Three Hours One Friday

“They crucified him.” This simple phrase describes how Jesus died. By the time this point was reached, Jesus had been beaten with a whip whose leather throngs were embedded with small bits of pottery or sharp rocks. The crown of thorns would have produced more bleeding and increased the pain and physical stress.

Carrying the cross beam from the place of trial to the place of crucifixion would have taken most of what energy Jesus had left. Using nails instead of or along with ropes would have added to what Jesus had already suffered. Then, unable to maintain the ability to breathe easily due to a tightened diaphragm, Jesus would have reached a point of exhaustion hastened by the severe beating he had already received. Blood loss and asphyxiation combined to bring about a relatively quick death.

The lashings are something we understand. The crown of thorns is something we understand. The nails and the cross are things we understand. Yet at the sixth hour, the hour of noon, Jesus entered a darkness into which we were not intended to follow and we can never understand. It was a point in the Divine Existence where the events that occurred could only be understood within the Person of the Triune God.

The concept of the Trinity will always be discussed in inadequate terms: Three in One, One in Three. How much more are we faced with our intellectual inadequacy when we are forced to consider what transpired in what to us were three hours of time! For the Trinity this was taking place in some arena where time had no meaning.

Our only glimpse into this darkness inhabited by Jesus is the cry of dereliction. We cannot comprehend what was involved in those three hours when God the Son found himself separated from God the Father by the sins of the world placed upon his soul. “Eli, Eli, lama sabach thani? My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) For people gathered around the cross, the darkness was the absence of the light of the sun. For Jesus the darkness was the absence of the glory of the Father.

With all the pain that Jesus suffered in the crucifixion, thousands who died at the hands of the Roman authorities had gone through the same torturous death. Ancient historians record that 6000 captives were crucified at one time after the failed rebellion led by the former gladiator Spartacus. In fact Jesus’ time on the cross was far less than suffered by some who had hung there for several days.

The accounts are multiple that describe the medical details of what Jesus experienced. The descriptions are gruesome and horrible even to read. Yet the curse of dying on a cross/tree will remain the closest we can ever come to understanding what happened during those three hours of darkness.

When the Father placed the veil between himself and his Son, we don’t know what happened. When it was over, however, our salvation was guaranteed by a simple statement, “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit.” (Luke 23:46) Jesus had gone through the darkness and remained the faithful Son. The minions of hell celebrated with the cry of abandonment. They screamed in despair at the words of surrender.

When Jesus refused the temptations of Satan (Matthew 4) to become Lord of the earth by the methods of hell, he was left with the path that would lead to the cross. On a cross one Friday, innocence was sacrificed for the guilty. The faithful was sacrificed for the rebellious. The One and Only Son was rejected so that those who had turned away could be adopted into the family of their Creator. Three hours of darkness made possible for us an eternity of light.

Listening To the Other Voice

I have never been able to make it on my own. I think along too narrow lines. I see trees without seeing the forest. I understand the primary issue, but I miss the implication for all the tangent concerns. I need to hear the voices of other people.

Proverbs 14:11 says, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls; but in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” (RSV) I have no doubt that the writer of this bit of wisdom had me in mind. Many cooks may spoil the soup, but I need a cluster of counselors to help me see all the factors that need to be considered in a decision.

I am confident that I am not the only one in this position. Not only are there many others who need to heed the voices of counsel that are available when decisions must be made, but all too often the fork in the road has far more than two tines. Instead of two options, the path ahead may offer five or six, none of which look out of the question. The adventurous possibility of choosing the road less traveled may not be a clear option as they all may look heavily used.

Rarely is there a time when there are not multiple voices demanding to be heard. For those of us who need the counsel of others, this does not make life any easier. Voices come from many sources, and to choose to listen to one over another is to accept its source of wisdom. The question then becomes what wisdom will guide our decisions and the path we will take.

The Book of Proverbs also says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” (9:10 RSV) To trust a voice enough to listen to it and follow its guidance demands a knowledge of who it is to whom we are listening. Such knowledge is not gained through a passing conversation. It is experienced through time and events that earn the trust.

A follower of Christ looks to Jesus for the wisdom and guidance needed to make life decisions. Other voices ask for, even demand equal or more attention. Some look good. Some seem better. Some would say they are the best. In each instance we must ask ourselves how well we know the source of such wisdom. Do we know the source well enough to trust it?

The disciple of Jesus Christ spends time learning the mind of Christ, the priorities of Christ, and the way of Christ. The disciple learns to trust Jesus by watching his wisdom at work, his spirit of transformation in the lives of others. The disciple trusts Jesus because he has heard him before and knows he is true.

A disciple grows in wisdom as he listens more to the one he follows. Jesus said in speaking of himself, “When (the shepherd) has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” (John 10:4 RSV) The sheep follow because they have spent many days and nights with their shepherd. They know his voice and they follow him.

If we say we are followers of Jesus Christ, there is one voice to which we must listen. From that voice we will learn wisdom from our heavenly Father. We will learn the mind of Christ. We will learn to discern among the good, the better, and the best. We will see the difference between the valuable and the trash. We will know the path to take when we come to the fork in the road.

I know of no one who does not at some time need to listen to another voice. Admitting we need to listen to another voice can be hard. Knowing which voice to heed can be even harder. Being on a first name basis with the Source of perfect wisdom (James 3:17) is a great place to start.

Not A Secret!

When we read the resurrection story in the gospels, we need to remember that the stone was rolled away, not to let Jesus out of the tomb, but to let the people in. (Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20) His departure from death was not to be kept hidden in the back side of some cemetery. People were to know of this event, those who saw the empty tomb and those whom they told. The resurrection was never intended to be kept a secret!

Easter, Resurrection Sunday, is only a few days away. The event and its meaning were not and should not be kept a secret. Closet believers offer little to the work and progress of the Kingdom of God in this world. Without the resurrection we have nothing to offer the world unique from some humanitarian and philanthropic spirit. The resurrection separates Christian believers from the rest of the attempts by man to offer spiritual meaning to our existence.

During this season groups of believers will emphasize the love of Christ, the commitment of Christ, the suffering of Christ, and the power of the Father to conquer death and bring the Son out of its grasp. We will do it through personal and corporate times of prayer, self-denial, retelling the story of the events of Holy Week, and worship. We will do it with fellow believers and hopefully with those who do not believe but want to know why we believe as we do.

When the women came to the tomb, now empty, on that first day of the week, they were given a message, “Go and tell”. That command is still relevant today. The message of the empty tomb is to be spread to the ends of the earth. It is not to be kept a secret!

During this season the western world especially will see images of rabbits, ducklings, eggs, and baskets. Just maybe a few crosses and lambs will be visible. The people who emphasize those former items will probably know very little of the empty tomb. They will know few details about the Lamb of God that died upon a Roman cross, abandoned by his Father, to carry the sins of the world. The people who do not believe will not know about the promise of the resurrection unless someone goes to them and tells the Story.

Recently the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church went into conclave to choose a new leader. Today we know that leader as Pope Francis I. This leader replaces the recently retired Pope Benedict XVI. The new pope will serve for a while and then he too will be replaced. The One who came out of the tomb lives on and will never be replaced. This news cannot be kept a secret.

Each believer should seize the opportunity to share the good news Jesus is alive. Each believer should be ready to go and tell. Maybe it will be a simple invitation to come to a church service where the resurrection is celebrated. Maybe it will be offering a tract explaining the resurrection story. Maybe it will be sharing one’s personal story of why the resurrection has eternal importance.

Every congregation must claim its responsibility to “go and tell”. Easter dramas and cantatas are reminders for the faithful, but they are also opportunities for proclamation to those who do not believe. Resurrection Sunday offers one of the best contexts in which to tell the Story to those who need to hear it. People will come if they receive an invitation from those whom they know.

The stone in front of the tomb was rolled away for the benefit of those who needed to know. Our churches must throw their doors open for the benefit of those who need to know. Don’t keep it a secret. Go and tell!

The Power of Encouragement

Those were simple words Jesus uttered at the end of the Gospel of Matthew, “I will be with you, even to the end of the age.” (28:20) What they followed was anything but simple. Make all the peoples of the world my disciples. Mark them as my disciples through baptism in my name. Teach them to be obedient to all that I have taught you. Transform the world into an earthly version of my Father’s Kingdom. Those disciples needed to hear those final words of encouragement.

There is power in encouragement. A teacher in a room of first graders can see success as much if not more through the encouragement given as in the number of new words spelled correctly. A four year degree is often attained more through the encouragement of professors as from tests passed. A new job is sought and acquired often more from the encouragement from friends and coworkers as from a dressed up resume and application. Encouragement can make the difference between looking at the mountain and climbing it.

Gary Chapman has a series of books entitled The Five Love Languages. The core idea is that there are five primary ways individuals show love and are able to accept love. This is between spouses, generations, and even with God. According to his guidance one of my key languages is the language of affirmation. I understand love that is shown through words of encouragement and approval. Save your gifts for someone else. Tell me that I can get the job done with just a little more effort.

Are some people around you discouraged? Encourage them. It doesn’t cost much, if anything. You can be straight forward or you can get creative. It makes no difference who you are. You can encourage someone else. While leading a Bible study with a group of senior adults, I remind them on a regular basis they can encourage another person with only a smile or positive word. It’s a skill they never lose due to age.

The world around us is programmed to depress us. News accounts begin with the most negative stories, paper and digital. Conversations turn to the negative quickly. Julia Roberts in “Pretty Woman” says something to the effect that people speak in negative terms about others because bad things are easier to remember. No statistics are in my hands to prove it, but it seems that we spend more time talking about how bad things are than emphasizing the good.

There is power in encouragement even when you don’t like what’s going on around you. Why can I be so positive about this? I know who wrote the Book. I know how the last chapter ends. I know that from the beginning of human conscience, we have tried to do things our way and live a life of one-up-man-ship with the people around us. That creates a negative world. Only when we decide to serve instead of dominate do we allow the positive to rise to the surface.

Choosing to encourage others instead of demanding personal attention creates that welcome positive note. It says someone cares about others before self. It says that someone is willing to bring a little light into someone else’s life. The recipient receives an emotional vitamin. They receive a new perspective on life in general and on themselves in particular. When people are encouraged, they receive hope.

Encouragement comes in many forms. Smiles are cheap as are words of affirmation. Cards and letters don’t cost much and the unexpected email costs no more than that smile. Most often the only cost to us when we encourage someone else is to invest a little time. We only need to remember and be intentional that today we will encourage someone and be a little less negative. A miracle in someone's life may just be the result.