Well today is Good Friday. I am writing this between the 3rd and 12th hours (the exact time Jesus would have been betrayed, mocked, beaten and hung on a cross) and contemplating the thoughts feelings and potential attitudes of those who would have been there (Matt 27:45-46 tells us what hour it was).
Now I want you to put yourself in these men's shoes. Actually in all of Jesus' followers shoes. Here is man that promoted peace and God and came against the religious system of the day and all of its weight that it carried.
Large groups of people followed Him for over 3 years. He did many miracles, He healed many people, He was sought after and spoke of the coming Kingdom of God. He frustrated the religious community and as a result they became indignant toward Him.
Imagine following this man in real time (like you were there 2000 years ago). And emptying out your savings account, leaving your family, putting aside your life and your whole being to follow this Jesus. A few disciples, we are told in scripture, dropped their nets and immediately followed Him (didn't even think twice about it). With no thought as to what was next. They trusted and saw the power of God in Him, for He is God. They followed Him without question. They saw the character and nature of the Living God within Him, They knew this was no ordinary man. They knew provision would come though Him. They trusted Him and eventually would go to their death defending what He said. They saw miracles. They saw the dead rise. They believed.
Now imagine having the above mentioned experiences and then witness the arrest. Thoughts like, "I thought He was going to restore Israel and defeat the Romans? Why is He being arrested?" Or how about, "I thought He was going to set up a mighty kingdom here on earth where all would be subject to Him." Or the thoughts of some people, I am sure, as they witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 or the resurrection of Lazarus. I am sure some of those witnesses were thinking, "Here's a man that can resurrect us if we die in battle and we would never have to worry about carrying our own food for He can make it out of little" This was it! Just think of all the different kind of people that would have had different thoughts about Jesus and what they thought His mission was and how He could "benefit" themselves (Matt 20:17-21.
How did all of our (their) delusions of power, safety and prosperity weigh in the view of the events in real time from the garden forward? We are blessed to know how it turned out. Living on this side of the Cross sometimes it's easier. But these people who saw this event unfold had no idea how it would turn out. When He was arrested and crucified they had no idea of the outcome. I can see them sitting in the room we find them in in the book of Acts sitting around saying, "Now what? I have left all I had... for what? Nothing!" Sometimes we can get that way. Don't be disheartened. The Resurrection is coming!
The gap between the death and resurrection is hard. The time in the waiting. Waiting in the unknown. Not knowing how long this will last.
Its that time gap from knowing what you thought you knew to having your whole world blown up and turned upside down. These people had no idea they had to only wait less that 48 hours for the risen Christ to show Himself. They had no idea what was going on. From fishermen who left their income to follow this great man who now was just a dead man on a cross. From a tax collector who gave up his life of thievery to follow this Christ... now what was he going to do. After all, they left their lives to follow Jesus into a new Kingdom.
Sometimes that duration between the good times and the times where we feel God has forsaken us can be 2 days or 2 years or 2 decades, depending upon the situation and the depth of the offense, wound or situation. And I believe that when we are in that "dark time" He is still there. We are still in His sight and He still loves us.
The dark time can serve as a contemplative time or it can be a time of immature complaining and rejecting Christ. I encourage you to make it be a deep time of contemplative intimacy with Him. Think of Joseph from the time he had his dream to the time of completion, that dark night was close to 17 years. What about Moses and His conversation with God. From that conversation till he saw the promised land was 80 years. 80 dark years. And then there's Job... need I say more.
Hope this helps.
Now I want you to put yourself in these men's shoes. Actually in all of Jesus' followers shoes. Here is man that promoted peace and God and came against the religious system of the day and all of its weight that it carried.
Large groups of people followed Him for over 3 years. He did many miracles, He healed many people, He was sought after and spoke of the coming Kingdom of God. He frustrated the religious community and as a result they became indignant toward Him.
Imagine following this man in real time (like you were there 2000 years ago). And emptying out your savings account, leaving your family, putting aside your life and your whole being to follow this Jesus. A few disciples, we are told in scripture, dropped their nets and immediately followed Him (didn't even think twice about it). With no thought as to what was next. They trusted and saw the power of God in Him, for He is God. They followed Him without question. They saw the character and nature of the Living God within Him, They knew this was no ordinary man. They knew provision would come though Him. They trusted Him and eventually would go to their death defending what He said. They saw miracles. They saw the dead rise. They believed.
Now imagine having the above mentioned experiences and then witness the arrest. Thoughts like, "I thought He was going to restore Israel and defeat the Romans? Why is He being arrested?" Or how about, "I thought He was going to set up a mighty kingdom here on earth where all would be subject to Him." Or the thoughts of some people, I am sure, as they witnessed the feeding of the 5,000 or the resurrection of Lazarus. I am sure some of those witnesses were thinking, "Here's a man that can resurrect us if we die in battle and we would never have to worry about carrying our own food for He can make it out of little" This was it! Just think of all the different kind of people that would have had different thoughts about Jesus and what they thought His mission was and how He could "benefit" themselves (Matt 20:17-21.
How did all of our (their) delusions of power, safety and prosperity weigh in the view of the events in real time from the garden forward? We are blessed to know how it turned out. Living on this side of the Cross sometimes it's easier. But these people who saw this event unfold had no idea how it would turn out. When He was arrested and crucified they had no idea of the outcome. I can see them sitting in the room we find them in in the book of Acts sitting around saying, "Now what? I have left all I had... for what? Nothing!" Sometimes we can get that way. Don't be disheartened. The Resurrection is coming!
The gap between the death and resurrection is hard. The time in the waiting. Waiting in the unknown. Not knowing how long this will last.
Its that time gap from knowing what you thought you knew to having your whole world blown up and turned upside down. These people had no idea they had to only wait less that 48 hours for the risen Christ to show Himself. They had no idea what was going on. From fishermen who left their income to follow this great man who now was just a dead man on a cross. From a tax collector who gave up his life of thievery to follow this Christ... now what was he going to do. After all, they left their lives to follow Jesus into a new Kingdom.
Sometimes that duration between the good times and the times where we feel God has forsaken us can be 2 days or 2 years or 2 decades, depending upon the situation and the depth of the offense, wound or situation. And I believe that when we are in that "dark time" He is still there. We are still in His sight and He still loves us.
The dark time can serve as a contemplative time or it can be a time of immature complaining and rejecting Christ. I encourage you to make it be a deep time of contemplative intimacy with Him. Think of Joseph from the time he had his dream to the time of completion, that dark night was close to 17 years. What about Moses and His conversation with God. From that conversation till he saw the promised land was 80 years. 80 dark years. And then there's Job... need I say more.
Hope this helps.
