An old song asks the question, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord? ”
Of course none of us were there literally, but through the centuries, great artists have produced their interpretations of those tragic events recorded in Scripture. This Good Friday, visualize a bit of the pathos involved in that day when they crucified Our Lord – as you read the words of Scripture:
Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 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. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, 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.
As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He
filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to
drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save
him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice,
he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in
two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke
open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They
came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and
appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.
The significant words Jesus spoke from the cross deserve our attention
Fir-Conway Lutheran Church Conway, Washington
Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)
When they came to the place called the
Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the
other on the left. But Jesus was saying, “Father,
forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast
lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. And the people stood by,
looking on. And even the rulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others;
let Him save Himself if this is the Christ of God, His Chosen One.” The
soldiers also mocked Him … (Luke 23:33–36a)
This was a word of mercy. You’ve heard it before: “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” While
high up on a mountain, Moses received The Law (Ten Commandments), engraved on
stone tablets by the finger of God, straight from the hand of God. He returned
to God’s people below, who were in the process of breaking every one of them.
In anger, Moses broke the stone tablets and human beings have been breaking the
Ten Commandments ever since. Intentionally or unintentionally, fully aware or
ignorant, through sins of commission or sins of omission, we have all sinned. We
are all guilty. We need mercy.
Jesus bore the weight of our sins on
the cross. Yet, He did not protest, and He did not blame or seek revenge on those
who were part of the conspiracy to kill Him by treating Him despicably.
Instead, the King of Kings offered mercy from the cross. He offered
intercession from the cross. He made an appeal for us all from the cross. Truth
and justice met mercy and forged a case for us from the cross. The sinless Son
of God purchased our acquittal through His blood from the cross.
There, the One Mediator between God
and men, our High Priest, offered a merciful appeal to the Great Judge of the
Universe: “Father, forgive them.”
The Gospel proclaims good news. The
first words Jesus spoke from the cross offered that good news. Very good news,
indeed, to those of us who have spent our lives amidst the shame and blame that
results from chipping away at those immovable stone tablets through our
thoughts, words, and deeds.
Mercy. What a beautiful word! The writer of Hebrews reminds us: “Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25 ESV)
2. Today you shall be with Me in Paradise. (Luke 23:43)
One of the criminals who were hanged
there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself
and us!” But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear
God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are
suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this
man has done nothing wrong.” And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You
come in Your kingdom!” And He said to him, “Truly I
say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (Luke 23:39–43)
This was a word of assurance.The first word Jesus spoke from the cross offered
mercy leading to hope for the possibility of forgiveness. This second word
offered assurance, a confident promise from Jesus, punctuated by the declaration,
“Truly I say to you. . ..”
Hung between two thieves, the sinless Savior
listened to their banter. A skeptical scoffer and a sincere sympathizer offered
their commentary on their shared predicament. All three convicted criminals faced
their executioners with an unambiguous certainty that this day would be their last.
Most of us do not know the day of our death as these three did. Yet if you could
listen in on the conversations of the seven billion people on planet earth, you
would discover elements of their conversations taking place today. People judge
their fellow human beings using their own measuring stick. And everyone wonders
about their own fate. Which day will be my last day? What happens then?
Jesus heard their conversation, and responded
to two words spoken by the sympathizer, “Remember me.” Having confessed his own
guilt and the guilt of his cohort on the opposite side of the Savior, he did not
state his own merit or defense. He simply asked, “Remember me when you come into
Your Kingdom.” In so doing, he was both asking for mercy and declaring his alliance
with the Son of God and His kingdom.
Jesus listens to a dying person’s prayer from the heart, even if it is only two words, “Remember me.” He listens to sincere people, even those who are not knocking on death’s door. He responds, not in a condemning way, not in a condescending way, not in a complicated way. Jesus responded in an assuring way, so simple that even a child could understand: “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.
3. Woman, behold, your son! … Behold your mother! (John 19:26, 27)
But standing by the cross of Jesus
were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary
Magdalene. When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved
standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman,
behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her
into his own household. (John 19:25–27)
This was a word of compassionate care.As the eldest son, with at least six other junior
siblings (Matthew 13:55-56; Mark 6:3), Jesus was responsible for the care of
his mother. We assume Joseph was deceased by now, so from the cross Jesus made provision
for the care and safekeeping of His mother. John, the beloved disciple, took Mary
into his own home from that moment. Later, at least two of Jesus’ brothers (Jude
and James) would become believers. Herod would kill John’s brother James for his
faith in Christ. No one but Jesus knew these
things at the time.
So to perform the duty of a responsible son, Jesus made provision for Mary. From the cross, Jesus reminded us that God cares about our welfare. He is concerned about our families. He is concerned about caring for our needs. That caring concern prompted Peter to later write, “Cast all your anxiety on Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)
4. My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matthew 27:46)
Now from the sixth hour darkness fell
upon all the land until the ninth hour. About the ninth hour Jesus cried out
with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
(Matthew 27:46–47)
This was a word of suffering.We live in a complex world with perplexing questions.
Jesus’ fourth word from the cross cuts across the generations of suffering humanity
as life’s most ubiquitous question, “Why?”
When tragedy strikes, we want answers.
We demand answers. We want to know, who, what, where, when and how—all the complex
and perplexing details of the tragic circumstances. But even then, once all of those
compelling questions are answered, we are left with life’s most perplexing question,
“Why?”
Why the divorce, the death, the disease,
the danger, the demons, the delusion, the depression, the disaster? And in the end,
“Why me?” It may be a cliché, but how we respond determines whether our circumstances
and unanswered questions leave us better or bitter. Bitterness leaves us without
hope, without a God who cares. Faith leaves us better, with a caring God who understands
our suffering and promises to never abandon us.
During the third hour of darkness as black as midnight at midday, Jesus, in His humanity, cried out for an answer. His question rings across the ages to validate our feelings of abandonment during life’s discouraging episodes. For if Jesus felt abandoned on the cross, He understands our own feelings of abandonment. He understands the times we question the ways of God. He listens without judgment. And in the ensuing darkness and silence He showed us that if we could endure the horror of Friday’s cross, there awaits a glorious resurrection on the dawn of Easter morning.
5. I am thirsty. (John 19:28)
Jesus, knowing that all things had
already been accomplished, to fulfill the Scripture, said, “I am thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine was
standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon a branch of
hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. (John 19:28–29)
This was a word of obedience. Jesus knew that everything needed for Him to fulfill His role as a suffering Messiah had been accomplished. Yet there was one more thing. One more step. One more word that would show His complete humanity, and His complete obedience to the will of the Father.
Jesus was thirsty. He also knew that His request would never be granted in a way that would satisfy his human thirst, accepted the bitter cup offered. In so doing, He experienced the disappointment we feel as we seek after the things of life to satisfy the inner thirst of our souls. Only Jesus can satisfy your thirsty soul. Only obedience to Jesus can keep our cup full.
6. It is finished! (John 19:30)
Therefore when Jesus had received the
sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And
He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. (John 19:30)
This was a word of finality.We sometimes like to have the last word. But God
always has the last word. We do well to listen. We are not finished until God
says we are finished.
The first recorded words of Jesus in the
Bible came from his twelve-year-old tongue. He spoke them in response to His earthly
parents’ inquiries after searching desperately for their lost son. Interestingly
enough, it involved another “Why?” question:
“Why did you seek Me? Did you not know
that I must be about My Father’s business?” (Luke 12:49 NKJV)
In the ensuing twenty-one years or so, Jesus accomplished His mission, His Father’s business. The Father’s business is the most important business in the world. Once we understand that, we find meaning in life because we can measure it in light of eternity. We discover our own destiny, and accept difficulties along the way because we understand, we accept, and we embrace the concept that we have given God permission to have the final word in our lives.
7. Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit. (Luke 23:46)
It was now about the sixth hour, and
darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, because the sun was
obscured; and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And Jesus, crying out
with a loud voice, said, “Father, into Your hands I
commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. Now when the
centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this
man was innocent.” (Luke 23:44–47)
This was a word of surrender. Surrender to God’s will defined the life of Christ.
He left the splendor of heaven to endure this world of sin so that we could leave
this world of sin and enjoy the splendor of heaven. If we have committed our life
and our ways to the Lord, then we have assurance.
We have assurance of God’s mercy and forgiveness. We have assurance
of eternal life; that we will be with Him in paradise. We have assurance of God’s
care and concern. We have assurance that He will never leave us or forsake us, no
matter how alone we may feel. We have assurance that even a bitter cup will be made
sweet as we trust and obey. We have assurance of our divine destiny. And we have
assurance that in the end, God will have the final word as we surrender all to Him.
“There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’ And they divided His garments and cast lots.” (Luke 23:32-24 NKJV)
The word “Calvary” comes from the Latin word calvaria and Greek word kranion, from which we get the meaning of a skull or cranium. It was also known as Golgotha in Aramaic. While Calvary denotes the name of a geographical location, and the actual site is disputed today, the term conveys far more than just a geographical spot in history.
Back in 1934 Mrs. Walter G. Taylor wrote a gospel song titled, “Calvary Covers It All.” The lyrics she penned more than eighty years ago convey the essence of the Gospel. She wrote, “Calvary covers it all – My past with its sin and stain. My guilt and despair Jesus took on Him there, and Calvary covers it all.”
Our past: Jesus’ death on the cross paid the price for our past sins. That means all of our regrets, all of our guilt, and all of our shame about the past is wiped away at Calvary.
Our present: Jesus was despised and rejected as the Savior of the world. Instead, he was falsely convicted and crucified as a local criminal. He committed no crimes, but on Calvary paid the penalty for all the crimes of humanity, including mine.
Our future: The days of our lives are filled with uncertainty. Worry and anxiety about the what might lie ahead weighs us down and blurs our vision of the present and hope for the future. Calvary covers our future with the hope and assurance of eternal life.
Jesus’ selfless act of laying down his life more than 2,000 years ago still resonates over the passage of time and space, making a seemingly impersonal ancient historical event something more. Good Friday becomes deeply personal and contemporary for those of us who remember and believe. So on this Good Friday we remember, and are grateful that Calvary covers it all.
On the road to Emmaus, Jesus took the time to offer an explanation to his two questioning friends who were searching for an explanation, for a reason behind all the events they had experienced. He understood the sorrow and disappointment they felt, the loss that had blinded their eyes with tears and dampened their hearts with grief.
“Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself” (Luke 24:27, nlt).
Jesus is a gentleman. He patiently listened and explained. They had an engaging conversation. As they walked, they approached their destination. He did not invite himself in for dinner. He will not force himself on anyone. He will respond to an invitation, though. He waits patiently for each of us to invite him into our heart. He says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” (Revelation 3:20, nkjv).
Cleopas and his friend invited Jesus in and he joined them for a meal. Jesus wants fellowship with us. He wasn’t angry with them. He loved them and was concerned for them. As Jesus blessed the dinner bread, they suddenly understood. Their eyes were opened and they immediately knew who he was.
Along with that revelation came something unexpected. God is always doing things we don’t expect. He vanished out of their sight. But even though they couldn’t see him with their physical sight, their spiritual eyes were opened. That is what happens when we journey with Jesus; we walk by faith, not by sight.
An encounter with Jesus changes everything. They had seen the Lord and their emotions went from confused sadness to elated gladness. Excitedly, they told each other how their hearts had felt strangely warm as he explained the Scriptures to them as they walked down the road.
When we can’t clearly see the road ahead because our vision is blocked by tears or by the tangled web of weedy circumstances, we must focus on Jesus. Once we see him, he gives us vision for the road ahead and shows us the way. He can turn our “Why?” into “Why not!”
I don’t know which lonely Emmaus Road you may be traveling. But I am sure that Jesus is with you, even if you don’t see him or recognize his presence. And when Jesus accompanies us on the road less traveled, it makes all the difference.
On the Emmaus Road, late afternoon shadows lengthened as Cleopas and his buddy were walking along and asking questions—probably rhetorical questions. They may or may not have expected answers, but they needed to ask the questions. Their questions represent the dilemmas many of us face in the journey of life:
“What are we going to do now? What is going to happen to us?”
“If He did rise from the dead, how did he do it?”
“Why did this happen to a good guy like Jesus? He didn’t deserve to suffer like that.”
The Bible says “they communed together and reasoned…” (Luke 24:15, kjv). The Greek word for “reasoned” is suzeteo and means “make a thorough investigation.” These guys wanted to know what was going on. They were posing the questions of suffering that everybody asks at one time or another.
First, we want to know “What happened?” or “How did this happen?” This is the quest for details. We want to understand fully the whole story. Like hearing the news of a friend’s sudden death, we want to understand how it happened. Was it an accident or a sudden illness? We want to know who, what, when, and where. Details of information will be passed back and forth to satisfy our need to know.
Second, “Why did this happen?” This is a more profound question, and one that consistently persists. Once we know how, we want to know why. The “why” questions are always the most difficult, indeed they are life’s most persistent questions. They often defy solution. We search for reasons. Like Cleopas and his buddy, we investigate and seek answers, even though they often can’t be found in the here and now.
“Why did Jesus return to Jerusalem if He knew people wanted to kill him?”
“Why did Peter deny Jesus?”
“Why did Judas betray Jesus and then kill himself?”
“Why didn’t Jesus stop the people who were killing him?”
“Why didn’t we all stick together?”
When we are troubled, it is helpful to remember that Jesus walks with us on our journey of life. He is never distant or far away. While these disciples were walking along and trying to figure things out, Jesus drew near to them. During troubled times we may think God is a million miles away. Panic sets in when we feel abandoned. We don’t usually make good decisions when we are in a state of panic or fear. And fear makes a poor lens for viewing life. It distorts reality and magnifies problems. It makes God appear to be far away while trouble appears to be next door.
Jesus is as close as the mention of his name. The Bible is full of promises about God’s nearness and comfort during our times of sorrow and grief. The journey may get rough at times, but Jesus will strengthen our faith as we recognize his presence and trust the promises of Scripture:
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:27)
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5, nkjv)
… surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)
Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9, nkjv)
Never forget: Jesus is bigger than your questions, and as close as the mention of his name.
In 1916, Robert Frost published a poem titled, The Road Not Taken. It helps to illustrate the fact that life really is a journey and that we have a variety of options. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by. / And that has made all the difference.” Jodi and I both love that poem, and the many parallels to life that can be drawn from it.
Sometimes the little choices we make in life that really do make all the difference. Had it not been for a mutual friend, or the fact that I chose to attend a particular church youth event as a teenager, I might never have met Jodi. Naturally, we seldom realize the importance of those little choices and decisions at the time. Because we never see more than a small snapshot of the entire roadmap at any one time, we are prone to be shortsighted. That makes it even more important to stay close to Jesus and walk with him so he can show us the way. It can be a tall order.
The Apostle Paul reflected on this challenge in 1 Corinthians 13:12. He wrote, “Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now” (nlt). Here he contrasts our present blurred vision with the future clear revelation in heaven. When we see Jesus Christ face-to-face, we will see everything else with clarity. Even in this life, the more clearly we see Jesus, the more clearly we will understand the meaning of the here and now.
The Easter story provides the foundation for our faith in Jesus as the resurrected Son of God. Before the resurrection came death and despair. Jesus’ followers were scattered and shocked. You can read Luke’s version of the story beginning in Luke 24:13. All of Jerusalem was in an uproar. The disciples of Jesus were in hiding. There was serious talk of disbanding their group. They were about ready to close the door on the New Testament church for the last time. Little did they know that they were really only forty days away from the grand opening of the church doors on the Day of Pentecost!
Without Jesus, they couldn’t go on. Their hopes were crushed, their dreams shattered. As far as they could see, their leader was gone. But was he? Strange reports from some of the women and a firsthand account by Peter told of an empty tomb, grave clothes lying wrapped as though the body had just evaporated from them, and an appearance by angels announcing a resurrection.
As two friends walked on the road to Emmaus (a distance of about seven miles from Jerusalem) they discussed the situation. We know the name of one, Cleopas (possibly a male form of Cleopatra). His name meant “the glory of being called a father.” A name like that would identify him as a leader. Obviously both Cleopas and his companion had been closely associated with Jesus and the twelve disciples. Perhaps they were part of the larger group of seventy that Jesus had sent out.
We don’t know why they were walking to Emmaus. Maybe they lived there. Maybe they were escaping Jerusalem for fear of losing their own lives. Maybe they just wanted to walk and talk and try to sort things out in their minds. Whenever we have problems, it helps to talk things over with a friend. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest miracle and the greatest event in history. Yet, from day one it has generated a lot of questions—for many people more questions than answers. That’s the way it is with miracles. Reason asks questions. Our mind wants a resolution to our questions, our hearts want ato believe for that which seems impossible. Faith simply believes the impossible is possible. Keep believing.
Sometimes God uses this life’s greatest losses to bring about heaven’s greatest gains.
Perhaps like Mary and Martha in the Bible who lost their brother Lazarus, you have experienced the death of a loved one and been deeply grieved. Grief is a process and it takes time to process our feelings of grief and loss—tempered with the comfort of the Holy Spirit and hope of heaven.
The story of Mary and Martha’s grief at the death of their beloved brother draws me into the drama of the situation. And that is where I discover what has become one of my favorite verses in the Bible. It also happens to be the shortest verse in the Bible—the go-to verse for those who are not gifted with a good memory but want to remember a verse in the Scriptures. John 11:35, “Jesus wept.” If you are not familiar with the context, this verse begs the question, “Why?” Why did Jesus weep?
Jesus wept because of the grief he saw in the lives of his good friends Mary and Martha after the sudden and untimely death of their brother Lazarus. I love this chapter because it provides so many of the answers to the “why?” questions about life and death. Here are a few of the lessons I learn from this:
John 11:5 tells us that “Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus:” Despite our circumstances, we should never forget that God loves us and wants what is best for us.
John 11:19 tells us that Mary and Martha’s friends gathered: We learn that friends can help us process our grief and bear our burdens.
It is normal to have questions when death suddenly takes a loved one: Mary and Martha were grieving – and they sent for Jesus while their brother was still alive, but Jesus did not respond to their request until after Lazarus died. Naturally, they were disappointed, and somewhat angry. So much so that when Jesus finally did arrive with his disciples, Martha (always the one associated with action) goes out to meet him and rather accusingly exclaims, “If you had been here, our brother would not have died.”
Martha showed her belief and hope when she said, “Even now, you could do something.”
What followed is an important lesson for us about life and death and belief in Jesus: John 11:23-27 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Martha shared the good news that Jesus had come and sent a secret message to her grieving sister, Mary. “The Master is here, and He is calling for you.” (Matthew 11:28)
We tend to tell ourselves a story to accommodate our pain and resolve our incredulity at our circumstances. Mary rehearsed the same speech her sister Martha had given. “Jesus, if you had been here, our brother would not have died.” No doubt they had said this over and over. If only. . .”
Jesus cares about our grief. Upon seeing Mary and the weeping, grieving crowd, “Jesus wept.” This is perhaps one of the most poignant verses in all of Scripture. It lets us know that Jesus really was “a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.”
Others recognized the compassion and power of Jesus. Yet, they still searched for reasons and asked questions: Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”
Jesus was moved by their compassion, in spite of their questions and reasoning. John 11:38 “Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb.” Where He proceeded to call Lazarus from the grave!
A final takeaway from this: When other people see our faith in Jesus, despite our grief and questions and reasoning, they will be drawn to Him.
“Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him.” (John 11:45 NIV)
Because sometimes God uses this life’s greatest losses to bring about heaven’s greatest gains!
When do most people buy a home or business security system? They do so after they or a neighbor have been robbed. The feeling of being violated breeds an environment of distrust and a sense of urgency. An event motivated us to ask questions and discover solutions so we can take action. Why? Because something happened to us that is out of our control. We believe we can get back in control and establish a sense of security by installing a security system.
Whenever something traumatic happens to us, we ask questions in our quest to regain some sense of meaning and security. And our biggest questions usually are God-sized questions that we would like Him to answer. And the biggest question of all is, “WHY?” The why questions always accompany challenges and remain the most lingering and persistent questions. It is a persistent question because it is a question about insecurity and angst – feelings we all experience. We long to make some sense out of events that shape our lives, and gain some sense of security in the process. So we long to know why.
John records a situation where Jesus and his disciples passed by a man who was born blind (John 9:1-7). This disciples asked, “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Their question revealed a common belief – almost like the idea of karma. If something bad happens, then it must be somebody’s fault. Jesus set the record straight – this man was born blind for God’s purposes, not because of something he or his parents had done.
While we are looking for somebody to blame, Jesus is looking for somebody to bless. But when something bad happens to us, long after we have answered the “who, what, when, where, and how” we still seek understanding, thus we ask “Why?” Our insecurity screams out for something secure to provide stability to calm our chaos of emotions.
After the death of their brother Lazarus, when Jesus did not arrive as requested and anticipated, Mary and Martha asked, “Why didn’t you come when we needed you?”
In the next post, I’ll explore how Jesus responded to their inquiry. He never did directly answer their question. What he did do turned their demand into delight and their grief into gratitude.
Jesus is the master teacher. He often taught by asking questions, and sometimes answered a question with a question. So what was Jesus teaching us when he asked the ultimate question of suffering?
Jesus’ final words on the cross reflect the over-arching question of the human race, “My God, My God, Why hast thou forsaken me?” If Jesus could ask God such a persistent question, I think we can honestly do so as well.
The answer may not be what we expect—but silence is an answer. Silence does not mean God is hard of hearing. It often does mean that we are not prepared to listen, or hear the real answer. Or it means that we will understand later.
Someone said, “Life must be understood backwards; but it must be lived forward.” So we search for answers and keep moving forward. Often, the understanding does come later as we gain more clarity to the sequence of events. As the picture becomes clearer, the meaning of our pain, suffering, or questions becomes evident. Or not–either way we must learn to wait and trust and learn.
In the 13th chapter of John, Jesus is in the process of washing the disciples feet. Peter does not understand why Jesus would do such an undignified and servile task. He asks, “Lord are you going to wash my feet?”
We can be sure Jesus was not just doing this because he didn’t like the disciples’ dirty, stinky feet and wanted them cleaned up. There was a deeper reason, and the Bible tells us the sequence of events, even details like the timing of the last supper, a basin of water, and a towel.
Peter’s question was a plea for understanding mixed with a bit of embarrassment and indignity that Jesus would do such a thing. This scenario remains a good reminder for us when we question God’s dealings in our lives, wonder if He cares, and ponder the big “Why?”
Jesus responded to Peter’s question with this very important principle – one that we would all do well to remember: Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7 NIV)
Now. Do not understand. Later. Will understand. This sequence applies to learning about almost everything. Foreign concepts at first seem incomprehensible to us. Later they make perfect sense once we understand. Good teachers know there are no “dumb” questions, especially at first. And Jesus is the best teacher.
Jesus did not scold Peter, and he did not embarrass him. He also did not fully explain or answer all of Peter’s persistent questions. But Jesus did establish this principle that applies in so many situations of our lives: Life can be understood backwards, but must be lived forward.” In other words, our perplexing questions about today may well give way to understanding later when more of the picture is revealed to us.
Until later becomes now, we have to keep believing and exercise our faith when we do not see or understand, and wonder, “why?” After all, that is what faith consists of, “The substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)
Following the heartwarming hope of Easter Sunday may come the disturbing doubt of an ordinary Monday. Perhaps you have wondered about suffering and death—maybe wondered if God really cares or has a plan. And perhaps like Mary and Martha in the Bible who lost their brother Lazarus, you have experienced the death of a loved one and been deeply grieved. Grief is a process and it takes time to process our feelings of grief and loss—tempered with the comfort of the Holy Spirit and hope of heaven.
The sudden loss of a loved one or other tragedy leaves us with questions, and we long for answers, for some resolution to the tension and emotional pain that we experience. While we believe our loved one is in a better place and can rejoice that for now his or her struggles of life are over, we have a difficult time imagining how our own world will be a better place without them. In essence, we are struggling with the questions of suffering that all human beings deal with.
Questions of suffering include a quest for details and information. Once we learned the who, the what, the where, the when, and the how surrounding a tragedy, we are left with life’s most persistent question: Why?
Like trying to fit together the pieces of a complicated jigsaw puzzle, our minds try to solve this puzzling question. Why, we ask? To solve a really perplexing puzzle takes time, and it takes time to process our grief and quest for the answer or reasons why. Perhaps a better “why question would be to ask, “Why do we sometimes expect our journey with Christ will only lead us on happy trails filled with warm feelings, good light and road signs every mile or so explaining the conditions ahead?”
Is it possible that the path of suffering might provide moments of mystery where our own faith could grow? Could those dark shadows cause us to cling ever closer to Jesus? Might our faith muscles stretch and develop through the twists and turns of an uphill climb when we don’t know exactly what lies around the next corner? Could the mystery of those moments cause us to speak with a little less certainty about our own ability and instead trust more fully in God’s? And is it possible that we are better for those mysterious moments because we can now encourage fellow travelers to keep climbing, keep pursuing, and keep moving forward because we have felt the hand of the Good Shepherd leading us through the darkness of the valley of the shadow of death?
Inquiring minds need to know, yet there are times when no easy answer comes. Ask Jesus. His plea from the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” was met with silence on earth. However, that was not the end of the story–even at that moment. Although unheard on earth, there was applause in heaven as they were preparing for the return of God’s only begotten Son.
“Christ Jesus, Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11 NIV)
He understands the moments of mystery you face. And you don’t have to face them alone. I’m praying for those of you today who are suffering from a Post-Easter letdown based upon the reality of your present circumstances. Remember that where you are right now may only be a detour for your own provision and protection that you will later look back upon and understand more fully. Keep believing.
