(Post by: Scott Hobbs)
Well, here I sit on the day we are to ponder this Good Friday thing. This cross thing. It’s a little after 4pm, so Jesus would be confirmed dead by the Centurions, taken down from the cross, and be on the way to the tomb. Scripture says He gave up His spirit at 3pm.
The question I always pose during this Passion week is this; given Sunday, why Friday? I mean really, it was just five short days ago that Jesus was welcomed into Jerusalem, as a king, riding on a donkey. How do the people, the city itself, turn on Him in such a short time?
The answer is Monday and Tuesday.
Jesus had so carefully brought the Passion week to this moment of decision. Many of the folks that had crowded into Jerusalem for the Passover feast were anxiously anticipating His arrival. Most had heard, many had seen, this man named Lazarus walking about. They knew he had been raised from the dead by Jesus. They also knew Jesus had a price on His head. Jewish leadership wanted him dead. His picture was in every post office and on every electric pole. Well, so to speak…
A large number had traveled with Jesus on this carefully planned trip from Galilee in the north, down the Jordan rift, and up from Perea into Jerusalem. They witnessed miracles and were convinced of His messiahship. They went into Jerusalem, on Friday before Palm Sunday, telling everyone that He was coming for the feast. Jesus had stayed in Bethany and let the anticipation grow.
But then Jesus came into the temple on Monday. He turned over the tables and ran out all the graft and corruption. The common folks were thrilled; for too long had they been taken advantage of and mistreated by the leadership. But this galvanized the Sanhedrin. Jesus had been ruffling the feathers of the Pharisees in their synagogues for the past 3 1/2 years. Now, for the second time in His ministry, He took control of the Temple and stepped on the toes of the Sadducees that controlled and made their money in the Temple. This was like shutting down Macy’s on Black Friday folks. Big deal.
Wow!! What a masterful plan to get His enemies together on the same page. And for what? To kill Him. What???? Why would He do that?
Because as He publicly, in the Temple court, put the Jewish leadership to shame in public debate; He was forcing a decision.
Just this week I was wishing a young man I know a happy 3rd spiritual birthday. Yes, we celebrate spiritual birthdays bigger than physical birthdays around our house. As I texted back and forth with this young guy, he shared that things were a little rough in his family life, and he was honest enough to say that he wasn’t living all in for Jesus. He understood that sometimes the struggles those around him were having, could be because he was sending mixed message in his walk with Jesus. He is still trying to do some things in his own power and thus people wonder; is this Jesus really legit in your life? Or are you still just your old self with a little Jesus added in?
This was this decision Jesus was laying out in the Passion week. He was letting the people decide; do you want this works/righteousness of the leadership you have been living under? Or do you want to follow me and die to yourself? Will you trust me enough to embrace what I am offering you; new life through me?
You see, we don’t get Jesus on our terms. That’s just not how He works.
It’s not possible to accept Jesus and just add Him in to your old life where you want. Jesus wants all of us. We are to be a new creation in Him; not the old creation with Him there just for backup when we hit the rough spots.
So this Good Friday thing, this cross thing, it doesn’t come with terms you get to negotiate. He wants to be Lord of everything in your life. Your family, marriage, work, money, who your friends are, what you do on vacation. Everything.
Stop trying to negotiate. Jesus is never heavy handed; nor will He force you to go where you are not willing. But accepting His terms, these cross style terms, will be the best decision you ever made.
It’s the best deal, best terms, you’ll ever get!! Trust Him.Ā
The Few 
Leave a comment