Last week as I was sitting drinking coffee with a friend, his grandson told
us a joke. It was to see how our minds worked. The joke as we heard it: There were 30 cows
and 28 chickens, how many didn’t?
My mind went to a Chick-Fil-A commercial. I thought the answer was 2.
The grandfather said “I can’t answer because I don’t know. What is a “didn’t”?
The 10 year old answered. Pappaw, “didn’t” means did not. The way the joke was told: There were 30
cows and 20 ate chickens, how many did not eat chickens? The answer is 10.
It is amazing how we can see things in different ways depending on age, experiences,
or just because we are individuals. We can see this cow – chicken story through
the eyes of a 10 year old or a grandparent or from somewhere entirely
different.
Truthfully, it is the same in the passion of Jesus. Each of us see it
through different eyes and relate to different people in Jesus’ passion story.
As Christians, most of us want to be the people waving palm branches and
laying their cloaks on the road as Jesus rode into Jerusalem. Or, we wish to give
Him our best like the one who gave him the colt to ride on or the patron with
the upper room.
However, often we can more easily we see our self in the disciples who
have fallen asleep in our relationship with Jesus. Fall asleep and things happen.
Possibly, we relate to those at the Passover feast. Despite the
generosity of Jesus who humbled his self to wash his disciples’ feet and
literally took the form of bread and wine for those who believe; yet, they argued
who was the greatest among them themselves.
Perchance, we see Peter in our acts. Despite saying he was willing to
follow Jesus anywhere even to death and then pulling his sword to defend him, in
fear Peter denied Jesus, once even to a maid.
Maybe, we have become like Judas. Money is the most important thing in
our life despite the fact that Jesus gave his life for us.
Or possibly we are meek and timid to world like Pilate, even though we
know what is right; we let others bully us into their wrong and sinful ideas.
Then there are the jealous like the accusers of Jesus. Or perhaps, we follow the crowds of the world ridiculing and denying our faith.
How many would say that in all of these, “Surely
not I, LORD” but we still run away from the LORD.
We are afraid, so, it is easier for us to persecute Christ than to carry
the cross.
Jesus did not want to face his own death. He sweated drops of blood but bravely
and without reservation carried the cross. He carried the cross for the sins of
the world.
Because of that sacrifice in each and every one of us who looked to Jesus
for something truly wonderful.
No matter how their minds worked, these people in this passion story had
Jesus in their midst. Christ Jesus is in our midst. Just like then, He is in
the midst of all us sinners.
We live in the same world people have always lived in. We are the same as
in the days of His passion. By our sins we spit on him and beat him, ridicule
and mock him. Even today we betray him, deny him, and run away.
Despite the reality of then and now, Jesus took the cross of sin from
each ones shoulder and put it on his own. Jesus carried that cross for them and
he carries it for us.
Jesus hung on the cross between two broken
and sinful men; but, no matter how broken we are, He is there for our
forgiveness.
To find forgiveness, ask Jesus, “Remember me.”
Jesus’ cross is every cross; the cross on my shoulders and your
shoulders. We would never be able to carry our crosses if Jesus did not carry
his.
We all carry crosses; some are more visible than others. Because of whom
we are and how we are, each of us carries different crosses.
We carry the crosses of our sin in the lack of respect of others, greed,
pride and selfishness. He carries His cross for these. His cross is for brokenness
and sinfulness of those like the men who hung beside him.
Jesus’ cross is also the cross of concern we carry as we wait for lab
results or cope with death, a job loss or financial catastrophe, and the cross that
is the frailties of age.
Christ is in our midst and because of the promise of His cross; we will
be remembered in paradise.
Be good, be holy and preach the gospel by the way you live and love one
another. Amen.
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