of-factly, with no embellishments or flowery language.

John's audience would have understood the importance of the grave clothes.  They would have understood that for the linens to be lying there, in place, was . . . impossible!  For the clothes to have been taken off of Jesus, they would have been torn - remember, there were no buttons or fasteners.  If they had been torn to shreds, because someone was desperate to get Jesus out, or because Jesus himself had miraculously awoken and, in a panic, started shredding the clothes to get out of them, John would have said so. 

But he didn't.  Everything seems to be in its proper place, as if still wrapped around a body . . . but the body is missing!

John's story is pretty amazing.  Pretty consistent.  Pretty characteristic of what we know about this man so far.

We know from church and Bible history that John was very young; it's not a surprise that he outran Peter to the tomb.  But it shows a miraculous act of restraint, love and forgiveness for John to step aside and let Peter go in first.  Remember, Peter had abandoned Christ, while John had stayed by his side.  Peter had denied Christ, while John had showed his allegiance.  Peter had discarded Christ, and everything about him, while John had supported him to the point of taking his mother in his home. 

John let Peter go first.  Peter saw the linen.  He saw the head covering.  He saw the burial cloth.  He saw three things.  He had denied Jesus three times. 

His mind, reeling. 
His heart, pounding. 
His lungs, heaving. 

Is there a little tiny bell going off in his head?  Is there any recognition of what is happening?  Didn't Jesus say something about coming back to life?  It's been three days, didn't he say something about three days? 

What's going on?
What's going on?

I can imagine the older man hanging onto the younger man.  Both of them crying, hopeful yet afraid. 

Could it be?
Could it be?

It could.  It was.  And they were about to find out!

Jesus is Not in the Tomb

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”  John 20:1-2

These next couple of days are going to be the best of the month!  Talking, writing, sharing about the empty tomb!  After the walk we've taken thus far, the empty tomb is where we find hope, and the promise of our future!

But . . . we know the end of the story.  We know for sure what happened to Jesus.  But at that moment, on that day, at that tomb, Mary Magdalene, John and Peter had to have been scared.  They had to have been thinking, now what?  What else can possibly happen?

It's striking to me how a woman was the first to the tomb.  The first to take action.  Sometimes women can get a bad rap in biblical stories (thanks again, Eve lol) but Mary's actions make me proud to be a woman!  She showed such sensitivity, such devotion.  She stayed by Jesus' side through his whole ordeal, despite any danger to herself, despite the fact that all the men but one left, despite the tragedy that she was facing.

She faced it - head on.  She gives us such a good example to live by.  How do we react to adversity?  Some of us bury ourselves, with work, or stuff.  Or we deny that there are any problems.  Or we worry and fret. 

Mary?  She stayed by her Lord's side.  No matter what.  She stayed by his side, even to the point of going to the tomb.  She thought he was dead - what ridiculous devotion!  How can staying close to a dead man help at all?

I so want to laugh at that statement!  Staying close to Jesus meant she got to be the first one to know he wasn't there.  Staying close to Jesus meant (as we'll see in detail on Friday) she got to be the first one to see him alive.  Being close to Jesus meant she got an honor that no one else received.

It meant that she got the good news - first hand. 

It meant that she saw the miracle - first hand.

It meant that she - this woman, who had been possessed by seven evil spirits, the devil himself! - she got to see a glimpse of eternal promise.  First hand.

Woah. 

Before I close today, I want to share the significance of the number three.  Jesus was dead for three days, and as you probably already know, God uses numbers specifically and symbolically throughout His love letter to us.


The number three, for example, has the symbolic meaning of divine or supernatural.  It is used of God to signify His purpose or His will.  Let's take a quick look at some examples of the number three:

• God sent the three messengers to Abraham to tell him that Sarah would conceive in her old age.  It was by the will of God and for His own purposes that Sarah should conceive so that God would make a great nation of Abraham through it. 

• God brought a thick darkness upon the land of Egypt (exodus 10:22-23) for three days.

• Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.

• The Apostle Paul with blinded for three days.

• The purpose and will of God is worked out in the three of the Godhead - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Just look and see how many times that 3 is used during Jesus' story.  The atonement for our sins is covered in the number three - and again, if you really think about how this number signifies God's will and purpose, the meaning is clear. 

Jesus prayed three times that this cup would pass.
Three apostles went to the garden to pray with Him.
Peter denied Jesus three times.
Pilate tried three times to let Jesus go.
There were three crosses
There were three men crucified.
There was writing in three languages on the cross.
Jesus was crucified in the third hour.
He was dead for three days and three nights.

Is three significant?  Oh yes. 

See you tomorrow.

Jesus' Body is Buried

Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away.  He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.  Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs.  At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid.  Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

I was just at a funeral home yesterday.  There was an hour wait to get to the family and the casket, people were laughing and sharing memories, it was a time of celebration.  This man was 80 years old, loved the Lord, died in His arms surrounded by his wife, children and grandchildren.  It was joyous, it was peaceful, it was time.

Not so on this day 2,000 years ago.  A young man, full of life, hope and promise, was mercilessly stripped of all dignity, cruelly beaten, taunted and mocked, and then nailed to a cross.  A horrific death.

Those gathered around his body weren't full of joy and peace.  They were full of fear and horror. 

I wonder about Joseph of Arimathea.  As a secret follower, did he at this moment boldly approach Pilate to ask for Jesus' body?  Or did he do so secretly?

Whichever, at great risk to themselves, he and Nicodemus took care of Jesus.  They took care of Him.  They wrapped Jesus' body, as was custom to do, taking the linen, soaking it in fragrant spices. 

Let me tell you a little bit about these burial cloths, or shrouds.  All of the below information is from wikipedia.com (and they never lie!): 

Shrouds are white and entirely hand-stitched. They are made without buttons, zippers, or fasteners. They are called tahrihim.  Tahrihim come in muslin or linen, fabrics that recall the garments of the ancient Hebrew priesthood.  Regardless of gender, they [the garments] include tunic, pants, a head covering, and a belt. The pants typically cover the feet, much like footed pajamas. The belt is customarily tied in an ornate knot reminiscent of the Hebrew letter shin. The head covering typically consists of both a hood that is directly attached to the tunic and a face cloth, essentially the ancient sudarium. The fully dressed body, is further enwrapped in a lengthy white sheet, or sovev.

What we normally have thought of as a shroud (probably because of the Shroud of Turin), is the sheet.  But burial clothes would have been more than just a sheet.  John, in the passage stated above, talks about "strips of linen"; while I used to think that meant long rectangles, it could very easily mean pieces. 

[Note:  Beginning in the 2nd century, the above description of shrouds became the only way to bury a Jew.  We don't know for certain how Jesus was buried.  This is just me thinking!  This custom, described in detail on wikipedia, was begun by a wealthy rabbi who, when planning his own death, didn't want to appear to be "over" those who were not wealthy, in death.  This custom is described in detail on wikipedia.]

So if Jesus was buried in strips of linen cloth . . . Well, more on Tuesday! 

Jesus' Side is Pierced

Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.  The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.  These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.  John 19:34-37

This moment is important.  This moment is where the entire crux of Christianity lies.

This moment proves that Jesus was truly dead.  He hadn't just fainted.  He wasn't pretending.  The flow of glood and water proved that He was dead.

In Barnes' Notes From the Bible, it says:

Such a flowing of blood and water makes it probable that the spear reached the heart, and if Jesus had not before been dead, this would have closed his life. The heart is surrounded by a membrane called the pericardium. This membrane contains a serous matter or liquor resembling water, which prevents the surface of the heart from becoming dry by its continual motion (Webster). It was this which was pierced and from which the water flowed. The point of the spear also reached one of the ventricles of the heart, and the blood, yet warm, rushed forth, either mingled with or followed by the water of the pericardium, so as to appear to John to be blood and water flowing together.

Some think that there is more significance to the blood and the water; that there is spiritual, eternal significance.  Blood and water show the two great benefits which all believers benefit from - justification and sanctification.  Blood for remission, water for regeneration.  Blood for atonement, water for purification. Blood pays the price.  Water cleanses and makes new.  Blood and water together.

It is vitally important that Jesus dies.  I hate to say it like that.  But it's true.  If he doesn't die, there's no payment.  If he doesn't die, he cannot resurrect.  If he doesn't live again, he cannot bring us eternal life.

So this one moment is where our entire faith lies.  It's the proof, the truth, the fact. 

He died.  We're forgiven.

End of story.

Well, no, not really.  Because the really cool part is coming!

Jesus' Legs are Not Broken

Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.  The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.  But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.  John 19:31-33

The ultimate in complexity.  In depravity.  In hypocrisy.

It had not bothered the Jewish leaders in the least to incite a riot, level false charges, plot a murder, ensnare someone into betrayal, turn over an innocent man for capital punishment.  But they did not want to be unclean for this special Sabbath day.

That just wouldn't be right.

I wonder what they thought when the soldiers came to Jesus, and didn't break his legs.  In spite of everything Jesus had been through, he died more quickly than expected; more quickly than the thieves hanging next to him. 

What more evidence did they need that this man really was the son of God?  What else did they need to show he gave his life, no one took it?  What other demonstration did they need to see that they were the sinners, not Jesus?

Matthew Henry's commentary says:   "The pretended sanctity of hypocrites is abominable. These Jews would be thought to bear a great regard for the sabbath, and yet had not regard to justice and righteousness; they made no conscience of bringing an innocent and excellent person to the cross, and yet scrupled letting a dead body hang upon the cross."  

I wonder where these officials, these church leaders are right now.  Throughout church history, great men have done horrible things in the name of God.  God said to not take His name in vain; could there be a greater example of it than this?  When the church sins, and sins greatly, is God not offended greatly?

I wonder where they are.  I wonder how they have spent the last 2,000 years.  I wonder where they will spend eternity.

When they saw that Jesus was already dead, were their hearts pierced with guilt?

Did they finally understand what they had done?

Did they think about it at all?

As they began their preparations for the Sabbath day - for this special Sabbath, the Passover - did God remove Himself from this celebration?  Did they feel His absence?  Did they even notice?

We know what Jesus' followers did now.  They mourned.  They hid.  They came together in sorrow and fear and, we can assume, wallowed in each others' misery.  As they should.

But what did these officials do?

I wonder.  I wonder about us today, about how we spend our Saturdays before we go to church on Sunday.  I wonder about how our homes are on Sunday mornings, what happens in the car on the way to church, before we walk through the parking lot with our fake smiles and hugs, pretending to be something that we are not.

We're broken people.  We don't need to pretend. 

I wonder what would happen if a church cared more about being real with each other - and with God! - and less about appearing holy.  I wonder what would happen if Christians worried less about looking holy than being holy.  I wonder what would happen if we asked God to make us real, really real, with Him and with each other.

I wonder.  Do you?

Jesus Gives Up His Spirit

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.   John 19:30

No flowery language.  No brilliant metaphors.  Just a simple statement.  "It is finished."  Just a quiet moment.  He "gave up his spirit."

At that moment, nothing that the chief priests, the soldiers, Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiaphas . . . none of what they had done to Jesus mattered.  Jesus made the choice.  He gave up His spirit. 

Don't mistake that phrase with giving up.  He wasn't giving up.  He wasn't giving in.  He was giving.  Giving his life in exchange for ours.  Giving his spirit to give our spirits another chance.  Giving his righteousness so that we may know righteousness.

Giving.  He gave.  Think about how far we have come in this story.  Jesus gave up the richness of a full, complete life in heaven, as King and Ruler of all things, of all eternity, of all of time and space.  He gave when He came to be born.

He gave when He entered into His ministry, preaching His father's word.  He gave up any hope of a permanent home.  Hope of a family, of friends.  He gave all that up, knowing that those friends would abandon Him at His hour of need.

He gave when He told the truth to the scribes and priests, the church officials, the Pharisees and Sadducees.  He told the truth knowing He would be mocked and ridiculed. 

He gave when He limited Himself, allowing these mere men to question Him.  He gave when He allowed these "grasshoppers" to beat Him - in fact, to touch Him at all!  He gave, and gave, and gave.

Right up to the moment that He gave up His spirit.

What telling words.  "It is finished."  Other versions says, "It is completed."  In other words, there was nothing left for Him to do.  No more He could give.  I think during those hours of agony He felt the pain, the guilt, the shame, of all the sin of all the world of all time.  He took it all.  And when there was no more to take, it was finished.

Matthew Henry says this about that moment:

It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. It is finished; all the types and prophecies of the Old Testament, which pointed at the sufferings of the Messiah, were accomplished. It is finished; the ceremonial law is abolished; the substance is now come, and all the shadows are done away. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in an everlasting righteousness. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul, and those of his body. It is finished; the work of man's redemption and salvation is now completed. His life was not taken from him by force, but freely given up.

I think it is important to see here that no one took His life from Him.  If man were in charge of His death, He would have died after the first beating.  Or the second.  Or from the pain, dehydration and exhaustion.  Or when He carried His cross and couldn't go anymore. 

But no.  He died when it was His time.  Notice that He didn't die, and then His head bowed, as in slumping down because there was no more life.  Look at what the verse says, "He bowed His head, and gave us His spirit."

It was His choice.  Man made his death miserable, no doubt.  But His death - His life - was His to give up.  He said in John 10:18:  "No one takes it from me [my life], but I lay it down of my own accord."  

He gave His life.  He bowed His head and gave His life over.  He acted in the ultimate submission to His Father.  Giving everything.  

Please.  Today, think about this.  Think of how He gave up heaven - for earth.  Life - for death.  Glory - for submission.  Think of all He gave up.  

For you.  For me.  For all of us.  

Please think about this today.  Think of ALL that He gave up. 

Jesus Thirsts

Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. 

The scripture referenced here is Psalm 69:21:  "They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst."  Jesus would had obviously been thirsty after his ordeal and exhaustion, his pain and his suffering.

This shows the two sides of Jesus - the human side truly needed to a drink, and the God side knew of the scripture written about him.  Yet, if he was not thirsty, I don't think he would have asked for a drink.  He was fully man, fully God, all the way to death.

The Geneva Study Bible comments:  "Christ when he has taken the vinegar, yields up the Spirit, indeed drinking up in our name that most bitter and severe cup of his Father's wrath."

Symbolic thirst, and real thirst. 

Even now, weakened, beaten, barely hanging onto life - even now, He could have stopped this whole thing.  He could have showed his great power by stepping down off that cross, healing his own wounds, and showing himself in full majesty.

Why didn't he?  The people around Him would have definitely been affected by such a sight.  But He still hadn't redeemed the sins of all of man for all of time.

He could have saved himself.  But he didn't.  He could have stripped the human-ness off of him like a cloak and shown himself to be the King.  But he didn't.  He kept going, going and going until death.

Tomorrow, in blog time, Jesus dies.  If you want to read ahead, John writes it as one simple verse, verse 30.  John, the beloved disciple, watching his best friend die, writes it so simply and matter of factly.

But that's tomorrow.

Today let me finish with the entire passage of Psalm 21.  It's amazing:


¹ Save me, O God,
   for the waters have come up to my neck.
² I sink in the miry depths,
   where there is no foothold.
I have come into the deep waters;
   the floods engulf me.
³ I am worn out calling for help;
   my throat is parched.
My eyes fail,
   looking for my God.
⁴ Those who hate me without reason
   outnumber the hairs of my head;
many are my enemies without cause,
   those who seek to destroy me.
I am forced to restore
   what I did not steal.  ⁵ You, God, know my folly;
   my guilt is not hidden from you.
 ⁶ Lord, the LORD Almighty,
   may those who hope in you
   not be disgraced because of me;
God of Israel,
   may those who seek you
   not be put to shame because of me.
⁷ For I endure scorn for your sake,
   and shame covers my face.
⁸ I am a foreigner to my own family,
   a stranger to my own mother’s children;
⁹ for zeal for your house consumes me,
   and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.
¹⁰ When I weep and fast,
   I must endure scorn;
¹¹ when I put on sackcloth,
   people make sport of me.
¹² Those who sit at the gate mock me,
   and I am the song of the drunkards.
 ¹³ But I pray to you, LORD,
   in the time of your favor;
in your great love, O God,
   answer me with your sure salvation.
¹⁴ Rescue me from the mire,
   do not let me sink;
deliver me from those who hate me,
   from the deep waters.
¹⁵ Do not let the floodwaters engulf me
   or the depths swallow me up
   or the pit close its mouth over me.
 ¹⁶ Answer me, LORD, out of the goodness of your love;
   in your great mercy turn to me.
¹⁷ Do not hide your face from your servant;
   answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.
¹⁸ Come near and rescue me;
   deliver me because of my foes.
 ¹⁹ You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed;
   all my enemies are before you.
²⁰ Scorn has broken my heart
   and has left me helpless;
I looked for sympathy, but there was none,
   for comforters, but I found none.
²¹ They put gall in my food
   and gave me vinegar for my thirst.
 ²² May the table set before them become a snare;
   may it become retribution and^[b] a trap.
²³ May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see,
   and their backs be bent forever.
²⁴ Pour out your wrath on them;
   let your fierce anger overtake them.
²⁵ May their place be deserted;
   let there be no one to dwell in their tents.
²⁶ For they persecute those you wound
   and talk about the pain of those you hurt.
²⁷ Charge them with crime upon crime;
   do not let them share in your salvation.
²⁸ May they be blotted out of the book of life
   and not be listed with the righteous.
 ²⁹ But as for me, afflicted and in pain—
   may your salvation, God, protect me.
 ³⁰ I will praise God’s name in song
   and glorify him with thanksgiving.
³¹ This will please the LORD more than an ox,
   more than a bull with its horns and hooves.
³² The poor will see and be glad—
   you who seek God, may your hearts live!
³³ The LORD hears the needy
   and does not despise his captive people.
 ³⁴ Let heaven and earth praise him,
   the seas and all that move in them,
³⁵ for God will save Zion
   and rebuild the cities of Judah.
Then people will settle there and possess it;
 ³⁶ the children of his servants will inherit it,
   and those who love his name will dwell there.

Jesus Gives His Mother to John

Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,”  and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.  John 19:25-27

How amazing that even in this agony, Jesus is still caring for others.  This moment gives us such insight into the relationship of Jesus and Mary.

It would be easy to think that as Jesus grew into manhood, that He became dominant over His mother.  After all . . . He's God!  He's the King, the Ruler, the Alpha, the Omega! 

Yet, with all that being true, He still showed the compassion of a loving son to His terrified mother.  We believe that His father, Joseph, was dead by this time (which would explain why Mary is never mentioned with Joseph as Jesus entered into His ministry), and as Jesus was the eldest son, it would have been His job to take care of her.

Isn't it interesting that as He hung on that cross, dying for HER sins as well as everyone else's, He was taking care of her?  Wasn't He taking care of her eternally? 

Yet He stopped, to offer not just a redemption for her sins, but a plan for her earthly life, a way to be taken care of and protected.  He offered protection for eternity, and protection for now.

It's an excellent example of how we should not just strive to meet people's eternal needs, but their earthly needs as well.  When someone is hungry, don't tell them about Jesus.  Feed them - feed their stomach.  Then feed their soul. 

I can't wait to meet Mary someday.  I can't wait to see the relationship that she has with Jesus - boy, and God too!  I can't wait to see the dynamics of that whole thing.

But in this small passage of scripture, we get a short glimpse.  We see their love for each other - the earthly love, and the eternal love. 

As a mother, I cannot imagine watching my son be tortured and killed.  This morning when he got out of the van at school he smacked his head on the door, and he just laughed it off.  But I know it hurt, and I wanted so much to go after him, to have him cry on my shoulder like he used to, to kiss it and make it better.

Is that how Mary felt on that day?  She knew that He was the Messiah, but did she long to hold Him, to take back the last few days, the last few years, to keep Him safe?  Did she long to kiss Him, to make it better? 

You probably guessed it - let's look at the lyrics to "Mary Did You Know?"  She entered into quite an adventure when she used her life to honor God.  And she was honored, too, as the mother of Jesus.  But did she really know how this was all going to turn out?

Here are the lyrics:

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

Mary did you know..

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know
that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know
that your Baby Boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you're holding is the Great, I Am.

[by Mark Lowry and Buddy Green]

Jesus' Clothes are Taken

When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”  This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,  “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”
So this is what the soldiers did.

John 19:23-24

My poor Jesus.  In what other scenario could we have this feeling?  When I read this, I feel pity for the King.  The King of the Universe - and I know I say this all the time - who exists outside the confines of time, dimension, and space.  The one who should pity ME.  Yet when I read this, I pity Him.

It makes me so sorry - and so aware.  Sorry for my sin.  Aware of my guilt.  Sorry that he had to take my shame.  Aware that I am the only one who deserves humiliation for my sin.  Sorrow.  Awareness. 

I just become more and more word-less as these weeks go by.  His shame becomes too great to discuss.  The knowledge of his pain and humiliation becomes to overwhelming to dwell on. 

Yet I think he took my sin and shame and guilt, and took them on like a Boy Scout wears his badges over his chest.  I imagine Jesus showing his scars to someone, and saying, "See this one?  That's a deep one.  That's for Jennifer.  She was really lost for awhile.  But she found me again!  That's a good one!"

Now I know that's a HUGE simplification.  But I like it.  ;0)

In a couple of days - in blogland time - Jesus will be dead.  It's kind of rough to understand, that after all he's been through, he's still alive!  He should be dead by now, but even bearing the brunt of the responsibility of all the sin of all time hasn't killed him yet.  That makes me realize how powerful he was, even as a man!  It took all of Satan's weapons to kill him.  Every last one of them.

I want to end today with the scripture that prophesied today's passage, Psalm 22.  I'm sharing most of the whole thing, because it's just powerful, moving, gripping.  Hold fast to it today. 

 ¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
   Why are you so far from saving me,
   so far from my cries of anguish?
² My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
   by night, but I find no rest.
 ³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
   you are the one Israel praises.
⁴ In you our ancestors put their trust;
   they trusted and you delivered them.
⁵ To you they cried out and were saved;
   in you they trusted and were not put to shame.
 ⁶ But I am a worm and not a man,
   scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock me;
   they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
⁸ “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
   “let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
   since he delights in him.”
 ⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb;
   you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
¹⁰ From birth I was cast on you;
   from my mother’s womb you have been my God.
 ¹¹ Do not be far from me,
   for trouble is near
   and there is no one to help.
 ¹² Many bulls surround me;
   strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
¹³ Roaring lions that tear their prey
   open their mouths wide against me.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water,
   and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
   it has melted within me.
¹⁵ My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
   and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
   you lay me in the dust of death.
 ¹⁶ Dogs surround me,
   a pack of villains encircles me;
   they pierce my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ All my bones are on display;
   people stare and gloat over me.
¹⁸ They divide my clothes among them
   and cast lots for my garment.

and ending with:

 ²⁹ All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
   all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
   those who cannot keep themselves alive.
³⁰ Posterity will serve him;
   future generations will be told about the Lord.
³¹ They will proclaim his righteousness,
   declaring to a people yet unborn:
   He has done it!

Jesus is Crucified

There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”.
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”. John 19:18-22

Once again, John is so stoic in his account. There's no drama, no intricate metaphors, no poetic language. Just, "they crucified him."

Now is when we need to talk about what crucifixion means. What it was like, what it entailed. I warn you that it is not pretty. If you haven't seen any of this before, it is troubling - it's troubling even if you have seen it before, it's troubling.

The following information is from Wikipedia.com:

Crucifixion was often performed to terrorize and dissuade the onlookers from perpetrating the crimes punishable by it. Victims were left on display after death as warnings so that others who attempt dissent might be forewarned. Crucifixion was usually intended to provide a death that was particularly slow, painful (hence the term excruciating, literally "out of crucifying"), gruesome, humiliating, and public, using whatever means were most expedient for that goal. Crucifixion methods varied considerably with location and time period.

While a crucifixion was an execution, it was also a humiliation, by making the condemned as vulnerable as possible. Although artists have depicted the figure on a cross with a loin cloth or a covering of the genitals, writings by Seneca the Younger suggest that victims were crucified completely nude. When the victim had to urinate or defecate, they had to do so in the open, in view of passers-by, resulting in discomfort and the attraction of insects.

The length of time required to reach death could range from a matter of hours to a number of days, depending on exact methods, the prior health of the condemned, and environmental circumstances. Death could result from any combination of causes, including blood loss, hypovolemic shock, or sepsis following infection, caused by the scourging that sometimes preceded the crucifixion, or by the process of being nailed itself, or eventual dehydration.

The spikes, or nails, about 7 inches long and 3/8 of an inch in diameter were driven into the wrists. The spikes would hit the area of the median nerve, causing shocks of pain up the arms to the shoulders and neck. Already standing at the crucifixion site would be the 7-foot-tall post, called a stipes. In the center of the stipes was a crude seat to “support” for the victim. The patibulum was then lifted on to the stipes, and the victim’s body was awkwardly turned on the seat so that the feet could be nailed to the stipes. At this point, there was tremendous strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders, resulting in a dislocation of the shoulder and elbow joints. The position of the nailed body held the victim’s rib cage in a fixed position, which made it extremely difficult to exhale, and impossible to take a full breath.

Once up on the cross, the victim would have his body weight suspended by their arms. In this position, it is difficult to completely exhale. The victim could take shallow breaths for a while, but eventually would be forced to push himself up to take a full breath.  This combination of pain would quickly force the victim to lower himself back down. Eventually, the victim would no longer be able to raise himself up and would suffocate. The shock from blood loss due to the scourging would hasten this process.  (above information from catholiceducation.org)

The nails would have been driven through his heels, not the center of his feet.  Once on the cross, the victim would have battled three things:

• The victim's weight is now fully supported by his feet. The nails through the feet would be likely to hit two major nerves running through the area. The result would be excruciating pain in the legs.
• The nails in the wrists would be likely to pierce the main nerve running through the arm. As the victim pushed up to breath, the wrists would rotate against the nail, irritating the nerves and causing intense pain in the arms. Some authorities also believe that the crucifixion position would dislocate the shoulder or elbow. Any movement would aggravate the pain from these injuries.
• The wounds on the victim’s back from the scourging would push up against the rough part of the centerpiece. This would tend to re-open the wounds, leading to more pain and blood loss. (from catholiceducation.org, Robert Gidley)

There is really nothing more I can say. Facts are facts. Horror is horror. Death is death.

My savior didn't die quickly or easily. His death was painful and drawn out. And He didn't have to do it.

But He did it.

Jesus Carries His Cross

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).  John 19:17

I used to think that carrying the cross was part of Jesus' own special punishment.  In fact, it was the way crucifixions were typically carried out.  The paragraph below is from an article entitled, "Facts of Crucifixion" from catholiceducation.org:

After the flogging, the victim would carry his own cross bar (called a patibulum) from the flogging area inside the city to the crucifixion area outside of the city walls. The crucifixion area was always outside the city, because the process was horrible and disturbing to citizens.

The upright part of the cross (the stipe) was permanently mounted in the crucifixion area. The part that the victim carried was the cross bar, weighing in at 75 to 125 pounds. The cross bar would be balanced on the victim’s shoulders, and their arms would be tied to the crossbar. In this position, if the victim tripped or fell, they could not use their arms to break their fall, and they would likely fall face first into the ground.

Imagine the pain, the horror of this.  Falling on your face, holding approximately 100 pounds.  After being beaten to near death.  After being exhausted and dehydrated.   After being questioned and humiliated.

Golgotha - the place of the skull.  This description is mentioned in each of the four gospels.  Traditionally, there are two sites thought to be this place.  Constantine, the Roman emperor, built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre around the site in the early 300s.  The other site, to this day, has rock face that resembles eyes/skulls, and that is why it is thought to be the site of the crucifixion.  (Go to wikipedia.com - search for Golgotha - for more information.)

No matter where it is, at the time, it was a place of death and horror.  And Jesus' earthly life came to an end there. 

I almost can't talk about.  I don't have the right words for this moment.

So I turn to the gospels.  To me, it's interesting how matter of fact John's portrayal of these moments is.  He, of all four gospel writers, was the only eyewitness.  He was one of Jesus' three closest friends.  I would expect an eyewitness account of a friend's death to be passionate, excited, intense.  But John doesn't do that.  If you ever take the time to read this gospel, to study it closely, notice that John tells the reader right from the start that his purpose in writing this account is to prove to the reader that Jesus is the Son of God.  And he says he is going to prove it by using 6 signs, or miracles - beginning with turning the water into wine, and ending with resurrection.

I think that John wrote about Jesus' death so stoically so that no one would accuse him of embellishing the truth.  It was what it was.  It was horrible, and he didn't need to embellish!

The other gospels give us a bit more information, including how Simon of Cyrene had to help carry the cross when Jesus could not go on.  Luke's gospel goes even further, and shares this information:

A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.  Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’  Then“‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!”  and to the hills, “Cover us!”’

For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”   Luke 23:27-28

Even in His hour of extreme distress, He is not thinking of Himself.  He tells the women around Him, to cry for themselves, to feel the sorrow for their own sins.   Matthew Henry said:

Therefore weep not for him, but let us weep for our own sins, and the sins of our children, which caused his death; and weep for fear of the miseries we shall bring upon ourselves, if we slight his love, and reject his grace. If God delivered him up to such sufferings as these, because he was made a sacrifice for sin, what will he do with sinners themselves, who make themselves a dry tree, a corrupt and wicked generation, and good for nothing!

(I know I'm using a lot of passages from others today, but it is because I just don't have the right words.  People with amazing gifts and insights have written amazing commentaries and given us amazing information, and it is there for us to utilize and ponder.)

By Friday, we will be talking about Jesus' dying.  And because we are using John as our main source, it's all pretty cut and dried, matter of fact.  But that's ok because you know what?  Jesus' death WAS cut and dry.  It WAS matter of fact.  It happened.  End of story.  It's not a metaphor, or an allegory, and a fairy tale gone bad.  It's truth. 

This truth speaks volumes in the lives of believers.  I hope it is speaking to you this month.  I know it's doing wonders in my soul.  I pray for anyone reading this, those I know and those I don't.  I pray for myself and my family, that we will be continually changed by this truth.

He didn't die a simple, quick death for my sins.  He suffered.  He agonized.  Physically.  Emotionally.  Spiritually.  He suffered in every way possible.

For me.  For you. 

That should change us.

Jesus is Handed Over for Crucifixion

Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified.  So the soldiers took charge of Jesus.  John 19:16

This is the moment.  This is the moment that defines everyone's destiny.  Pilate.  The soldiers.  The priests and officials.  Jesus.

This is the moment where Pilate could say - you are all ridiculous!  There is no crime against this man!  I won't be a party to this!

This is the moment where the soldiers could say - I know that to disobey an order could mean death, but this is wrong!  I cannot take this man to be crucified.  He has done nothing wrong.

This is the moment where the priests and officials could say - Have mercy on us, O God!  We are sinners and have done a horrible thing!  This man has committed no crime - it was all lies!  Forgive us!

But - This is the moment where Jesus could say - How dare you!  I am the King of the Universe!  You cannot kill me!  I'm calling legions of angels at this very moment!  You cannot contain me.

That was the moment when life for all of us could have changed.  Because, if any of those things had happened, and Jesus hadn't paid the penalty for our sins, we would really be in trouble.  If any of those men had made a different choice, OUR destiny, 2,000 years later, would have been hopeless.

Just imagine what life would be like today, if Jesus hadn't become forgiveness for us.  Imagine.

You think the world is bad now?  Imagine the scene in Egypt about a month ago.  Imagine that all over the world.  All the time.

Mass chaos.  Riots.  Murder.  Rape.  Not as the exception.  As the rule.

In some parts of the world, I think that is their reality.  But I cannot imagine living like that. 

I think if Jesus had not come when He did, had not died when He did, most of us wouldn't be here.  The world would have given itself over to sin and injustice.  There would be no such thing as good.  The whole of humanity would have imploded into an apocalyptic, joyless, hopeless, over-the-top mess.

If just one of those people had made a different choice.  

On the one hand, I want to shake Pilate, the soldiers, the priests.  I want to shame them because of their choice.  I want scream at them - look what you did!

On the other hand, what if Jesus hadn't died?  

God used the circumstances of man's fallen behavior and sinful nature to bring redemption to the world.  He took what Satan intended for evil and used it to change eternity.

Jesus Presented as King

Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
   “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
   “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.  John 19:14-15

This passage is completely disgusting.  This group of chief priests, who hated Rome, hated Roman authority over them, hated Caesar Tiberius, was now "surrendering" to Rome in order to get what they wanted - the death of Jesus.

This is betrayal and treachery in its worst form.  It is cunning deceit.  Hypocrisy.  As soon as these Jews get what they want, they will be right back to hating Roman rule again.  But for a few hours, they fake submission to Caesar.

This Caesar was Caesar Tiberius (Luke 3:1).  (After the time of Julius Caesar, all Roman kings were called Caesar, the same as all Egyptian kings were called Pharaoh.)  Caesar Tiberius ruled from 14 AD to 37 AD.  This emperor was, during the latter part of his reign, the most cruel, jealous, and wicked that ever sat on the Roman throne. In fact, during that time, faced with treachery himself from within the Roman empire, he put to death anyone that remotely appeared to be against him:

Executions were now a stimulus to his fury, and he ordered the death of all who were lying in prison under accusation of complicity with Sejanus (his political enemy). There lay, singly or in heaps, the unnumbered dead, of every age and sex, the illustrious with the obscure. Kinsfolk and friends were not allowed to be near them, to weep over them, or even to gaze on them too long. Spies were set round them, who noted the sorrow of each mourner and followed the rotting corpses, till they were dragged to the Tiber, where, floating or driven on the bank, no one dared to burn or to touch them.  (from wikipedia.com)

To think that there is even a possibility that the Jews were embracing Tiberius is preposterous.  I'm certain they feared him - who wouldn't?  But to think that they were gladly submitting to his authority is wrong.  Throughout his rule, they mainly tried to just stay out of his way.  He wasn't in Jerusalem, anyway, so the Jewish idea of submitting to Roman rule was just to quietly go about their business and not do anything that captured Roman attention. 

So now, it comes to this.  To me, what they are saying is, we'd rather have the tyrant Tiberius than this man Jesus.

They sold out an innocent man because of greed and fear.

They were afraid of losing their power.  They were afraid of losing their way of life.  They were afraid that maybe the God they had created - NOT the God who had created them - was going to be toppled.

Jesus preached love.  They taught fear.
Jesus preached freedom.  They taught rules.
Jesus preached that God was the authority.  They taught that they were the authority. 

So they gave this man over for crucifixion.  They led the lamb to the slaughter.  They incited the mob mentality and violence.

The tragedy is that Satan had so clouded their vision and their hearts that they refused to see that the God they claimed to know was standing right in front of them.  The Messiah they said they were waiting for now wore a tattered robe and a crown of thorns.  They thought they knew.  But they knew so little.

In my Wednesday night bible study we talked about doubts this week.  Is it disgraceful to doubt?  We decided, it depends on your heart.  To doubt so that you can learn more, is wonderful.  To doubt so that you can close off your mind, is disgraceful.

That's just what these men were doing.

It's so ironic that they wanted all this hurried up - this slaughter, this death, this crucifixion - so that they could go celebrate one of God's festivals.  How could they not see that God - through the celebration of Passover - had been preparing them for this moment for thousands of years?

They didn't see because they didn't want to.

That's terrifying.

Jesus Refuses to Speak

When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.  John 19:8-9

I've always wondered why Jesus didn't speak.  Why didn't He take this opportunity to present the plan to Pilate, try to get him on board, show how the pros and cons to being a part of Jesus' ministry and team?

Isn't that what we would do today?  We try to coax and cajole people into getting on board with our ideas, our plan. 

So why didn't Jesus speak?

Maybe it's because He didn't have anything to say.

What else could He have said?  He'd been preaching and teaching for three years!  How many times, in how many ways, could He explain God's plan again?

How many more times could He explain where His kingdom came from, and where it was?  How many more times could He explain that He and His Father were one?  How many more times could He explain that God's plan wasn't about following the law, but following the Person?

So why speak? 

Pilate was afraid of the Jews.  Afraid of unrest, rebellion.  The Jews were afraid of Jesus.  Afraid He would usurp their power, their prestige. 

Which, of course, was exactly the plan all along.

So why speak?

Pilate wasn't going to listen.  The chief priests weren't going to listen.  His followers had scattered - they weren't going to listen.

Why speak?  No one was going to listen.

I keep comparing then to now.  Would I have been different - would you?  Would you have listened?  Would I have stayed?  Would I have fought to keep my power, or been willing to relinquish it all when I met Him, when I saw the truth?

I can't really answer that.  All I can do is listen when He speaks now.  Surrender when He calls now.  Relinquish when I see Him now.

What He did then -- what we do now -- it's all interconnected.  It's all the same story.  It's the story of redemption, bought 2,000 years ago. 

Why didn't He speak?  Because no one was listening.  If you don't hear Him speaking to you, in your life, it's time to ask yourself that question.  Why isn't He speaking?  Is it because I'm not listening?

Each one will be like a shelter from the wind
   and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
   and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,
   and the ears of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,
   and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear. Isaiah 32:2-4