The week before Easter is commonly called "Holy Week" or "Passion Week" by Christians. During this
week we celebrate (is that the right word?) the last week of Jesus' life
on earth. People will make pilgrimages to Israel and retrace Jesus'
final steps, they will pause at the "rock of agony" and cry where Jesus
cried out to God in Gethsemane, they will go to the pit where Jesus was
interrogated, they will pause where Jesus supposedly stumbled under the
load of his cross, they will visit and contemplate Golgotha, they will
visit the empty tomb, and they will weep and cry and mourn.
Rightfully
so . . . this was THE WEEK for which Jesus lived his entire human life,
and it was a rough one for him. On Sunday before his crucifixion he
entered Jerusalem with cheers ringing in his ears. The (usually fickle)
populace embraced him for all the great miracles he performed, and they
hailed his coming as though a conquering warrior had entered the city.
Like paparazzi following a Hollywood star, they trailed behind this
carpenter from Nazareth and looked for ways to become part of his
entourage or to at least get a "piece of the action" as Jesus came to
town.
Another crowd would yell later that week, "Crucify him!" Anger and hatred would be piled on this carpenter turned Messiah from Nazareth.
When
Jesus offered them something tangible to grab, they wanted to be a team
player, they wanted the fishes and loaves, the healings, the wonders,
the mighty signs.
How soon their tune would change . .
. how quickly they would turn on the one who was innocent of any sin
except the failure to live up to THEIR expectations.
How like them we are today . . .
When
things are going our way, we look to heaven and sing God's praises. We
celebrate and sing and run to join the band as God rides triumphantly
over all our "enemies." But as soon as Jesus fails to live up to OUR
expectations, what do we do?
I know the spiritual answer--"though he slay me yet I will praise him."
Do we really? Will we? Will I?
I'm
struck with how Jesus routinely challenged the popular expectations of
the crowds who showed up hoping for another demonstration of heavenly
power and flash. In John 12, just after the people have celebrated his
"triumphal entry," Jesus tells them that the way to jump on his
bandwagon is for his followers to hate their lives in this world. Just
think how that must have sounded to the celebrants rejoicing in the
coming of their conquering hero!
"You want to be a
part of my movement, you want a part of my thing?" Jesus asks, "Then you will need to
regard your life in this world as a dead man would. You have to become
the least, the slave, the dead one, in order to get in on my movement."
Come and die.
What an invitation!
Of
course, Jesus knew that in just six days he would literally fulfill
that invitation. The innocent would die for the unquestionably guilty . .
. and he would die horribly.
I can just imagine how
this conversation must have put a damper on the celebration in
Jerusalem. Jesus took a party and turned it into a wake. The next thing
we know he is engaged in theological discussions with the people and
with the Jewish leaders. He created a controversy that caused folks to
take sides. All he had to do was accept the adulation and promise to
"win the war that must be won," but Jesus decided to go against
expectations again. He decided to allow God to get the glory through
humility and death.
Hasn't this happened to us? Just
when we think we have God's agenda all spelled out like it ought to be,
He throws us a curve ball that reminds us we aren't in charge! We have a
hard time "boxing Jesus" into a neat package.
What's
the point then? The point is that we should reverse the procedure.
Instead of putting expectations on God, we should look for HIS
expectations for us. What has He required of us? What does He want? How
should we respond to His voice?
Remember, the author of Hebrews describes these events this way:
"Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,
keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who
for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame,
and has sat down at the right hand of God's throne. For consider Him
who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, so that you
won't grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1b-3
Jesus endured the cross and all that suffering "for the joy that lay before him"! Think on that a second--what joy did the cross offer? Jesus was beaten beyond recognition as a human, he was whipped, beaten with rods, had his hair and beard pulled, and he received a crown of thorns on his head. He was nailed to a cross, and he was left to die a horrible death.
Where's the joy?
He died willingly for us. His love was bigger than our sin. He endured so that we might be rescued. His joy was our salvation, and his joy was to pour out his love so that we might learn to be like him. He is the pioneer and completer of our faith--he blazed the trail and he brings our faith to maturity. Our goal is to live and to love like him. How can we do that?
The week of Easter we celebrate
the death and resurrection of Jesus. In the process maybe we should
participate in a funeral of our own. Maybe we should let die our selfish
expectations about how God "ought" to act towards us. Bury them, and
let God resurrect them in His image.
As we contemplate
the price of our salvation, let us willingly become slaves to the one
who has paid such a price to purchase our freedom. Like Jesus, let our
prayer be "Father glorify your name." Remember, if a grain of wheat
falls into the ground and dies, it will yield much fruit. It is,
however, pretty useless in a bag with other seeds. Let's allow God to
plant us where he wants so that our service can produce fruit for his
glory. Let's follow our crucified Lord by living cruciform lives.
What would the world look like if we did?
I'd really like to find out!
Thanks for reading!
