I struggle reading parts of the Bible. I don’t mean Leviticus or Judges. I’m talking Jesus’ crucifixion. It’s like I’m there on the cross, with Him. My sins are there, for sure, but I find my heart there, as well. Lent, in itself, is okay—doing soul prep, the self-inspection thing. I’m even fasting from my 92% dark-chocolate square and homemade no-sugar oatmeal bar!
That meal in the upper room started the grief, the disciples at their peak of stupidity.
Philip: “Show us the Father; that’ll be enough.”
Jesus, pain choking his voice: “Don’t you KNOW me, Philip, after all this time?”
Peter: “You’ll never wash MY feet!”
Peter again: “Why can’t I follow? I’d lay down my life for you!”
Judas took the piece of bread…and it was night.
Alexander Whyte, an old Scottish pastor, writes about Jesus’ night in Gethsemane (edited):
Jesus: “My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry here, and watch.”
We cannot wade into the waves of woe that washed over His soul that night. He trod the winepress alone; the others slept. Only one thing could do this: SIN. He had seen sin cause men—made in the image of God—to be prey, spoil, the companions of devils, but it was a new thing to our Lord to have all that poured upon Himself. It sickened and slew Him, down to death and hell. The utter stupefaction of soul, seeing hell opening and pouring up its bottomless wickedness all over His soul. It was SIN that agonized His soul—not His approaching death. He met death with a security of soul that confounded the Roman centurion. It was not death: it was SIN. A terror and a horror at Himself took possession of our Lord’s soul when He was made sin.
Picture your sins, all of them, packed side by side, forming one filthy blob. Now picture yourself laying that blob on Jesus, there in Gethsemane.
Can any of us wonder at Jesus’ agony that dreadful night?
Tony Campolo’s line in his most-famous sermon, applies to Good Thursday, as well:
“It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming!
How are you affected by this terrible prelude to Easter?
Please leave your comments below, or email me at egus@me.com.
I’d love to hear from you.
The horror of sin and death being placed on Jesus has such a visceral effect on me…physically as well as mentally. The amazing part of this story is that Christ didn’t do this for himself, because after all He was perfect. He did it for me, you, everyone out there.
Oh, what a wonderful Savior!
Thank you for posting this my dear Ellie ♥️
Kindred spirits, Dotty. We respond in our real but imperfect way to Jesus’ suffering. Thank you so much!
I am truly thankful and humbled by our Lord’s sacrifice. I think back on the years that I was sure I alone was in control of my life. How prideful I was! The wretched and lost. He saves all, hallelujah!
Hallelujah, indeed, Tess! Because Jesus went through all this, WE HAVE HOPE!
Ellie, bless your soul. Still providing us with solid meditative words. Sin and the cross. I am in dialog with two of my grandsons who are enamored with an anthropology of the Cross by Rene Gerard. I still prefer to go the route of a theology of the Cross – the Gospels and Paul spell it out. Jesus became sin for me, bore my sin at the Cross. Oh, the wonderful hymns that speak to that theology. I like N.T. Wright on the historicity of the Gospels, but he approaches the “personal” forgiveness of sin, as of lesser importance than the victory over sin itself that should lead us into kingdom building. I also embrace His victory over sin on the Cross, but do not want to downplay the announcement early in Acts, that in Jesus by His Cross and Resurrection, our sins are fortgiven. Rejoice and be glad. Bob
Thank you, Elie,
Very moving.
Lowell
Thanks mucn, Lowell. I did a lot of crying over this one.
Ellie
Thanks for this touching post, Ellie. The horror of Hell, and knowing it was just a matter of time before I was sent there forever, was the first step in my salvation 40 years ago this month. After finding out that the penalty for sin was death, and the second death was the lake of fire, there was no hope to be found anywhere. Until the next verse turned the lights on for me: “For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through Him.” That’s a tongue twister, but that’s the verse God used to make me understand the Good News. Halleluyah!