Just some thoughts on this Good Friday.

Just some thoughts on this Good Friday.

The Jewish leaders looked at the cross that day, and saw a blasphemer, one who came to lead the people astray.

The Romans looked at the cross and saw a philosopher and political opponent whose message undermined the power Caesar, the true divine man.

Muslims look at the cross and see a lie, because Allah would never hand over their beloved Prophet Isa ibn Maryam to the evil men of this world.

Atheists will look at the cross and not see a crucifixion, but a cruci-fiction. The cross is as empty and bare as the promises of religion.

Others look at the cross, and see the statue of a man, frozen in time, distant and far away from all of us.

My brothers and sisters look at the cross and see hope and salvation for all of mankind.

Truthfully, though, I look at the cross and see my guilt and shame, being worn by an innocent man. I see injustice being handed out for my crimes, which deserve justice.

Every foul thought is a thorn, cutting into his head.

Every lie from lips is the vinegar water put in his mouth.

The sins I have crafted with this hands and the forbidden paths I have walked, are the nails going deeper through his flesh.

My heart is torn in half like the veil, as I contemplate all the mockery, shame, pain, and death that is due to me, but taken by him.

When I look at that cross, I see myself; the very essence of who I am, my nature, hanging upon that old rugged cross. But it isn’t I hanging exposed for the world to see.  It is “he who knew no sin”, Jesus.

He did not curse those I have cursed.

He did not lust after that for which I have lusted.

He did not speak ill things about others, or harbor resentment against those that I have.

He knew none of these things, but he suffered for them, that I could be considered clean in the eyes of God.

Why should the innocent suffer for me?

The easy answer is to say “love”, but do I know such a love? This love is too much of a mystery for me, and I fear my mind will never grasp it. It is too deep, too high, too far, too wide for this feeble man to understand.

But I do know this much: At one time, we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! The old life has passed, and a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us to himself through Christ.  And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.  For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. And we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” (2 Cor. 5:16 – 20, NLT)

So, that is me. I have been made clean, and called to plea with others to come back. Called to see what SHOULD have been, and what is. Called to embrace this new life in Christ, and let the old perish. Called to be reconciled to others, and to God. Called to be compelled by his great, mysterious love.

Have a blessed Good Friday.