As I stated yesterday, I have found myself in deep thought about what this week would have been like for Jesus. I know we have some facts in scripture that point us to what events took place each day leading up to the cross. But I also tend to wonder what thoughts and feelings had to have been going through the mind of Jesus as well. The point of this blog is not to speculate, but more the challenge you to slow down enough this week to think about it as well.
We know from the scriptures that even though we 3 days out from Friday, the day Jesus would be put to death, He is still trying to teach truth and spread God's word. That in itself amazes me. That a man about to face all that He was about to face was still so focused and so concerned about those around Him understanding the TRUTH. And of course we know that as He began to teach that truth in the temple He was approached by those who wanted to disprove Him. And they tried to trick Him into saying things that would give them evidence in court to have Him killed. As you think about think about that, please remember that at the same time this is all going on, Jesus knew these are the very people He is about to die for. God's word states in Matthew 21 that they were questioning His authority, trying to do anything they could to trip Him up. But His answers just kept making them look bad and was making them even more mad. (Cause we all know the truth can have that affect on people a lot of the time) But again, I find myself thinking about a man who knew what was coming to Him over the next few days. He could have taken this opportunity to give answers that were not gong to make them mad. He could have said things to them that would have led to perhaps less brutal death that He was about to face. But instead, we see a man more concerned about the truth being very clear, than how those words of truth were going to have an affect on Him and how He looked to the crowds.
So God's word says they (the chief priests) left the temple and went to the house of Caiaphas to discuss how they would kill Jesus. And we know that Jesus had to have known this, but yet He continues on with such focus. Knowing He is being plotted against to be killed....and knowing that one of His friends was about to betray Him and aid in the plot. We know He traveled to Bethany that day and stayed at a man named Simon's house. And this is where the famous story in the bible takes place...where as they met, a woman came and poured a very expensive perfume on the hair and feet of Jesus. And as His very confused friends watched this happen and questioned why He would allow this, He tries to explain to them that this was all preparation for the death that would soon take place. Using what she did to again to teach them (and us) another lesson...(Matthew 26)
I'm glad we have so many facts to look back on to see what Jesus' last week was like, but again I find myself thinking more about the emotions and thoughts that were going through Jesus. And as I do, I find myself even more amazed at who Jesus was. Teaching and preaching right up to the final days of His life.
I know Jesus is the son of God....and people can claim all they want that it was this "supernatural" thing that allowed Him to be this way. But I know that God's word also says He was fully man (Hebrews 2)....and because of that, when I see Jesus, I see a man who was willing to walk into death because He loved me that much. I see a man who was willing to speak an unpopular truth right up until the end. I see a man who at any given second could have escaped it all by doing or saying what the "crowd" wanted Him too. I see man of integrity and love and grace and passion. I see a man worth trying to be like each and every day of my life.
God, as each day of this week goes by I want to Thank You more and more. Cause I know that at any given time you could have taken Jesus up with you and said that none of us were worth what You were about to endure. But You didn't! You see a worth in us that we can't even imagine and You were willing to let Your son die to show us that worth....and that LOVE. I pray that people will find Your love, forgiveness, grace and mercy as they truly understand what it is that Jesus did just for them. In Jesus name, Amen
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