Only Love Remains

It is amazing that Jesus after resurrection still carried the marks of his crucifixion on his new body (John 20:24-27). This death defying, wall penetrating, heaven ascending powerful new body carried only those marks from his old body that spoke of his obedience to God and self sacrificial love for others. As Paul says in 1Corinthians 13:8, only love never ends. It always remains. A good reminder for us who seek after things of this world. Nothing remains. Our degrees, our wealth, our beauty, our social status, our stocks and bonds will one day cease to be nothing. Ecclesiastes 5:15 reminds us of this fact. It says, "As they came from their mothers womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands."  The only thing that does follow us into our after life is our love for God and others. Let us remember that as we hear these words tonight: This is my body broken for you...

Why the Blood?

In Exodus 12 we read about the first Passover and God's instruction to the Israelites to put blood on the doorposts as a sign for God so that when God passes over Egypt no plague would come upon the Israelites (13). Someone asked a very good question. Did an all knowing God need a sign of blood on door posts to know?  I would argue that the blood marking was more for Israelites than for God. It reminded the Israelites that they were no more righteous than the Egyptians. It is the blood that protected them and not any inherent righteousness. As God's judgment passed over Egypt, the Israelites were protected by the blood Moses also reminds them in Deuteronomy 9:4-5 that it was not because of their righteousness that God has been gracious and generous towards them. The Bible is about God's grace from the beginning to the end. The same is true of the blood spilled for our sin on the Good Friday. It is not any inherent righteousness on our part that makes us deserving of God's grace, but it is the blood offered for us that makes all the difference. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!

On the Way to Easter

Mark 8:27-10:52 is known as the travel narrative of Jesus. Disciples are on the way with Jesus to Jerusalem for the last time, and three times Jesus mentions his suffering and the disciples fail to grasp what it means to follow Jesus.

First of all, in Mark 8: 27-37 we read that on the way with Jesus, even though Peter declares Jesus as the messiah he fails to grasp Jesus' suffering. When Jesus mentions his suffering Peter rebukes him. For Peter messiah, the king of Israel is supposed to win victories,  and not suffer and die. Peter had a worldly view of things that hindered his understanding of the divine plan of God that was about to unfold through the cross. Jesus rebukes him in return, and explains to the disciples that following Jesus means denying the right to be in control over one's life. It means taking up the cross. That is living by God's will for one's life even if it leads to suffering just as Jesus did. As Jesus explained, in order to have the eternal life that we all desperately seek we have to be willing to lose our earthly lives for him. A paradox!

Secondly, in Mark 9:30-37 we read that on the way to with Jesus, Jesus once again mentions his suffering. But the disciples still do not get it. In utter shameful contrast they argue about who was the greatest. Since Peter, James and John had the sacred privilege of witnessing Jesus' transfiguration (Mark 9:2-8) they must have thought that they were better than others. But Jesus tells them in order to be first in the kingdom of God they have to be the last, a servant of all. After all, according to Jesus, God identifies with the children who were regarded as the powerless nobodies, the last in that culture. Another paradox!  

Thirdly, in Mark10:32-45 we read that on the way with Jesus, Jesus yet again mentions in vivid details his suffering. The disciples still do not get it. Yet again in contrast James and John who witnessed Jesus' transfiguration ask that they be placed in positions of power when Jesus is enthroned. Therefore once n tells them that following Jesus means participating in his suffering. It means to give up the worldly notion  of power and success and become a servant of all. After all, Jesus the Son of Man, a powerful divine being according to Daniel 7, came to serve and not to be served. Yet another paradox!

We Christians are all on the way with Jesus, because this Christian life is a journey. But do we get  what it means to follow a suffering God? Intellectually maybe, but existentially?