Passion Week: The Cross

... he walked alone beneath his burden.

Simon was just trying to conclude his business here so he could start his journey home. He realized he didn't have much time. All business would be put on hold at sun set.

Tomorrow was the Passover celebration. Maybe at any other time he would be thrilled to be in Jerusalem at this time of the year but he had been a long time from home. He just wanted to be done with business so first thing next week he could strike out for home.

Now he had this crowd to get around. Apparently they had finally been able to put an end to this prophet that had everyone so excited. He had seen the Prophet once. He was in another town doing business. He actually saw him give sight back to a blind man. Pretty amazing. Too bad he had to cross the Pharisees like he did. It was bound to end poorly.

There! An opening in the crowd. He could cut through there and save a couple of minutes.

As he stepped through the crowd he froze in mid-step. As his eyes fell on the figure kneeling in the middle of the road, bent beneath the weight of a cross beam, his blood ran cold.

What had they done to him? Could this be the same man he saw in that town so long ago? Could this be the Prophet who gave sight to the blind?

Blood soaked his clothing and pooled on the ground where he knelt. Flesh hung loosely from his back. His hair was matted with blood. Blood covered his face and seemed to cloud his eyes. Well, at least they looked like eyes. It was hard to tell what that was beneath his swollen face. He looked more animal than man.

He should have just kept going but the sight had him transfixed. What could this poor man have done to deserve this?

Then a soldier on a horse called out to him, penetrating the back of his awareness and slowly exploded in on his reality. He looked to the soldier and to his horror realized that he had suddenly become a participant in this sideshow of death.

Before he knew it they had the cross beam tied on to him. He couldn't believe this. He should have avoided the crowd. Why hadn't he taken the longer route?

But as they were pressed to move on his thoughts turned from himself to the Prophet who staggered beside him. How could he go on like this? Why would he go on like this? Why not just refuse to move and let them kill him here instead of on the cross?

As weak as he was the Prophet seemed determined to do this.

The crowd was mixed. Some hurled insults at him, along with stones. Others stood and wept silently. Still others were shouting out words of support. What was it about this man that could provoke such reaction?

The walk was hard under this weight. It seemed to take forever. Any hope that there was of concluding his business was quickly slipping away. But for some reason it seemed to be less important. This Prophet was heading to his death and all he was concerned about was getting his business finished with? When had he lost his humanity? His compassion?

When they arrived at the designated spot he was exhausted. How could they have hoped that this man could have carried this thing in his condition?

They had it off his back soon enough and he was prepared to rush off to see what he could get done, but something stopped him. Something kept him fixed on this man who even now seemed like no other man he had ever encountered.

He stepped back into the first row of onlookers just as they threw the Prophet down onto the cross piece. As his back hit the ground he arched in pain. With no thought at all the soldiers grabbed his arms, tying him down and then nailed him in place, as if they were bored with the whole thing. The sound of the nails going through flesh and bone was sickening but he could not turn away.

Besides the weeping that came from some of the women near by a hush had fallen over the crowd. That's the only way it was possible to hear his words. And everyone heard them. Everyone seemed shocked, even disturbed by them. There he was, half beaten to death, laid out on the ground, being nailed to a cross beam and everyone heard him say:

“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

What? Who was this man?

With that they hoisted him up, fixing him in place. Above his head they nailed a sign that referred to him as the king of the Jews. Was it possible? Is that why they had killed him? With that the wailing began in earnest.

Simon melted into the crowd with the image of the Prophet forever burned into his memory. As he broke free he began to run. He couldn't explain why he ran, he just did. He wanted to be as far from that cursed place as quickly as he could.

What had they just done? ...

It Was All For You

It is finished!

Done.

Completed.

Over with.

The nails have pierced his skin.

The last words were spoken.

The last taunts were offered up.

Forgiveness was given.

The last breaths were breathed.

The side was pierced.

The blood has flowed.

The tears have been cried.

The rain has fallen.

The earth has shook.

The curtain torn.

Everything changed.

The Creator died.

Everything changed.

The power of sin is broken.

Everything changed.

Redemption has been won.

By Jesus.

For us.

But the cost ...

The body is perfumed.

The tomb is sealed.

Hearts are broken.

Reality beckons.

Despair sets in.

Alone.

Lost.

Confused.

Forgotten.

Separated.

Now we wait.

Behind closed doors.

A blanket of fear pulled tight.

Will it happen?

Will we see the sign of Jonah?

Was this more than a day off for you?

Don`t you get it?

It's all about you!

It was all for you.

The Weight Of The Cross

Pilate has questioned him. Herod has dismissed him. The crowd has rejected him. The soldiers have beaten him. Now he carries the cross.

Perhaps at the darkest moments of our lives we have imagined such cruelty on our worse enemies, but on the innocent?

Jesus never got involved in politics. He didn't seem to care who held power in Israel. He didn't try to become king. In fact, he avoided it, leaving when he thought the crowd was going to force it on him. He didn't fault the Pharisees for trying to keep the traditions from being diluted by the powerful Greek culture. His problem with them was only that they allowed such traditions to take priority over people's relationship with God.

Jesus was an innocent. A man feared by the powerful because of his innocence and purity. And here he walked, beaten, almost to death, exhausted, no strength left, forced to carry this cruel instrument of death. He was a dead man walking.

But even in this there was no peace.

Even in this he was taunted, spat on, despised. No rest for the wicked. But he was the opposite of wicked. He was the essence of goodness and love.

Here he was an innocent. A victim of Rome? A victim of the Jews? Hardly! They had no authority over him, except for what his Father gave them.

Yes, Jesus chose the Father's will over his own. This was his Father's doing. This was the way of redemption for all of creation. The only way.

So on he went. To do his Father's will. Because he loved his Father and obedience, even in death, was never a second thought.

How much did you say you love Jesus? Enough to bey him?

Thank you for the cross. May I have as much determination, love and selflessness to carry my own.

What Will This Day Be To You?

The betrayal has happened. The arrest took place. His disciples have all scattered. He stands alone. He has been questioned by the high priest. He has already been beaten. And now Peter has disowned him. He stands alone.

There is still a long day ahead for him. There is still Pilot.There is still Herod. There is still the beatings, the whips, the mocking, the condemnation. And at the end of it there is the cross. There is death.

Every step he takes is one step closer. Every breath he takes is a breath closer.

"Not my will but yours be done."

It was about his Father's will. It was always about his Father's will. He would do anything for his Father, who he loved and trusted. Jesus set the example for us.

He prayed it. He lived it. He walked in it. And now he stands alone. He stands alone to face what we should have and he did it because his Father willed it. He willed it for us, so we would never have to face it.

Will today be just another day for you? A holiday? A day to sleep in? Maybe just another day of work? Nothing special?

This is Crucifixion Day. This is the day that marks the moment the Creator went to bat for the creation. This is the day we mark, the day Jesus gave his all so we could receive God's all. Walk with him through it today.

At this moment Jesus stood alone but he stands alone no longer. Today he sits at the right hand of the Father and we are seated there with him; his Bride; the Church he redeemed by his blood. But it didn't come cheap. It came with the price of the cross. Let it be a day of praise as we rejoice in the goodness of our God.