YOU and GOD

On the sixth day of the first week of the world, God “created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Gen.1:27). In the second chapter of Genesis, an expanded creation account, one learns that God created the man and then saw that “it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a help meet for him.” (Gen.2:7,18) Having put Adam to sleep, God took one of Adam’s ribs, “And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, ‘this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’” (Gen.2:22,23)

Male and female, man and woman are what God created in His own image. In case anyone missed it Jesus reiterated that distinction in Matthew 19:4 when He said “Have ye not read, that He which made them at the beginning made them male and female….”

So, why are social engineers and educators and others today trying to peddle that which is known as “transgender?” One’s gender, listed forever on his or her birth certificate is “boy” or “girl,” “male” or “female.” There is no in between; it’s a matter of biology, not psychology, nor sociology.  It has to do with genetics not emotions.

One wonders why the highly acclaimed newest member of the United States Supreme Court, in her Senate confirmation hearings, could not give an answer to the question asked her, “What is a woman?” She answered that she did not know. How about “A person who is of the female gender; opposite sex of a man.” Any junior high school student, at least in years past, could have answered that question; but now, on the most august judicial body of our land, appointed for life, we have a judge who was either unwilling or unable to answer the question, “What is a woman?”

Little wonder, it’s the current cultural twisting of universal truths. It is nothing new. Paul, the Apostle, writing in the 1^st century New Testament, spoke of men who, having once known God but not wanting to glorify Him, “became vain in their Imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened….” (Romans 1:21-27)

So, from homosexuality which in our day has become so accepted that mayors of major cities proudly lead “Gay Pride” parades down Main Street; we have now come to where “transgender” is being pushed by some as healthy, normal and that which should be taught– even to the youngest of children in some schools. The Governor of Florida recently signed into law a bill that would restrict school teachers from indoctrinating very young children to matters of sexuality and sexual orientation for which he received no small amount of criticism along with a good amount of support.

Ramifications are all too obvious. So-called “transgender” (do I feel like a boy today or a girl?) athletes are competing in sports, often stronger boys/males in girls’ track and field and swimming events, and, guess what, they are winning! “Transgender” boys use girls’ restroom and locker room facilities. Recognizing the absurdity of this, the Indiana State Legislature, in the 2022 General Assembly, passed House Bill 1041 by an overwhelming majority, which would have banned biological boys from participating in girls’ sports in Indiana public schools; it would also keep biological boys out of girls’ restrooms and girls’ locker rooms. By a vote of 66-30 this common-sense bill passed the House and on March 1, 2022 the Indiana Senate ratified the same bill by a vote of 32-18. The Governor of Indiana vetoed the bill on March 3 of this year. His veto is expected to be overridden May 24^th. Think though, how confusing this issue must be to some. Legislators, answering to their constituents and to their own sense of decency, voted to protect girls’ sports and girls’ privacy in Indiana public schools, yet the Governor vetoed the legislation that was designed to do just that!

When my children were not yet teen-agers, Bruce Jenner won the gold in the 1976 Montreal Olympics men’s decathlon. His face appeared shortly thereafter on Wheaties’ cereal boxes all across America. Neither Mom nor Dad, nor any of our children, had any difficulty recognizing Jenner as a male competitor and we were proud of his bringing home the gold. There was not a smidgen of doubt as to whether Jenner was a man or a woman!

So, what is happening? Well, again Paul, writing to his protégé, Timothy, says that in the last days there would come “perilous times.” One of the many earmarks of those last days would be “Men shall be without natural affection….” 2 Tim. 3:1ff. The last days actually began before the New Testament canon was closed, so 2022 is just a couple of millennia further DOWN the road toward the end! In the Romans passage I cited, Paul carefully depicts man’s “slouching toward Sodom” noting that God would eventually give men who have rejected Him “up to uncleanness,” and “up to vile affections,” and finally over to “a reprobate mind.” Romans 1:24,26,28

So, what we are witnessing is not new; it’s been around almost since the beginning of time. But when the “salt of the earth” loses its savor and the “light of the world” is dimmed, i.e., the testimony, witness and influence of Christians in and through the avenues of commerce and culture (Matt. 5:13-16) then there are no boundaries nor apparent limits as to what and where actions that were once universally recognized as unnatural in time become, apparently, accepted as normal. We can thank God for many believers and many ministries that are working tirelessly to protect our children from all sorts of aberrations from traditional, almost universally recognized, healthy hygiene and habits.

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (Eph.6:12,13)

In the recent past there have been pundits who have pronounced the church to be dead as they were saying their committals over it, believing that in this modern era the old-fashioned church would be irrelevant and thus replaced with that which is more up to date. Beginning in the spring of 2020 with the arrival of Covid-19, the traditional church gathering assemblies were put to the test. Some were wondering, during lock downs and following, if indeed the church as it had been known and as it had functioned for 20 centuries would come through unscathed. The conclusive evaluations have not yet been tallied, but by most observers and students of church history past and present, it must be concluded that the church, bruised a bit and battered some, will survive and in some instances be stronger.

One thing is certain, the Lord Jesus Christ’s death, burial and resurrection made certain the fulfillment of His promise to His disciples when He said, “I will build my church and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it,” thus it is certain that the church, as through persecution and peril, not only has survived but will beyond the end of time survive and thrive. It has been divinely guaranteed to do so. Which to leads me to affirm, I love the church and have since as a six-year-old lad I, with my family, put my foot for the first time into the place where a local church was meeting for praise, prayer and worship. That was 73 years ago and my love for the church has only deepened with the passing of every year. It has been an unspeakable privilege to have pastored three such churches for a total of 50 years. I love the church for many reasons, including:

• It has a privileged place in God’s plan for the ages: What once had been a mystery (Romans 16:25,26) i.e. that God, in time would bring together into one body both Jew and Gentile, was beautifully fulfilled as recorded in unfolding of truths in the book of Acts, so that Paul, the Jew who at one time had a passion for shutting down the existence of those known as “Christians” would write “If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given to me to you ward: how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery…that the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Christ by the gospel.” Paul concluded by exclaiming at the end of the Ephesians 3 passage: “Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21)
• It has a pre-eminent person who is its Chief Cornerstone, High Priest, Bishop:

Jesus, as promised in Matt.16:18-20 when He announced to His twelve Jewish Apostles for the first time ever that there would be such an entity as a church, became not only its Founder by His crucifixion, burial, and resurrection from the dead; but also, its Head. (“And He is the Head of the body, the church…having made peace through the blood of His cross….) Col.1:18-20 He is “before all things, and by Him all things consist.” (Col.1:17) Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible and the first-born of every creature is, therefore, the pre-eminent person in the church as its Founder, its Head and its Controller by whom all things consist.

• It is made up of a pure people, i.e., people who have been born-again, who are saved by grace through faith, redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, pilgrims here journeying through this world and life toward the eternal city, not built with hands, in the heavenlies where their citizenship has been made certain. They are, to be sure, a pure people, a royal kingdom of priests, but not a perfect people. They are “His workmanship” and they (we) are, as such, each of them a work in progress until that day when we shall “see Him and be like Him.”
•  They are a people working together, as a body, each member in particular with a special Holy Spirit assigned gift to exercise for the building of His Body, the Church. (I Cor. 12) Ray Steadman: “God’s first concern is not what the church does, it is what the church is. Being must always precede doing, for what we do will be according to what we are.” We, therefore, work together as one, because we are all members of His Body.
• They are a people walking together, walking “not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,” (Eph.4:17) but walking worthy “in love,” and “in light,” and “circumspectly.” (Eph.5:2,8,15) A visitor to a leper colony observed that during the lunch time when residents gathered from all over to the dining common, two young men seemed to be “horsing around” as one rode on the other’s back. But further observation revealed to the visitor that the man who carried his friend was blind while the man on his back was lame. The one who could not see used his feet to walk, and the one who could not walk became for the two of them the eyes, and it was all done with great joy, a picture of the church working and walking together to make up an extraordinary body that moves forward for His kingdom.
• They are a people worshipping together, regularly assembling, as did that first Jerusalem assembly, for hearing the “apostles’ doctrine and for fellowship and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42) “The church is not a gallery for the exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.”
• They are a people witnessing together: “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to Godward is spread abroad….” (I Thess.1:8) That is what our Lord commanded in His departing commission to the disciples: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Matt.28:18) And, to a watching, wondering group of followers as He was about to ascend to heaven: “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Thus, our job is not yet, nor will it be in our lifetime, finished.  There are still multitudes who have never heard, so we must continue to be a witnessing people.

Those are some of the reasons I love the church. I commend it to every reader. It is alive and well. Some have advocated doing an “end run around the church.” But oh, the blessings one would miss in so doing. Blessings of being part of this Body which before the cross was a mystery but now, through revelation, a marvel, miracle and mighty force; blessings of being close to the pre-eminent person of the church, Jesus Christ, through daily fellowship with Him, and blessings of being united and knit together with this pure people, known as His Body, who are joyfully working together, walking together in harmony, worshipping together in the Spirit and witnessing together in obedience to His commands.

I love the church. I hope you do too. If not, meet its Founder and Head. To know Him is to love Him, and to love Him is to love His church.

“But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” I Tim. 3:15

(This is the triumphant conclusion to the three previous “You and God” posts “His Last 24 Hours.”

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary could not, in the pre-dawn darkness, see the bodies of the soldiers, and by the time they arrived at the tomb the angels had momentarily disappeared; they saw only the huge rock that had been rolled away and they saw an empty tomb. Immediately they ran back to tell John and Peter, and these two disciples had a footrace to the grave. John was the first to reach the empty tomb, and Peter confirmed his findings. The assumption was, at that point, that someone had come during the night and had stolen the body of Jesus.

As John and Peter left to go home, Mary Magdalene made her way back to the sepulcher and, standing at its entrance, she began to weep. Through her tears she got the nerve to again peek into the cave and she could hardly believe what she saw: two angels sitting where Jesus’ body had lain—one at the head and one where His feet had been. They asked Mary why she was weeping, and she told them that someone had taken away the body of her Master. “I know not where they have laid Him,” she lamented.

Turning away from the tomb’s entrance, Mary began to leave when her attention was caught by a man who at first appeared to her to be the gardener. The man also asked her why she was weeping, and Mary replied, “Sir, if thou hast borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

At those words, the supposed gardener looked at the weeping woman and said, “Mary.”

“Rabboni,” Mary exclaimed, and she fell at the feet of the resurrected body of the Lord Jesus Christ and began to worship Him.

Thus, the last 24 hours of Jesus’ life upon the earth and His subsequent resurrection from the tomb. All of these events, to be sure, are historical; but they are more than historical, they have a spiritual significance that puts them into a category all by themselves.

They were, indeed, the most significant events in all of history.

Jesus, God’s only begotten Son, Israel’s King, Savior of all men, came into this world for one reason. His testimony to Pilate, in His own words, says it best:

“To this end I was born, and for this cause came I into the world; that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37

Are you of the truth today? Are you listening to His voice? “I am the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” Jesus said it. John 14:6 If you have not yet done so, will you come to God through Jesus today?

Waiting the Call                      
Nature blushed in reverence of God’s Son upon the tree,
	While the thirsty mob for death did yell;
Jesus died that day to set His killers free,
	But God refused to leave His Holy One in Hell.

That is why He died though Satan’s worst at Him was hurled;
	That is why from heav’n to earth He came;
There His blood was shed, the Savior of the world,
	Even as in death He suffered shame.

He would die indeed, then in the grave would lie,
	Fragrances of death would fill the tomb;
Followers outside the cave would mournful cry,
	Some had traced His steps from Mary’s womb.

But from the sabbath day to Sunday’s fate,
	Jesus went to Hell to gather up His own;
Captives in the bosom of Abraham did wait,
	To follow Christ through space to their new Home.

We who trust Him now by faith do also wait,
	Listening for the trumpet and the shout;
Waiting for our entrance through His open gate,
	This our blessed hope-without a doubt!

Even so “Come quickly” is our daily prayer,
	Nothing here could make us miss His call;
Surely Heaven’s glories we will gladly share,
	Jesus, risen Savior, before Him all will fall. 

Anthony Slutz
		

Pilate tried again to persuade the crowd that he should release to them Jesus, but again they cried for His blood. Finally, at about 6 a.m. he delivered Jesus over to the mob and they took Him and led Him away to be crucified.

Immediately, upon His release from Pilate, soldiers seized our Savior, stripped Him, put upon Him a scarlet robe and pressed into His forehead again the crown of thorns, and they put into His right hand a reed or mock scepter; then they began to say, “Hail, King of the Jews.” Spitting upon Him, they took the reed from His hand and smote Him on the head. They mocked Him more, took off the scarlet robe and replaced it with Jesus’ own garment, then led Him to Calvary.

To the place of the skull He was then led, followed by a great company of people. Already weakened by the brutal scourging, Jesus soon fell under the heavy load of the cross that He bore, and one Simon, a Cyrenian, was conscripted by the soldiers to carry the cross on up the hill to Calvary.

Golgotha was the site of the crucifixion, and shortly before 9 a.m. on Friday, the sinless Son of God was stretched out upon a rough-hewn cross; nails were driven through the palms of each hand while one long spike secured both of His feet to the upright stake. The Roman cross of crucifixion was raised by wicked hands high above the earth, then dropped with a sickening thud into a hole upon the hill while every bone in Jesus’ body was torn and twisted in their sockets. Malefactors were put on crosses on either side of the Savior, and from nine ‘til noon the hill was crowned with three cross-bearing bodies, two thieves and the man on the middle cross, the God man.

Earlier all the Disciples had fled and forsook their Master, but by now word was out that He was on the cross, and one by one many had made their way back to Calvary to watch and weep. Mary, His mother, stood by His cross, as did Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene.  John the Beloved Disciple stood beside Mary the mother of Jesus.

From nine ‘til noon, Jesus spoke three times from His place above the earth. First, His prayer of forgiveness was uttered: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” Next, to the thief who in a dying breath asked for mercy, Jesus said, “This day shalt thou be with me in paradise” and finally, gazing upon the sorrowing heart of a sad mother He said to John, “Son, behold thy mother.”

While the hot sun beat upon Jesus for three hours, He spoke only three times and each time not for Himself but on behalf of someone else!

At noon, the sun became dark, and for three hours the heavens hid their faces as it were from the shameful scenes on Calvary.

At about 3 p.m. Jesus’ words pierced through and broke the silence as He cried, “Eli, Eli Lama Sabachthani,” “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

Shortly following that, Jesus said again, “I thirst.”

A vinegar-soaked sponge was held to His mouth on a stick, and when He had received it, He cried with a loud voice, “It is finished!” And then, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My Spirit.”

With those words Jesus gave up the ghost and died. It was Matthew who recorded that at that precise moment, the veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom, the earth quaked, the rocks were rent in two, and the graves of many of the bodies of Old Testament saints that had died were opened and they were seen walking through the streets of Jerusalem.

The darkest deed of history was done! Jesus had died; had died a criminal’s death, and the heavens blushed while the earth convulsed.

One of the Roman soldiers who had cast lots for His garments got on his knees and confessed Jesus as the Son of God, while His faithful followers, including Mary Magdalene, came to minister to His body. Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus, had received permission from Pilate to bury the body of his Lord, and the body was taken from the cross by Pilate’s orders and wrapped in a clean, spice-laden linen burial cloth and placed in Joseph’s tomb, a tomb which had been hewn out of a rock. Nicodemus, the ruler of the Pharisees who had come to Jesus by night, anointed Jesus’ body with spices and perfumes. A great stone was rolled to the door of the sepulcher, and Mary Magdalene and the other women sat by the door to keep watch.

Saturday, the day after His burial, the vile chief priests went back to Pilate and begged of him a detachment of Roman soldiers to guard the tomb, for, as they remembered and reminded Pilate, He had said, “After three days I will rise again.” Afraid that Jesus’ disciples would secretly steal His body away, they sought the Roman watch and secured it from Pilate.

It was early—about dawn but still dark—on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, that Mary Magdalene and another Mary stole secretly to the tomb with sweet spices with which to anoint their Master’s body. Wondering who would roll away the stone for them, their question was soon forgotten as they came and saw the stone had been rolled away already.

What the women did not know at that time was that in the wee hours of the morning, a good while before daylight, God had shaken the tomb with an earthquake, and the angel of the Lord had descended from Heaven to roll back that great seal. The Roman soldiers fell to the ground and were as dead men, and the angel of the Lord sat down upon the stone. Jesus arose from His burial place triumphant over death and Hell, and two angels from Heaven came and folded neatly the linen cloth that had been wrapped around His body and the napkin that had been wrapped around His head.

(Read the “You and God” special Easter Sunday installment for the conclusion)

As was pre-planned, Judas, seeing Jesus, ran up and greeted Him with “Master, Master,” and kissed Him on the cheek. Jesus looked at Judas and said, “Judas, betrayeth thou the Son of Man with a kiss?”

The soldiers who had fallen to the ground were still stunned and as they regained their composure, Peter pulled his sword from its sheath and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers. He was immediately rebuked by Jesus and told to put his sword up. The Lord then restored the ear of Malchus, a servant of the high priest, and, turning to the band who had come to take Him to the high priest, He said, “Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and with staves to take Me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple and ye laid no hold on Me.” With those words, the soldiers took Jesus and bound Him and led Him away to Annas, father-in-law of Caiaphas the then high priest.

All the Disciples, Mark notes in Mark 14:50, forsook Jesus at this point and fled. Peter also fled but soon turned back, with John, to follow afar off to see what would become of their Lord.

It was before dawn on Friday, the day of Jesus’ death (by Jewish reckoning, any part of a day would be considered a day and a night, thus the crucifixion was on Friday, rather than Wednesday, cf. Mark 15:42.) The soldiers led the peaceful prisoner first to Annas. Jesus was led into the presence of the former high priest while most of the soldiers who had taken Him captive waited in the hall outside where a fire had been kindled so that the pre-dawn chill could be broken. It was at that fire that Peter stood warming his hands when a young maiden saw him and recognized him as a follower of Jesus, and when she asked him if he were not with them in the Garden, Peter flatly denied it. Going out to the adjoining porch, Peter heard, almost unconsciously, the cock crew. A short while later, another maiden said, “This is one of them,” as she pointed out Peter, and again he denied it vehemently. About an hour later, others of the soldiers said to Peter, “Surely you are a Galilean and a follower of this Jesus—your speech gives you away.” At that Peter said, “I swear unto you, I do not know this man!” The words had barely fallen from his lips before the cock crew the second time, and instantly the fisherman follower remembered the earlier prediction of His Master: “Peter, before the cock crew twice, thou shalt deny Me thrice.” Peter, when he had thought upon that, went out and wept bitterly.

While Peter was denying Jesus outside Annas’ house, the former high priest and father-in-law of the then ruling high priest, Caiaphas, was inside questioning Jesus concerning His disciples and His doctrines. Jesus’ reply was straightforward: “I spake openly in the world; I taught in the synagogue and in the temple-in secret have I said nothing. Why do you ask me? Ask them which heard me what I have said to them, they know what I said.”

An officer of the high priest, thinking Jesus’ reply to be disrespectful, struck the Savior with the palm of his hand and said, “Dare you talk so to the high priest?” Jesus said, “If I have spoken evil, then bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you smite me?”

Jesus was then taken from before Annas to Caiaphas the high priest where He was further interrogated. False witnesses were sought and two were finally found who came and accused Jesus by saying that He had said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God and to build it in three days.” Jesus made no reply, and Caiaphas, pressing Him to answer said, “I adjure Thee by the living God that Thou tell us whether Thou be the Christ, the Son of God.” “Thou hast said,” was Jesus’ reply. Caiaphas, upon hearing those words, rent his clothes and exclaimed, “He hath spoken blasphemy! What further need have we of witnesses? What do you think?” he asked his hastily convened council. They said, “He is guilty of death.” Those standing by began to spit on His blindfolded face and slap Him, saying, “Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote Thee?”

It was early Friday morning, just after dawn, when Caiaphas ordered Jesus to be taken bound to Pontius Pilate.

Officers of the High Priest led Jesus to Pilate’s Judgment Hall. Judas Iscariot, having had second thoughts about what he had done in betraying Jesus, hastened in the meantime to the council with the thirty pieces of silver that they had given him: “I have sinned,” he said, “in that I have betrayed innocent blood.” The priests were not interested in either Judas’ confession or his money, and they bade him leave. Matthew tells us that Judas went out and hanged himself.

It was in Pilate’s judgment hall that Jesus was first asked by the Roman governor, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” The Savior did not deny it, but said simply, “Thou sayest.” Pilate’s initial response was that he could find no fault with Jesus, so he ordered Him to be taken to Herod, for Jesus was from Galilee and Herod had jurisdiction of Galilee.

Herod was glad for the opportunity to interrogate Jesus Christ, for he had heard much about Him and had hoped to see one of His famous miracles. This was not to be though, and silence was the only response that Herod received from each of his questions to Jesus. Distraught, he and his soldiers began to mock Jesus, putting a gorgeous robe upon Him, and calling Him, in jest, a King. Their sport ended, they sent Him back to Pontius Pilate.

Bringing Jesus back to the Roman governor, Pilate was ready with his first question of those who led the prisoner: “What accusation bring ye against this man?” They who would settle for nothing less than Jesus’ death assured Pilate that this man was indeed a malefactor, and that since the Jews could not lawfully put any man to death, he would have to give the order. Pilate went back to his judgment hall and calling for Jesus, asked Him, “Art Thou the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “Thou sayest I am a King. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world: that I should bear witness of the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.”

Pilate said, “What is truth?” Pontius Pilate again went out and addressed the crowd: “I find in Him no fault. You have a custom that I shall release unto you one at the Passover. Will ye therefore that I should release unto you the King of the Jews?”

“No, not this man, but Barabbas. Release Barabbas the robber” the crowd clamored!

A hand written note, hurriedly scrawled by Pilate’s wife, was delivered to the governor at about this time on which she had written these words: “Have nothing to do with this just man. I have this day suffered many things in a dream because of Him.”

The crowd, spurred on by the chief priests, continued to cry for the release of Barabbas. Seeing that they would settle for no less, Pilate had Jesus scourged with a cat of nine tails. Soldiers made a crown of thorns and pressed it upon His brow, and a purple robe was wrapped around His body as they jeered Him with “Hail, King of the Jews!” Some slapped Him with their hands. Thinking the crowd’s thirst for blood would by then be appeased, Pilate brought Jesus, in His purple robe and crown of thorns, His face bloody and His back both bloody and bruised from the brutal beating, before the mob and said, “Behold the man!” “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” was their response.

Disgusted and desperate, Pontius Pilate sent for a basin of water to be brought, and he dipped his hands into the water before the chief priests, declaring that he would not be responsible further for what would happen to this innocent man. “I find no fault in Him.” “His blood be upon us and upon our people,” the Jews shouted.

Once more, Pilate questioned Jesus: “Whence art Thou?” No answer came forth.

Pilate: “Why aren’t you answering me—don’t you know that I have power to crucify you or to release you?”

Jesus: “You could have no power except it were given thee from above.”

(To be continued)

Since 20 centuries separate us in time from the events that occurred when Jesus was crucified, it might be helpful for us to retrace His steps, through a compilation of the gospel accounts, the final steps of our Savior that led Him to Calvary. In so doing I believe we will have a greater appreciation for what He did for us the day He died. Let’s walk where Jesus walked the last 24 hours of His earthly life.

It began on Thursday afternoon, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, better known as Passover. As was the custom, the Passover meal would be eaten in the evening with family or close friends, so, on that Thursday afternoon, Jesus’ disciples began to ask Him where they could prepare the Passover so that they could eat together.  Jesus told them to go into the city where they would meet a man bearing a pitcher of water. They were to follow the man to his house and then say to the Goodman (Butler): “The Master saith, my time is at hand: I will keep the Passover at thy house. Where is the Guest chamber that I may eat the Passover with my disciples?” Jesus assured them that they would be shown a large upper room that was already furnished. “There make ready for us,” He told the disciples. They went and did as He commanded, and finding the man and the house and the room, they made ready the Passover meal.

By Thursday evening the meal had been prepared and Jesus was gathered in the Upper Room with the 12 Apostles to eat the Last Supper. Sitting at the table with them, Jesus said, “With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” Taking bread, Jesus blessed it and brake it and gave it to the Disciples, saying, “Take, eat, this is my body which is given for you. This do in remembrance of me.” Next, taking the cup, He gave thanks again and then passing it to them said, “This cup is the New Testament in my blood which is shed for you.” In those words, the Lord Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper which New Testament churches everywhere have been commanded to keep until He comes again.

Rising from the table, Jesus took a towel and a basin of water and began to wash the feet of His Disciples. Peter protested, but Jesus overruled his protest declaring, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” Peter then asked His Lord to wash not his feet only but his hands and head also. The spiritual meaning of this very act Jesus then revealed by assuring the Disciples that he who had been washed spiritually—that is cleansed by the washing of water by the Word, or as He told Nicodemus, “Born again,” needed never again to be washed all over, or “saved” again, but he only needed to be cleansed or restored to fellowship through confession of sin, and this restoration or cleansing was represented by the washing of the feet of the Disciples by Jesus.

It was at that moment that the Lord, knowing that His betrayer was still with them, became troubled in spirit and announced to His Disciples that one of them would betray Him, and that it was one whose hand was at that very moment on the table! Consternation swept through the room. In sorrow and amazement, the Disciples began to look at one another wondering which of them would dare do such a dark deed. Peter motioned to John who sat next to Jesus, asking him to enquire of the Master who the betrayer would be. Jesus replied, “He is he to whom I shall give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” Then, dipping the sop, Jesus gave it to Judas Iscariot with the command, “What thou doest, do quickly.” Judas abruptly got up and went out into the night to seek those with whom he would conspire.

The Devil having departed, Jesus was left alone with the 11 in the Upper Room. In the few hours that followed, the Master shut the world out and drew to Himself those 11 men who would form the foundation of the Church that would bear His name and of which He would be the chief cornerstone. He taught them that night many precious truths concerning the Holy Spirit whom He would send to be with them after He departed. “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come unto you,” He promised. And again, “Nevertheless, I tell you, it is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart I will send Him unto you.” Precious moments of learning and loving were spent in the Upper Room that night, and just before Jesus was to conclude His famous discourse (John 17) He turned His eyes toward Heaven and prayed what we now call His great Intercessory Prayer: “Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son that Thy Son may glorify Thee. I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world; Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou has given me that they may be one as we are one…Father, I will that they also… may behold My glory which Thou hast given Me, for Thou lovest me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hast not known Thee: but I have known Thee, and these have known that Thou hast sent Me.”

Having finished that great prayer, Matthew says,” When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.”

Making their way toward the Mt. of Olives, nearing the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus startled the eleven when He announced, “All of you shall be offended because of Me tonight.” He then went on and predicted His death and subsequent resurrection. When He was finished, it was Peter who broke the long silence: “Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, I shall not be offended!” And, lovingly, Jesus said to the well-meaning Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you to sift you as wheat, but I have prayed for you that thy faith fail not.” “Lord,” Peter said with fervor, “I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!” Just before they reached the Garden, Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Peter, before the cock crows twice this night, thou shalt deny me three times.” “No, Lord, though I should die with Thee, yet I shall never deny Thee.” Ten other disciples, in a chorus of assent, affirmed that they, like Peter, would never deny their Lord.

Coming now to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus said to His followers, “Sit here, while I go yonder to pray.” Then, beckoning to Peter, James and John, Jesus went on ahead and, as Matthew tells us, He became very sorrowful and heavy. “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here and watch with me.” Going about a stone’s cast further, Jesus fell upon His face and prayed, “Oh, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from Me, nevertheless, not My will be done, but Thine.”

Coming back He found the three disciples asleep. He wakened them and asked them again to watch and pray, and again Jesus went back to His place of prayer. Luke, the beloved physician, tells us that an angel came from heaven and strengthened Jesus, for He was in great agony of spirit, and as He prayed His sweat was, as it were, great drops of blood falling to the ground.

Three times Jesus returned to His select inner circle of three disciples, only to find them asleep each time in spite of His warning to watch and pray lest they fall into temptation. Upon finding them sleeping the third time, Jesus said, “Rise up, let us go: Lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.”

A noise and lights appeared in the dark distance and soon the clanging of swords and flames of torches and lanterns was heard and seen. A band of men and officers sent from the chief priest, with lanterns, torches, swords and staves, led by Judas Iscariot, was coming to the place where Jesus was concluding His early morning prayer time. As they approached, Jesus said, “Whom do ye seek?” to which they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said, “I am He,” and when He said those words the soldiers fell to the ground. Again, Jesus said, “Whom do ye seek?” and again they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth.”

(To Be Continued)

I received a call yesterday from a man who, as a homeless teenager grew up in our church, taken in and cared for by different families. Charles had been saved through the bus ministry of a church on Indy’s west side, but he ended up at Thompson Road Baptist Church soon thereafter, riding one of our church busses to Sunday School. His mother had died and his dad was a “no show” leaving Charles to fend for himself as he bounced around from “pillar to post” until he met up with a cadre of compassionate people at our church who pretty much took him in, providing necessities, helping him to eventually get a car and some employment. He would in time marry, have children of his own and move on in life and until the call yesterday we had pretty much lost touch.  He had sent a message through our church secretary that he needed to talk to me or to my son-in-law and that he was at a very low point. I called his number and learned that in his words his body was collapsing. He could not get out of bed, he was blind and though he had seen doctors nothing had helped him, so he wanted to ask me that “if it happens, would you be able…I have heard that you have cancer, but I want you to…if you can.” Well, I have been in ministry long enough to fill in the blanks, knowing that “if it happens,” meant if I die and “would you be able to” meant “to do my funeral.” I told him that “if and when it happens,” depending upon where I am in my treatments and progress, I would do what I could. We prayed and when we had said good-bye and I put the phone down, I reviewed in my mind the really hard times that once homeless teenager has had most all of his life. Then, my thoughts went to so many others that I knew were hurting in various and sundry ways and my heart was heavy with the burden of so many suffering folks.  That’s why, when I received an encouraging text message from a friend this morning, who also has recently suffered the loss of a loved one, the verse that was shared in the text message was so uplifting. I’d like to pass it along to you, too:

“For David speaketh concerning Him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: therefore, did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover, also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou will not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with Thy countenance.” (Acts 2:25-28) That will brighten any day for any soul weighed down with life’s cares!

Update:  Most of you are aware that in late January I was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the blood that has no known cause nor cure.  Since then, I have entered into an aggressive treatment regimen, since there has been considerable success in getting people with this disease into “remission.” My treatments are moving along, consisting of some powerful chemo therapies and gradually my outlook is improving. We hear from people every day who assure us of their prayers and the Lord has given to us the best doctors that are specialists in this type of cancer.  With His presence and promises, we are hopeful that God will allow me to preach again and to continue to do some writing. It may be a few months yet that remission is achieved if indeed it is, so I just wanted to thank you for your prayers and give you a brief update.  I saw a cancer specialist at Indiana University hospital this past Tuesday who is recognized as one of the best doctors in this field and who agreed to look at my case and render a “2^nd opinion.” Having studied what I had been through to date by way of treatments and progress, he said, “Well, we (doctors) do not have the final say in these matters, but as far as myeloma is concerned, I see no reason why you cannot live as long as your father did.” He had my family history before him and was aware that my dad lived to be 94 before dying of “old age!” That was an encouraging doctor’s visit.  I expressed my gratitude for good doctors, then shared with him and his nurses present that my ultimate trust was in the “Great Physician,” pointing heavenward as I concluded my brief testimony. I have enjoyed near perfect health all of my adult life, taking no meds for anything until this hit me out of the blue, so it is a totally different ball game for me. I will be 80 if I live a few more months and am ready to meet my Lord, but would like, if He wills, to be able to hang around to be of whatever help I can be to my beloved wife of 56 years.  Thank you all for your continued prayers!

And, thank you for following my penned thoughts through “You and God” each Tuesday and Thursday. I will soon have been at this venture for two years. At the conclusion of each post, if you scroll down, you will come to the archives of all the 200 plus posts that I have written to date.  Thank you for sharing these, too, with your friends. Beginning with my next post, Lord willing, I am going to do a three-part series on the events which are recorded in the gospels detailing the last week of our Lord’s life on earth, culminating in Calvary’s cruelty and crucifixion and then three days after Jesus died and was buried, the glorious resurrection. This will be a bit different than a regular post, but I pray it will prepare our hearts for the celebration of another Easter Sunday which is less than two weeks away.

Thanks for reading and thanks to those who from time to time reply to me with a thought about something you were blessed by in one of the “You and God” posts!