I woke up this morning with an entirely new view of this incredible day. Bob, Lily and I went to our Easter service last night and I was simply BLOWN AWAY with the message. I am thinking more clearly and more humbly than I ever have.
Christ's humble death, descent into Hell, Divine resurrection and ultimately ascension to the throne is always an incredible story. Every year Easter brings to life the incredible thing that the Lord did for us so long ago, His ultimate sacrifice for us. A sacrifice that gives us the chance to walk forever with Him. This year, though, I got a whole new perspective and I just have to share it.
Our pastor started the sermon last night making salsa. No joke, in an apron and everything. As he was cutting and adding to the food processor, he told us that he only uses the freshest of ingredients, but did we realize that the word "fresh" simply means that the tomatoe/onion/jalepeno has been dead the shortest amount of time? We all thought on that one until he went on to say that when these items are taken from their life source, they die. Once the tomatoe is plucked from the vine it is removed from its life source and therefore makes the ultimate sacrifice so that we can make delicious salsa. Furthermore, he expounded on the realization that all food must die in order to be eaten and provide sustenance. In other words, we have life because of death. Our nourishment, food and sustenance comes at a high price, death.
But......what if the tomato refused to be plucked? or the onion picked? Without sacrifice there would be no life giving. WOW. The pastor then brought us to Jesus in the book of John 12:24 where he tells his disciples, who were confused that He foretold them his death, "Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." Think about it, if wheat kernels never fall to the ground (and die), they cannot bring life to new wheat. Even before he died, Jesus was hitting home that death is the only true path to life. I simply love Simon Peter because right after the Lord explains to Him how death is the purpose of his life, Peter adamantly cries out "Never, Lord!" Peter, like many Jews, had waited years, centuries for the King of the Jews to emerge. As a people they had been beaten down, enslaved, starved, abused and disjointed. They lived in anticipation of the day their King would arrive and vanquish their enemies, enslave their captors, destroy those who starved them and create a unified nation through power, might, domination and strength. "Never, Lord!" You can hear the desperation in Peter as he wrestled within. How can a King submit to humiliating death as a means to glory? How can our King wash the feet of his enemies and serve the very souls that enslaved his nation? How can death be leadership? Where is the army, the fear, the POWER? Surely you have it wrong. ( I had a moment of connection with Peter here. I too would have wanted to be part of the army no one could touch, to be threatening, intimidating and powerful, not be told that sacrifice, humility and ultimately death would bring glory.)
Okay, jump ahead now to Jesus' trial before his crucifixion. The crowd chanting "Barabbas, Barabbas, Barabbas!" Aside from being angry at Jesus, I have never really thought about why they screamed for Barabbas. Yesterday I was given a thought that rocked my world: Barabbas represented everything they ultimately wanted, had waited for, in their King. Brute force, one who takes what he wants, no regard for life, fierce domination, fear, strength and POWER. The crowd didn't want Jesus. What kind of King willingly stands there to be flogged and without fight bears being spit on and beat? He is definitely not someone they wanted to be associated with he was weak, not a King. If He was the King, he would call for his army and smote all of his oppressors, crush the leaders and set up his authority! Not just stand there. They were angry, they were fired up and the last thing they wanted to do was lay down their arms, lay down their pride, lay down their life. Seriously who does that?
Jesus does.
Christ came to die. Power by strength, fear, domination an intimidation was never His drive. Humble sacrifice was always the choice. He understood. "He being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! (Philipians 2:6-8).
Here is the important part: Death is our calling too. Life only comes when something dies. Are you willing?
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