Peculiar Perspectives

Passage:  “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this:  to testify to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice….What is truth? said Pilate.” John 18:37-38

Easter - The celebration that falls on a different Sunday each year. Sometimes it comes in March; sometimes in April.  We never know if it will still have the chill of winter or the warmth of spring. 

Even though this is a distinctively Christian celebration, the marketing world still has to bring on the eggs and chocolate bunnies.  I have no problem with chocolate but I have to say if that’s all we associate with Easter we are completely missing the point!

The cross is that beautiful, horrible symbol for us as believers.  I can’t read the scripture that describes the treatment of Jesus before and during his crucifixion without being completely broken.  As I recently reread this event in the gospel of John I am reminded of different perspectives of this same event. 

The apostles (minus Judas) either went running or followed tentatively only to deny any association with Him.  John is the only disciple we know that was at the cross.  The high priests are sadly disgusting as in John 18 they brought Jesus to the governor’s headquarters but didn’t enter ‘otherwise they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover.’  There were much bigger problems than eating Passover as they were offering up the true Passover Lamb.  Pilate is somewhat confused and also spineless as he asks Jesus “What is truth?” then washed his hands of Him.  The crowds instead of waving palm branches were enraged asking for a notorious criminal over the Son of God.  Their perspective had certainly changed.  Mary and some other women were completely heartbroken as they cried at the cross.  After Jesus died, even though they didn’t understand Joseph and Nicodemus were merciful.  There was no one who was there who could see anything but the horror of the cross.  The price for sin was ugly and horrific.

Jesus knew what was on the other side of the cross.  While He was fully human, He hurt, He bled, and He died.  His perspective as fully God was an eternal one. His perspective was that they would have no authority over Him at all if it had not been give to them from above (John 14:11).  His love for a lost world trumped every lash, every slap, every nail, every thorn, and every piercing. 

When the women exclaimed three days later “We have seen the LORD!” the perspective of Jesus’ followers changed and from that moment until now we celebrate the risen Christ!  Jesus said “Because you have seen Me, you have believed.  Those who believe without seeing are blessed!” (John 20:29)

LORD, how can we ever thank You enough for the salvation of the cross and the power of the resurrection.  May our perspective, our eyes ever be on You!”