Red Rock News April 11, 2025
- Rev. Dona Johnson |April 13, 2025
Jesus did not leave things to the last moment. His plans were made. He would have a last meal with his beloved disciples before Judas, one of the twelve would betray him and give his whereabouts to the Roman authorities. The Savior of the world, the one who had healed the sick, made the blind to see, the deaf to hear, raised the dead to life, forgave adulterers, ate with prostitutes and railed against the religious elite who used the law to condemn and punish people with little regard for mercy and human suffering, this was the man who took on the establishment and generations of corruption to demonstrate there is better way— God’s unconditional love for humanity (Matt. 26:30-27:66, Mark 14:26-15:47, Luke 22:39-23:56, and John 18:1-19:42).
In his last meal with his disciples, he had an intimate moment with them where he communed with them. He shared a loaf of bread and a cup of wine and with those two elements Jesus activated a new covenant, a covenant that would forever change the world. He would offer his life for the
sake of delivering humanity from their sin. The life blood of God himself would be poured out as the final sacrifice.
As Jesus stood before Pilate, he uttered no defense, no insults and did put up a struggle. He stood silent. Jesus stood there shackled in chains, a man before God and a God before man. In his gut, Pilate felt something strangely wrong with sentencing Jesus to death. He didn’t quite know what to do with the accusations. But one thing is for certain, he did not want Jesus’ blood to be on his hands. So Pilate handed over the decision to the mob. The mob was a Jewish crowd who coerced an experienced Roman governor to sentencing Jesus to death. Mob or herd mentality is not a new thing in any society. It’s been around a long time. Psychologist who study mob behavior say when people are in a mob protest, they can lose their sense of awareness, emotions are heightened and people feel anonymous so they feel more empowered to act out overtly with violent and destructive behavior.
The Roman government could not afford to tolerate any civil disobedience in the empire. So, Pilate a weak man sacrificed justice rather than lose his post. So the mob screamed for Barabbas, a convicted criminal to be freed in exchange for Jesus. Jesus was sentenced to death row. On the cross, as Jesus took his last breath, ‘he” gave up his life. He died alone, betrayed and abandoned by those he came to save. His dear mother was there with his beloved disciple John, but many of his disciples scattered for fear they too would be hunted down and killed.
Eyewitness accounts record that creation experienced the deep sorrow of their Creator’s death. The sky grew ominously dark, the ground shook and rocks split apart. Something mysterious was happening. Many thought Jesus’ death marked him as a fraud and failure.
But for we who believe, we live with the promise of the Third Day, Easter in our hearts. We live every day with resurrection power running through our veins. By God’s grace, through faith, we embrace this one fundamental truth: Jesus, was, is and will always be the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world, and his mercy, his forgiveness and redemption have no end. Sola Deo Gloria.
- Rev. Dona Johnson |April 13, 2025