Actually, as Easter gets closer, God has opened my eyes to what Christ Himself suffered and endured all for the sake of sinners such as my prideful self. Picture something with me for a second.
Jesus gently sits on a donkey getting ready for his ride into Jerusalem. As he enters the city a crowd is gathered. They begin cheering "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Pretty nice accolades right? A dictionary online explains that Hosanna is a word used to "express praise or adoration to God" and "a shout of fervent and worshipful praise." Jesus must have felt pretty good about himself right? I doubt it. Jesus knew. He knew that the very people that shouted words of praise and adoration were the same people that would later condemn Him to death. They were the same people that would call Him blasphemer.
The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God:
Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Might One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "He has spoken blasphemy. What do you think?"
"He is worthy of death," they answered.
Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, "Prophecy to us, Christ. Who hit you?"
Not only did they falsely accuse and condemn Him, they mocked and abused Him. If I were in Jesus' sandals I would probably say something to the effect of "Oh no you didn't! You did not just call me a liar! Do you know who I am and who my Daddy is?! I would then proceed to lay out all their iniquities and tell them if they EVER laid a finger on me again I was going to give them a bad case of leporitis. Then I would cause an earthquake to shake the ground they were standing on just to reiterate that I was indeed The Messiah. You too? I thought so. But that isn't what Jesus did. In fact He did quite the opposite.
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him. "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge-to the great amazement of the governor.
No reply? No attempt at setting them straight? How is that even possible? I guess the right answer is, it's not. Not for sinful humans with prideful hearts at least. BUT it is possible for God, even to death.
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, the king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.
You know what really gets me? As he was dying, Jesus didn't call down harsh remarks or threats. He didn't beg God to save Him or take him off the cross. He simply took His last breath and whispered "It is finished." I hate that Christ had to endure abuse and mocking beyond what anyone should have to bear. I hate that He had to be the atonement for my sinfulness and the sinfulness of the world. But I will forever be grateful He did. I will always be grateful that He, unlike me, chose to stand in the face of His accusers with humility and grace and not pride and vindication. Because of His great sacrifice, I am able to call myself a Daughter of Christ. I have a place with Him in eternity. And that, my friends, is pretty awesome!
As you get ready for Easter, listen to this song and thank Him for what He has done for YOU! If you haven't accepted His gift of salvation yet, now is the time. May this Easter be different for you in every way that counts.
Until next time....
