An Easter Reflection ...
A brief look at two journeys and an amazing sequel. There are a few Bible passages to read if you want to and a couple of songs to listen too, grab a coffee, Tea or whatever and spend a few moments reflecting on what Easter is all about.
Jesus’
triumphal entry into Jerusalem seems like the pinnacle in his mission and
ministry. Hailed, welcomed, palm branches laid before him as he walked in with
his followers. Yet only a few days later he was to take another walk, with many
of the same people baying for his death.
Matthew 21:1-11 The triumph
Palm Sunday and Jesus entry into Jerusalem on a donkey. In these few
verses a lot is happening, and there are some clues there about what was going on. I
wonder what Jesus was thinking at the time. What were his disciples thinking?
What would we have been thinking if we were them?
Jesus asked
some of his disciples to go and fetch a donkey. It is unlikely that the owner
would have lightly let go an animal which was valuable to them and yet, that’s
exactly what Jesus expected to happen. If you were those disciples, what would
you have thought? The disciples did as Jesus asked, any fears they had of
trouble getting the donkey went and the donkey was taken to Jesus. Why a
donkey, why ride and not walk as he had done previously?
All questions
that disciples may have been pondering. But as the prophet Zechariah had said –
the king would come riding on a donkey. This was how the kings of Israel
travelled, it marked the coming of a king – in humility and peace. As we travel
with Jesus, we know that he had given up his position and adopted that of a
man. Paul reminds as of this in Philippians 2:6-7
Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be
used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being
made in human likeness.
Imagine the
excitement as the disciples took all of this on board – Jesus, their teacher,
prophet. The one that they had stated was the son of God, the Messiah – now
arriving in Jerusalem on a donkey and being hailed by crowds. Palm branches and
cloaks were laid on the road for Jesus to ride over. A sign of homage and
respect for this man. It was all happening as they had hoped.
And then to top it all shouts of acclamation.
Hosanna! “Save now” a plea from an oppressed people to their saviour for
deliverance. A call to acclaim Jesus as Messiah? The shout proclaiming Jesus as
the Son of David. The one who like David the people expected God to send and
restore them, remove them from the yolk of Roman occupation and make them great
again. I wonder how much the disciples were caught up in this, how much would
we have been caught up in it? Yet Jesus had told his close disciples that he must
die and rise again and that was why he was going to Jerusalem.
All was not as it seemed. Yes, he was going to
save. But not in the manner that they expected and not just saving them but
providing salvation for all humanity.
Mark 15:12-22
The Tragedy
Now lets us
jump forwards some days to the end of the week. The atmosphere was so
different. Jesus had been arrested, tried after a fashion and the religious
authorities had convinced the Roman governor to execute Jesus.
We pick up the
account with the disciples nowhere to be seen, the crowd shouting to make the
governor do what they wanted – they could not execute Jesus, but the governor
could. Just as fear had caused the disciples to vanish at Gethsemane, fear of
the crowd overrode Pilates desire to free Jesus.
The one
acclaimed as Messiah, King of the Jews, son of David, the one who would save
them, now treated as a common criminal. How would you have felt watching this?
Watching, the disciples and followers of Jesus
would have seen his mistreatment, flogged by the Romans, often done to weaken
the victim before crucifixion. The road of suffering. (I like this song as a reflection on this - Via dolorosa)
He was Jeered, mocked, spat on and abused,
prepared for the walk of shame.
Half a mile or so, from the Praetorium to the
hill where Jesus would be killed. Half a mile in which in his weakened state,
the disciples would have seen that someone else had to carry the wood that
Jesus was to be nailed to. Half a mile walking through a crowd in which many
wanted him dead, others, maybe some his disciples wondering what was going on.
All their hopes, expectations, dying with Jesus. Couldn’t he save himself from
this? Jesus took it all, walking that road, knowing what he had come to earth to
do and was bringing to its conclusion.
Imaging
watching Jesus Walk or possibly stagger as if carrying an immense weight,
that half mile to Golgotha, bearing the crown of his tormentors, made of thorns
to mock him and further injure him. And at the end of the road, the place where
it would be finished. Again, all was not as it seemed.
Where would we
be in the narrative? Carried by the crowd? Finding it hard to take on board?
Excited? Fearful? Questioning?
Matthew 28:1-6 A New Beginning ( A Song to reflect with)
He has risen! These words may mean something to you or they mean seem like fantasy.
If they are fantasy or just wrong as far as you can understand, I hope that reading this will have given you something to consider. Things are not always what we think. Maybe explore a bit further with a local church group - Alpha, Christianity Explored or one of the many other ways to look deeper. Or read one of the bible accounts - Matthew, Mark, Luke or John.
If "He has Risen" means something let me ask, can you remember the first time that those words meant
something to you? For some of us that was a long time back, for others not so
far back. Why do I ask? Well consider for a moment the women who went to the
tomb, their expectation was to find the stone in place that covered it, their
expectation was to finish preparing Jesus for lying permanently in the
tomb. But their expectations went out of the window as they arrived.
Earthquake, the stone rolled away, the guards terrified, what
was going on? Who were this heavenly being before them, where was Jesus? Then they heard these amazing words “He is not here, He has
risen”! What did they think, feel?
So, what did you feel when those words first held significance
for you, when you first believed the truth of them. That this man Jesus, who
had been brutally killed, crucified and certified dead, then buried, was no
longer dead, but alive?
When you say those words does a little tingle go down your
spine? Does your heart leap with joy? Do you want to go and shout it to the
world at large? “He has risen”.
For me, it meant the many of my life’s reference points had
been in the wrong place. I was amazed and overjoyed that this had been done for
me. I still am. I hope that feeling of joy and amazement will never leave me.
Jesus resurrection cemented God’s promise that all who believe
in Jesus will also rise to glory one day. Death overcome, sin defeated and
humanity offered freedom and relationship with God, through Jesus.
He is risen our watch phrase, our encouragement, our spur to
do as the disciples did in those early days – light a fire in the world fuelled
by God’s love, a fire that will burn brightly and draw many to salvation,
because He is Risen!.
Have a Happy and Blessed Easter.
