Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Luke 23:33 When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals -- one on his right, the other on his left.
THE NAILS OF HIS CROSS
They nailed Christ to His cross -- the cruel hammer-blows echoing between Calvary's hill and the walls of Jerusalem. Travelers on the nearby roads turned, some wincing, some asking, "Who is being executed?"
Another related question is raised almost every Lenten season. "Who was responsible for Jesus' crucifixion? For this cruel nailing?" Shall we blame the executioner who drove the nails? Or the centurion in charge of the detail? Or Pontius Pilate? Or the Jewish leaders who inflamed the mob to pressure the procurator?
Plainly, no one person, no one sin is responsible. It is the doing of many, this nailing up of the Son of God. Including those standing at the foot of the cross -- and those unconcernedly going about their business in the city or town where you live.
Annas and Caiphas, Pilate and the soldiers, Peter and the apostles. They were guilty of selfishness, pride and envy, of hatred, cruelty, slander and greed, of thoughtlessness and disloyalty. But you and I are well aware that it was not only the sins of people long ago which nailed Christ to His cross. There are also people responsible on the street where you live, in the house you call home.
"Ah! I also and my sin wrought Thy deep affliction.
This indeed the cause hath been of Thy crucifixion."
Jesus suffered and died to atone for our sins too. Our sins also were the nails of His cross. The thought is terrible and true. Yet the cross of Christ does not fill us with despair and terror. Instead of shuddering "We sing the praise of Him who died, Of Him who died upon the tree." Here we see that God is love, Christ bears our sins -- brings us mercy from above.
As Christ's people we glory in the cross of Christ -- yet NEVER in our sins which put Him on it. We celebrate His love, not our lust; His willing sacrifice, not our wayward sinfulness.
Rather we loathe those sins of ours that made the bloody death of Jesus an awful necessity. As soon as we recognize ourselves in the sinners who appear in the Passion History, we turn away from and strive against those sins which ever threaten to take over heart and life, and to separate us from Christ our Lord.
In this way too We LIVE the praise of Him who died upon the tree. 