This morning I woke up and went into Olivia's room to see her smiling face. I picked her p and held her tight to me as I opened her window blinds to show her the outside. She loves it. It was a beautiful sight to watch the snow fall and hold my baby girl. I thought what a great day. Then I thought, would I have thought this was a great day if I were one of the disciples? Think about it with me...
last night you had a great meal with Jesus and he said some pretty amazing things as he passed wine and bread around comparing it to his broken body and blood to be spilled. weird. Then out on your after dinner walk he makes a point to break into a prayer meeting and because of the wine, good meal or the long week you couldn't keep your eyes open. It was getting late and Jesus was so intense about praying tonight. At one moment when he came to wake you up to encourage you to pray more you could have swore you saw blood on the sweat of his brow.
Shortly there after some soldiers interrupted the night and took Jesus away. This took the night to a whole new level of intensity... No one knew what to do they all tried to get the latest news on Jesus and none of it was good. They were trying him and things were going fast faster than they should. All night long you prayed with the other disciples. The level of intensity was not in question now. Anger, Frustration, Confusion, Anxiety, Hopelessness all were felt.
This morning started with Jesus being sentenced to die by crucifixion and what seemed like the entire city was demanding Jesus die. You spent the last few hours trying to talk to whomever you could to get Jesus free but no one would listen and those who might have power probably would try and kill you to so now with the other disciples you are trying to fallow Jesus path through the city as he was lead to the hill were he would die.
You saw his body... now mutilated, beard torn, blood dripping, back flesh hanging in chunks under the beams of the splintered wooden beam he was carrying. You remembered the Wine... The Bread... That is what he meant. In horror you watched as the soldiers took away his garment... nailed him to the beam and raised him high in the air. There on display was a mutilated frail naked man who once was the greatest teacher and miracle worker ever seen. How could this be, you think to yourself as you hear the teasing that is going on towards Jesus. Later today you will watch Him raise his head pray to God and Die. You will watch the confirmation happen as the soldier thrusts a sear in your Rabbi's side and you will be there when He is prepared for burial and laid in the tomb under Guard.
On This Day 2000+ days ago Jesus died. Broken. It was the most embarrassing way to die. Jesus was not powerful he was powerless. The words and deeds and fruit of his life seems such a stark contrast to this body that now lays behind a huge bolder. Now together you sit morning with the other disciples hungry from the lack of food today, tired from the lack of sleep and sick because the reason for the last three years of your life is done. What will you do? Where will you go? How will you face tomorrow... Your family who knew you fallowed this radical... Your future seems bleak.
This day seemed anything but good to the disciples. But Jesus had another plan. God knew what he was doing. Jesus was not down for the count yet. EASTER was on its way.
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