Good Friday Surprises
Even on his way to die, Jesus did the unpredictable.
It was a day of surprises, the day Jesus was killed. Luke
recounts eyewitness accounts of that fateful day. In each
case, there is an element of surprise.
It was a surprise for Simon. He was from North Africa, and to
be in Jerusalem for the Passover was a dream come true. But a
surprising thing happened. Jesus stumbled under the weight of
the cross, right in front of him.
Roman soldiers could draft anyone into their service with the
touch of a spear blade. Simon was the closest person, so he
was forced to pick up the cross and carry it, a humiliating
task.
Mark recounts the same story but adds another detail-Simon
was the father of Alexander and Rufus. It's unusual for a
father to be identified by his children, unless the children
are quite famous. By the time Mark's Gospel was circulated,
two of the most famous Christians in all of the empire must
have been Alexander and Rufus.
In Romans 16:13, Rufus is described as the son of a woman whom
the apostle Paul considered his surrogate mother. Put the
pieces together and it's obvious that when Simon returned
home, he told his wife about Christ and the crucifixion. She
became a godly woman and an influence to Paul. Simon told his
sons what he had witnessed, and they became two of the
greatest believers in the first-century church. The surprising
embarrassment Simon endured that day turned out to be a great
good for Simon and his family.
Don't Weep for Me
As Jesus made his way to Golgotha, a group of women followed
him, crying and mourning. In all probability they had never
met Jesus; they were professional mourners who dared to come
out when men were crucified.
They always carried a liquid narcotic to help take the edge
off the excruciating pain that accompanied crucifixion. These
were women who had made this journey often. But this time,
something unexpected happened.
Jesus turned and expressed sympathy for them: "Don't weep for
me; weep for yourselves and your children" (Luke 23:28). He
anticipated a difficult future for them and their children.
I don't think they knew Jesus or they would have quickly
realized that this was just like him. His concern wasn't about
his own pain, but he focused quickly and clearly upon the
problems and pain that others face.
Unforgettable Last Words
The Roman soldiers-Jesus' executioners-had crucified
many men by nailing them to wooden crosses. As the dying men
would scream and suffer, the soldiers would sit at the feet of
the crosses and play games-desensitized to the incessant
curses and pleas. They prided themselves on being people not
caught by surprise. Yet never before had any one of them heard
what Jesus said.
Soon after his hands and feet were nailed to the cross, and it
was lifted into place, Jesus prayed audibly for his
executioners, "Father, forgive them, because they do not know
what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).
It was enough to shock the toughest veteran. So it's no wonder
that when the centurion made his final inspection after Jesus'
death, he said "Surely this was a righteous man" (Luke 23:47).
The forgiveness of Jesus was a surprise then, but it is still
a surprise today. I'm surprised by his forgiveness. He knows
our worst sins so well, yet Jesus' heart still seeks to
forgive.
A Gasp and Celebration
On the day Christ died, the angels must have been struck
speechless at God's sacrifice. But perhaps even more amazing
to them was the conversation between Christ and a common
criminal (Luke 23:42, 43).
For the condemned thief on the cross, time was running out.
Regardless of what he had done before, in the end, he did fear
God. He realized that his judgment after death would be
totally determined by God.
Like the convict on the far side who insulted Jesus (Luke
23:39), this man must have come to the cross with knowledge of
Jesus. He understood Jesus was no criminal. Even more
important, he must have realized Jesus was God's Son who was
headed back home to the paradise from which he had come.
Believing this, the thief decided to make one last request. He
asked Jesus to save him when he arrived back in heaven. What
an interesting contrast between the criminal who mocked Jesus
to save him physically and this man who sought Jesus to save
him spiritually.
Of course, Jesus said yes. He was being crucified for this
very purpose-to save sinners and to promise heaven to all
those who ask.
Two thousand years later, the invitation still stands.
|
