John 19:1-7, 16-22, 31-37
Then Pilate laid open
Jesus’ back with a leaded whip, and the soldiers made a crown of
thorns and placed it on his head and robed him in royal purple. “Hail,
‘King of the Jews’!” they mocked, and struck him with their fists.
Pilate went outside again and said to the Jews, “I am going to bring
him out to you now, but understand clearly that I find him not guilty.”
Then Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said, “Behold the man!”
At sight of him the chief priests and Jewish officials began yelling, “Crucify! Crucify!”
“You crucify him,” Pilate said. “I find him not guilty.”
They replied, “By our laws he ought to die because he called himself the Son of God.”
Then Pilate gave Jesus to them to be crucified.
So
they had him at last, and he was taken out of the city, carrying his
cross to the place known as “The Skull,” in Hebrew, “Golgotha.” There
they crucified him and two others with him, one on either side,
with Jesus between them. And Pilate posted a sign over him reading,
“Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” The place where Jesus was
crucified was near the city; and the signboard was written in Hebrew,
Latin, and Greek, so that many people read it.
Then the chief priests said to Pilate, “Change it from ‘The King of the Jews’ to ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’”
Pilate replied, “What I have written, I have written. It stays exactly as it is.”
The
Jewish leaders didn’t want the victims hanging there the next day,
which was the Sabbath (and a very special Sabbath at that, for it was
the Passover), so they asked Pilate to order the legs of the men broken
to hasten death; then their bodies could be taken down. So the
soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men crucified with Jesus;
but when they came to him, they saw that he was dead already, so they
didn’t break his. However, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a
spear, and blood and water flowed out. I saw all this myself and
have given an accurate report so that you also can believe. The
soldiers did this in fulfillment of the Scripture that says, “Not one of
his bones shall be broken,” and, “They shall look on him whom they
pierced.”
The Living Bible
copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of
Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights
reserved.
It is a somber day…Good Friday…the
day we remember what Jesus did for us – for you, and me, and even that
person you don’t particularly like for whatever reason. We remember how
Jesus suffered…physically…mentally…emotionally. We remember how,
despite his initial protests, Pilate ultimately bowed to “the will of
the people” – and Jesus accepted the verdict.
Remember, Jesus
could have stopped any or all of this in the blink of an eye. He could
have said, “That’s going too far…I will not do this!” Any one of us
would probably have done so. But we’re not Jesus, thankfully.
We
cannot get to Easter Sunday without going through this day. What is
“good” about “Good Friday?” Certainly, this day signals Jesus’ death
for our wrongdoings…His exchange of flesh and blood for the sins of each
and every one of us. We are also given the ultimate example of
suffering for our faith in God. Jesus died that we might live...He
chose to allow the brutality that was inflicted upon Him because He knew
that it was part of God’s plan. And sometimes, we have to endure some
things that seem pretty hard in order to get where God wants us to be.
We
may have to walk away from “friendships” or bear some sort of loss…the
death of a loved one, termination of our employment, a debilitating
injury or illness, bankruptcy…or the rejection – and even ridicule – of
those who disagree with our viewpoints. It may take weeks, months or
years to see what God was accomplishing in this. And we might not ever understand it all in our earthly lifetime! But if we stay focused on the
Jesus…and remember what He did for us on the cross…we can do this thing
we call “life” – and all that it entails.
Humbly focus on the
cross today. God is with us…even on this dark, somber day. Easter IS
coming…but for this day, “look on Him whom they pierced”…Jesus of
Nazareth, the King of the Jews.
“Amazing love…how can it be…that you my King would die for me.”*
©2015 Debbie Robus
*You Are My King (Amazing Love), written by Billy James Foote, released by Newsboys – Adoration: Worship Album 2003
1 Samuel 19:1-8
One day, Saul told his son Jonathan and his officers to kill David. But Jonathan liked David a lot, and he warned David, “My father is trying to have you killed, so be very careful. Hide in a field tomorrow morning, and I’ll bring him there. Then I’ll talk to him about you, and if I find out anything, I’ll let you know.”
The next morning, Jonathan reminded Saul about the many good things David had done for him. Then he said, “Why do you want to kill David? He hasn’t done anything to you. He has served in your army and has always done what’s best for you. He even risked his life to kill Goliath. The Lord helped Israel win a great victory that day, and it made you happy.”
Saul agreed and promised, “I swear by the living Lord that I won’t have David killed!”
Jonathan called to David and told him what Saul had said. Then he brought David to Saul, and David served in Saul’s army just as he had done before.
The next time there was a war with the Philistines, David fought hard and forced them to retreat.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
In 2001, Kent Heitholt, a reporter for the Columbia Daily Tribune in Columbia, Missouri, was viciously bludgeoned to death as he approached his car in the newspaper’s parking lot after a work shift. The case remained unsolved… until 2004, when a young man who had a history of problems with drugs and alcohol came forward. Chuck Erickson claimed that he was having dreams that he had been present at a murder… and he thought these might be flashbacks. With him in the dream was a “friend” named Ryan Ferguson. I’ll skip all the details here and get to the nuts and bolts… Erickson implicated Ferguson, and while nothing matched… DNA, hair samples, footprints – NOTHING – Ferguson was arrested… and convicted… and sentenced to prison, where he stayed for 9 years, 8 months, and 2 days.
On November 12, 2013, Ryan Ferguson was released from prison and is now a free man. Try to imagine being 19 years old and hearing a judge sentence you to 40 years in prison for a crime you did not commit… something of which you had absolutely no knowledge. Imagine how Ferguson’s parents felt as they saw their son led away as the result of a judicial system whose ruling was based on false testimony that piled up from two “key witnesses”. Think about the incredible fear, betrayal, disrespect, and sheer panic this young man must have experienced. Try to envision how he felt for nearly 10 years as he sat behind bars for something that he didn’t do, trying to clear his name. We would all agree that Ryan Ferguson has every right to be angry… upset… heartbroken… that he should be ready to tear the world apart for this indignity and affront.
There has also been a lot of information in the news lately about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy…fifty years ago this week. I watched an interview with the Secret Service agent who is shown in film footage reaching across the trunk of the President’s limo toward Mrs. Kennedy. as she climbed toward the rear of the car. The agent says she was retrieving the portion of Kennedy’s head that had just been blown away. The interviewer asked, “What did she say to you?” The agent replied, “She told me, ‘I’ve got the President’s brains in my hand.’” Imagine her shock and horror. Imagine the indignation of having your husband’s head blown away as you sat beside him. Can you even fathom the dishonor and disrespect – the downright evil – of pulling the trigger and taking another person’s life? Jackie Kennedy is reported to have refused to change from the pink Chanel suit that bore her husband’s blood stains, saying, “I want them to see what they have done.”
Don’t we all feel this way sometimes? When someone disrespects, insults, or hurts us in some way, don’t we often want to lash out… and rightly so? I have no doubt that you have been mistreated somewhere along the line – maybe even today! And maybe much like Jonathan’s question to King Saul, you are saying, “Why is this happening to me? I have done nothing wrong.”
I certainly do not have all the answers – about anything! But here’s what keeps coming to me about this dilemma… remember Jesus. Remember that He did nothing wrong, yet he was falsely accused, beaten, persecuted… and sentenced to death. As if that were not enough, his murder was brutal and indignant. He was mocked, stripped, pierced, horrifically tortured… and spit upon. And still He cried, “Father, forgive them.” Tall order? You betcha! There have been times when I have argued… “But how am I to forgive? Haven’t I had enough?” The answer is a resounding… “Seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22…” Peter came up to the Lord and asked, “How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?” Jesus answered: Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!”) The temptation for revenge can be great… even to the extent of “I want them to see what they have done.” The answer to my prayer is found in John 13:34…” But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you.”
If you continue to read the book of 1 Samuel through at least Chapter 23, you will see that Saul did not keep his word. He became consumed by the devil and tried several times to kill David. And you may feel like you keep getting kicked and disrespected and knocked down over and again. You may be tempted to quit… to give up and walk away from the people or situation that is causing you so much pain. I encourage you to spend a lot of time in prayer and ask God to show you how to proceed. Feel His hands on your shoulders, holding you and absorbing your tears and frustration. Allow Him room to work… and listen as He shows you where to back away – and how far to go. Let God give you the strength and wisdom to handle indignation and disrespect with grace, confidence and peace. Continue to fight hard… in Jesus’ name…and because He did it for you.
I don’t know how a 28-year-old man adjusts to re-entering society after almost a decade of injustice. But I do know that with God, all things are possible. Won’t you allow Him to work in your life today? Will you ask God to give you empathy and sensitivity for those who have been unfairly treated… and a strong confidence that God understands the heartbreak of disrespect and offense, because He experiences it firsthand as we mistreat Him? Can you look beyond your own burdens and operate in God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness?
When was the last time you apologized to God for how you have disrespected and disappointed Him? Isn’t this a good place to begin your healing journey? As you begin to repair your relationship with God, you will find the strength, courage and wisdom to operate in His grace and mercy toward others. Just as Ryan Ferguson cannot retrieve the near-decade he lost to prison… and we cannot bring back those who have been murdered and taken from us…we cannot change our past. But God can equip us to handle the future… and to enjoy our life as Christian disciples. Are you with me?
©2013 Debbie Robus
