Monday, February 27, 2012

A Messiah's Death


        Jesus was the only perfect individual to walk on the earth.  He dedicated His life to others.  He taught the people, He ate with the sinners, He made the lame to walk, the blind to see, and He healed the leper.  Despite all of this He was rejected of men.  He was persecuted and hated and eventually was betrayed and killed.  Even His disciples, who by definition, are suppose to follow Him, betrayed and denied Him. 
  The Jews hated Jesus because they feared His influence over the people.  They plotted His demise and eventually found a way through Judas.  Judas was supposed to be Jesus’ disciple.  He had seen the miracles Jesus had performed and heard the lessons Jesus taught and yet was willing to sell Jesus out for literally a few pence.  He even betrayed Jesus with a kiss. 
   What could cause such animosity towards someone as loving and good as Jesus?  Even towards the end of the days He was preaching love towards one another.  John’s gospel does a good job depicting this.  In John 15:13 Jesus says “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  Jesus is the ultimate friend.  He offers His love freely and only asks for one thing in return- that we keep His commandments. 
       It brings great comfort to know that even this perfect individual had enemies.  Jesus says “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”  Jesus was perfect.  He is the Son of God.  He is the Messiah.  He is the savior of the world.  And yet He died between two thieves.  Jesus died the death of a common criminal.  There is no justice on earth, but Jesus did not bring justice- He brought hope. 

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