Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Thursday April 9, 2009

Holy Week in Jerusalem during the time of the Roman occupation of Israel was the crossroads of history in the ancient world. As is taught in scripture, Jesus Christ, a man of little or no reputation went about the area doing good, and such good it was that a man born blind was healed of his blindness. Others also experienced healing at the touch of his hand and some at his mere spoken word.

A small band of followers were always near, well most of the time, and Jesus claimed that the big problem with the world at large was the people of all persuasions had abandoned the life spiritual for the life material and then as now proudly trusted in the accumulation of things. Even a person's status spiritually was measured by the size of the ring on his finger. Thus, humanity for the most part was insulted by his insistence that the poor were blessed and held a unique place in the Father's heart.

Jesus even had a follower traveling with him who claimed to have been dead and rotting for three days and Jesus came along, gave an eerie command, calling the name, Lazarus, and the rotting corpse came out of the tomb alive. Strange fellow this Jesus. With his demonstrated power, he still claimed that foxes have holes, birds have nests but he, the Son of Man, whatever that means, does not have a place to lay his head. Strange alright.

In the middle of the week, in the dead of night he was arrested by the religious leaders who feared he was going to bring the wrath of the occupying Romans onto the captive nation of Israel. Even while this was happening one of his followers whacked off the ear of a soldier and Jesus replaced the ear. Talk about a magician!! The night was rough on Jesus. His own disciple, Judas, sold him out for 30 pieces of silver, and Jesus was put on trial while it was still dark, which as strange as it seems was against the law. His closest follower, Peter, a former cussing fisherman, finally ran out on him and he was left alone in the Hall of Judgment with Pontius Pilate officiating. This event has had people talking for near two thousand years. During this time he was beaten so horribly that the horror was seen in a vision by an old Jewish Prophet, Isaiah, some 700 hundred years prior. He was beaten beyond recognition as a human. Yet he offered no complaint and when nailed to a cross he prayed for forgiveness for those who were performing this horrific deed. He was crucified, uttering two heartrending cries, one "I thirst" and "My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?"

When his body was removed from the cross and placed into the tomb of Joseph of Arimathaea, some supposed that was the end of him. But many more, left the scene with a sense of foreboding, an unnamed apprehension that more was to come. There had to be more, for he also claimed to be God walking around on the earth. This had to be the raving of a lunatic.

Didn’t it?

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2009 Use with credit

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