The condemning of Christ can possibly be termed as the greatest error committed in the history of mankind. While it is true that God announced beforehand that His Christ should suffer (Acts 3:18) and it is also true that man’s sin had earned him God’s wrath and judgment and the only sacrifice that could save him was the death of the spotless Lamb, Jesus; the fact remains that we disowned the Holy and Righteous one (Acts 3:14).
For though He was in the beginning with God and all things came into being by Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being (Jn. 1:2, 3); this Word chose to become flesh and dwell among us (Jn. 1:14). He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not know Him (Jn. 1:10). Error No. 1
Because of our unwillingness to hear the truth, we shut our ears to what was already written. We chose not to accept and believe what God spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways (Heb. 1:1). We rejected His words of truth, calling it blasphemy. His awesome works, wrought in goodness and mercy, we termed the work of Beelzebul (Mt. 12:24). Error No. 2
We passed judgment on the One who will judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). We hurled abuse at Him (Mt. 27:39), mocked Him (Mt. 27:29, 41), spat on Him (Mt. 26:67; 27:30), whipped Him (Jn. 19:1), chose a hardened criminal to be set free over Him (Lk. 23:18); and after all that, condemned Him to die on a cross as a public spectacle along with robbers (Mt. 27:38). Error No. 3
While, The Passion of the Christ, may have been produced using artistic liberties, it very vividly portrays the suffering of the Lord Jesus as described in the Bible. The night in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by His chosen apostle, denial from the one He loved, the accusations that were hurled at Him through the night, the arrogant and high-handed manner which He was subjected to and the whips (one word cannot quite capture the torment He went through each time the lash touched His flesh) brought alive the suffering that the Maker of all things went through at the hands of His creatures. The crude jokes, the taunts and insults, the crown of thorns, the spitting on His face, all these just added to the suffering. Finally, after a horrible night and a torment-filled morning, He was made to hang on the cross for six hours (Mk. 15:25, 34).
He was God! He is God! He need not have gone through all that He went through when self-centric, conceited, ungrateful creatures of His handiwork turned against Him. He would have been justified to abandon the whole plan of salvation, reconciliation and hope. But as a sheep remains silent before His shearers, so was He before His accusers (Isa. 53:7) and looked at the joy that was set before Him (Heb. 12:2).
He allowed His body to be broken that we may have life in all its fullness (Jn. 10:10). He shed His blood that we may be a new creation (2Cor. 5:17). He suffered that we may be reconciled to the Father (Col. 1:22) and experience, once again, the purpose for which we were created (Eph. 2:10). He rose again so that we can walk in hope and victory in righteousness, love, truth, peace and joy. (Oh, the joyousness when we understand the meaning of each of these words which incidentally characterizes the Kingdom of God. See Rom. 14:17; Eph. 5:9).
I began by saying that the condemning of Christ can possibly be termed as the greatest error committed in the history of mankind. Yet today, each of us has hope and opportunity to change the course of our life’s history. His still, gentle voice is still calling. His word exhorts that today, if we hear His voice, we must listen to Him. He is full of mercy, overflowing with compassion, rich in loving kindness. His love that seeks our best is boundless. His wisdom that leads us into that best is perfect and eternal. His power that enables us to walk as overcomers is almighty. He is faithful. He is just. He is caring. His paths are those of peace. The outcome of His working is ineffably holy and pure. His purpose is marvellous and eternal.
Though we may have committed our life to Him at some point in the past, let us arise from the slumber (Eph. 5:14) that overtook us while we were not alert. Let us revive our first-love with a commitment that we will walk in the simplicity of single-minded devotion (2Cor. 11:3; 1Cor. 7:35) to Him, His commands and His will.
It’s not long before He will come again in a cloud with power and great glory (Lk. 21:27) to carry up to Himself His righteous ones who have been longing for His appearing (2Tim. 4:8). It’s not long when He Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God that we may meet Him in the air (1Thes. 4:16, 17). We shall be changed; the immortal replacing the mortal (1Cor. 15:51-53). We shall see Him just as He is (1Jn. 3:2). We shall reign with Him (2Tim. 2:12). We shall worship Him. We shall behold Him not for a time but for eternity.
Let us comfort and encourage one another so that we are found ready when He comes. Let us live each day in such a way recognizing that time is short (1Cor. 7:29). Let us not take the grace and kindness of God lightly (Rom. 2:4) but in holy conduct and godliness, look for and hasten the coming of the day of God (2Pet. 3:11, 12).
Now to Him who is able to keep us from stumbling, and make us stand in the presence of His glory blameless and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24, 25).
For though He was in the beginning with God and all things came into being by Him; and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being (Jn. 1:2, 3); this Word chose to become flesh and dwell among us (Jn. 1:14). He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not know Him (Jn. 1:10). Error No. 1
Because of our unwillingness to hear the truth, we shut our ears to what was already written. We chose not to accept and believe what God spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways (Heb. 1:1). We rejected His words of truth, calling it blasphemy. His awesome works, wrought in goodness and mercy, we termed the work of Beelzebul (Mt. 12:24). Error No. 2
We passed judgment on the One who will judge the living and the dead (Acts 10:42). We hurled abuse at Him (Mt. 27:39), mocked Him (Mt. 27:29, 41), spat on Him (Mt. 26:67; 27:30), whipped Him (Jn. 19:1), chose a hardened criminal to be set free over Him (Lk. 23:18); and after all that, condemned Him to die on a cross as a public spectacle along with robbers (Mt. 27:38). Error No. 3
While, The Passion of the Christ, may have been produced using artistic liberties, it very vividly portrays the suffering of the Lord Jesus as described in the Bible. The night in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal by His chosen apostle, denial from the one He loved, the accusations that were hurled at Him through the night, the arrogant and high-handed manner which He was subjected to and the whips (one word cannot quite capture the torment He went through each time the lash touched His flesh) brought alive the suffering that the Maker of all things went through at the hands of His creatures. The crude jokes, the taunts and insults, the crown of thorns, the spitting on His face, all these just added to the suffering. Finally, after a horrible night and a torment-filled morning, He was made to hang on the cross for six hours (Mk. 15:25, 34).
He was God! He is God! He need not have gone through all that He went through when self-centric, conceited, ungrateful creatures of His handiwork turned against Him. He would have been justified to abandon the whole plan of salvation, reconciliation and hope. But as a sheep remains silent before His shearers, so was He before His accusers (Isa. 53:7) and looked at the joy that was set before Him (Heb. 12:2).
He allowed His body to be broken that we may have life in all its fullness (Jn. 10:10). He shed His blood that we may be a new creation (2Cor. 5:17). He suffered that we may be reconciled to the Father (Col. 1:22) and experience, once again, the purpose for which we were created (Eph. 2:10). He rose again so that we can walk in hope and victory in righteousness, love, truth, peace and joy. (Oh, the joyousness when we understand the meaning of each of these words which incidentally characterizes the Kingdom of God. See Rom. 14:17; Eph. 5:9).
I began by saying that the condemning of Christ can possibly be termed as the greatest error committed in the history of mankind. Yet today, each of us has hope and opportunity to change the course of our life’s history. His still, gentle voice is still calling. His word exhorts that today, if we hear His voice, we must listen to Him. He is full of mercy, overflowing with compassion, rich in loving kindness. His love that seeks our best is boundless. His wisdom that leads us into that best is perfect and eternal. His power that enables us to walk as overcomers is almighty. He is faithful. He is just. He is caring. His paths are those of peace. The outcome of His working is ineffably holy and pure. His purpose is marvellous and eternal.
Though we may have committed our life to Him at some point in the past, let us arise from the slumber (Eph. 5:14) that overtook us while we were not alert. Let us revive our first-love with a commitment that we will walk in the simplicity of single-minded devotion (2Cor. 11:3; 1Cor. 7:35) to Him, His commands and His will.
It’s not long before He will come again in a cloud with power and great glory (Lk. 21:27) to carry up to Himself His righteous ones who have been longing for His appearing (2Tim. 4:8). It’s not long when He Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God that we may meet Him in the air (1Thes. 4:16, 17). We shall be changed; the immortal replacing the mortal (1Cor. 15:51-53). We shall see Him just as He is (1Jn. 3:2). We shall reign with Him (2Tim. 2:12). We shall worship Him. We shall behold Him not for a time but for eternity.
Let us comfort and encourage one another so that we are found ready when He comes. Let us live each day in such a way recognizing that time is short (1Cor. 7:29). Let us not take the grace and kindness of God lightly (Rom. 2:4) but in holy conduct and godliness, look for and hasten the coming of the day of God (2Pet. 3:11, 12).
Now to Him who is able to keep us from stumbling, and make us stand in the presence of His glory blameless and with great joy, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen (Jude 24, 25).
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