Gospel – Luke 23-24

The final two chapters of Luke seemed to me to be played in a fast forward mode. We have the trial of Jesus before Pilate and Herod, the walk up to Calvary, the Crucifixion, the death of Jesus, the Resurrection, and the appearing of Jesus to His disciples to give His final instructions.

Prior to this week, I was really looking forward to reading this final two chapters. I even felt a little apprehensive because I was not sure if I was ready to see Jesus die. But strangely, as I read through the chapters, the feelings which I imagined would be invoked were not. Am I numb to the death of Jesus?

Let’s read…

Bible Passage:  Luke 23-24

Are we standing afar off?

How did you feel as you read about how Jesus was falsely accused, how He was humiliated and beaten, how He breathed His last? Did you feel like one of those women who followed Him from Galilee, and who stood at a distance, watching these things (Luke 23:49)? I am not sure how they really felt (they were probably feeling a sense of loss), or what was in their minds throughout this entire period, however I cannot help but feel like one of them.

We may not be the ones to shout “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” (Luke 23:21), but many times we must have been like these women, merely standing afar off, watching these things.

We know that Jesus came to suffer and die for us; we really know. But somehow this knowledge does not strike a chord within our hearts. It cannot resonate to give a perfect pitch. If we are singing off-key each time we sing of the sacrificial love of Christ, then perhaps it’s time to ponder why.

Another reason why I was seemingly numb to the death of Jesus was perhaps due to the language and words used by Luke. If we were to compare this recording in Luke with that in Matthew, you will probably agree with me that you feel more emotions while you read Matthew. But this is a good test, isn’t it? Are we truly feeling for the death of Christ, or are we simply swayed and influenced by the language of the recordings?

Paul himself said,

And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)

Do we believe because of persuasive words of human wisdom, or do we truly believe He died for us?

The centre of our faith – what do we really want?

Remember what Paul exhorted the Corinthian believers?

And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. (1 Corinthians 15:14)

Some believers at the Corinth church were starting to preach that there was no resurrection, but as Paul clearly said, if there was no resurrection, Christ would not have risen, and our faith would be an empty faith! The least that a Christian must know of is the death of Jesus for our sins, and His resurrection and victory over death.

I always admired Paul when he said

For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:2)

How many of us can concur with that? How many of us would rather know about other things?

For those who are working tirelessly at their job: how is the best way to complete this piece of work?

For those who are single: who is the person I would marry?

For those with children: what is the best method to bring up my children?

While there are inevitably many things that we need to know on earth, let us never forget the one thing that we ought to know for sure. The four gospel books are there to constantly remind us about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Is He really the chief cornerstone of our life of faith?

During last night’s hymn and prayer service, verses from a few hymns that we sung really stood out for me. The third stanza of Hymn 389 goes like this:

Nearer, still nearer, Lord, to be Thine,

Sin with its follies I gladly resign;

All of its pleasures, pomp, and its pride;

Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified,

Give me but Jesus, my Lord crucified.

Can you picture the exchange here? Sin with its follies being surrendered to God, and pleading from Him only my Lord Jesus crucified.

While the many worries of this life are threatening to choke us, and the many uncertainties of life scare us, let us be reminded that we only need one thing to get through with life. Having Jesus really is enough.The next hymn that followed Hymn 389 last night gave me further reassurance of the goodness of God.

The last stanza goes like this (Hymn 412):

At the blessed hour of prayer, trusting Him we believe

That the blessings we’re needing we’ll surely receive;

In the fulness of this trust we shall lose every care;

What a balm for the weary!

Oh, how sweet to be there!

Sometimes, we want so many things from God. We can even come up with many different reasons for wanting those things, including it being according to the will of God. But when God does not seem to agree with us, or when there is a delay in His reply, we start to get discouraged, and even worried and scared. This hymn, however, reminds us that God would never withhold good from those who love Him. He knows what we truly need, and we need to have faith that we will surely receive from Him those blessings we need.

Do you need good examination results?

Do you need a good marriage?

Do you need obedient children?

These are all blessings from God, and if these are blessings that we truly need, God surely knows, and He will give.

Only with such faith can we truly cast down all our worries and troubles at His feet, and really feel the sweetness of being His child.