Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Best Supporting Actors Tell the Easter Story

I decided this year to focus the classroom devotions during passion week on something a little different.  I had already been thinking and praying about this, but the idea was completely confirmed after hearing the message at The Summit Church this past weekend.  My students attend a Christian school, so they are pretty familiar with the main Easter story - Jesus Christ giving His life for us all, being arrested, put on trial, crucified, buried, and rising again on the third day.

But what about some of the lesser known characters in the Easter story?  I chose a few of these characters to talk about, using the Luke 23 passage.  It gave me an opportunity to look at some examples of symbolism that I believe helps put the message of Easter in perspective.  I have been careful not to try to add anything to the text - just simply giving the students something to think about.

Simon the Cyrenian (Lk. 23:26)

Simon is the guy who is coming in from the country for Passover.  He arrives and is watching the events unfold in Jerusalem.  Jesus has been arrested and put on trial, leading to the decision to have Him crucified.  He is beaten and bloody, mocked and spit upon, and forced to carry His own cross to Golgotha.  He buckles under the weight of the cross, and a guard tells Simon to pick up the cross and carry it for Jesus.  The text says "and on him (Simon) they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus."  Probably not the day Simon had in mind.

Think about these ideas based on Simon's experience:

- He was just coming into Jerusalem for Passover - not to get involved in these events.
- I'm not sure if he even knew who Jesus was - but by the time this was over, he sure would.
- What if I had been in Simon's place?  Man, that still blows my mind to think about.  What if it were me that had to carry Jesus' cross?
- Isn't this what God calls me to do....daily?  Take up my cross and follow Him.
- Simon picks up the cross which had to have Jesus' blood on it, thus making Simon unclean.  How does Simon reconcile that with his knowledge of Jewish law and the coming Passover?
- I wonder if Simon thought about this - he's carrying the cross that Jesus would be crucified on, and Jesus is being crucified because of Simon's sin (and yours and mine, too).  Jesus came to die the death we deserved and give us the life we didn't deserve.
- I wonder what Simon did next?

Joseph of Arimathea (Lk. 23:50-53)

Joseph is a council member (Sanhedrin) who was a just man.  Scripture says he didn't agree with the decision to crucify Jesus.  It seems to indicate that Joseph was a believer.  But he was also in a position of power and influence.  He goes to Pilate and asks for Jesus' body to bury Him.  This was probably a risky move for Joseph - trying to honor Jesus as the Christ while maintaining his positional authority on the council.

Joseph takes the body of Jesus down from the cross, wraps Him in a linen shroud, and laid Him in a tomb carved out of the rock.  The line shroud and tomb seem to be indications of Joseph's wealth and means.  It also may indicate that perhaps Joseph had purchased these items for himself, but chose to use them for Jesus.

Think about these ideas based on Joseph's experience:

- Joseph gave his best offering for Jesus - the linen shroud and tomb.  These items were fit for those in high positions, maybe even a king.
- Joseph was willing to step out in faith regardless of the consequences.
- Joseph's willingness to go to Pilate to get Jesus' body ensured that nothing else would be done with the body - either leaving the body on the cross or seeing it discarded some other way.
- God used Joseph's actions with the linen shroud and tomb as part of His plan for the resurrection.
- Think about this idea - Joseph gave up the linen shroud and tomb he purchased for his death and gave them to the One who gave His life for Joseph.  Jesus died the death Joseph (and we) deserve so that we would not have to.  He did this to give Joseph (and us) the life we don't deserve and can't earn.

The Disciples (Lk. 24:13-53)

This event occurs after the resurrection.  It starts with Jesus appearing to two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  These guys don't know what to think about all that's happened.  Jesus talks with them and shares from the Scriptures, starting from the OT and the prophets, and shares the Gospel with them.  Later on, Jesus also appears to His disciples, proving to them that He had in fact risen from the dead.  He also affirms that it was necessary for things to happen this way, so that repentance and forgiveness of sins could be real.

The disciples were a stubborn bunch, weren't they?  But the Scriptures also say that their eyes and understanding were not yet opened to all this truth.  But as Jesus opened their eyes and understanding, it led to a great worship experience that would help to move these disciples to be faithful witnesses of Him.

Think about these ideas based on the disciples' experience:

- I love how the Bible says the two men's hearts burned within them when Jesus talked to them.  Man, that's what I want.  I want God's Word and His Spirit to speak to me, and for my heart to burn when He speaks.
- Jesus made many appearances to His disciples before ascending to heaven.  In doing so, He confirmed before many witnesses that He is alive.
- I pray that when Jesus speaks to me I am listening.  But more than that, I desire to know He is speaking to me, affirming His Word and His direction for every area of my life.
- I pray that I will not tempt God by asking to see proof of His direction for me.  I believe He lives.  It's time to get busy in obedience.  When He speaks, I move.
- May the end of this text be my life - when Jesus ascended to heaven, the disciples worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and were continually praising God.

As we approach Good Friday and Resurrection Day on Sunday, these characters give me even more opportunities to reflect on God's goodness to me.  Jesus Christ came to give us eternal life, by giving His life for ours.  He died on the cross to pay the debt of my sin.  He was raised from the dead, and He lives today.  Because He lives, I have life now beyond anything I can imagine, and I have life eternally with Him.

Not bad for a group of best supporting actors in this awesome story.  That's a lot to digest.  Which is why I'm glad I have a life time to read God's Word and meditate on it.  For His glory.

Mr. B.

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