This Good Friday, I got to witness a local small-town church
put on a live-action performance of some of the traditional “Stations of the
Cross”, reenacting different stories that took place along Christ’s journey
from His “trial” to His death. Shivering
teenagers braved the brisk winds in their tunics. The red feathers on Roman
centurion helmets fluttered in the breeze… and in the middle of it all, there
stood 3 main figures: A Nike-shoed Jesus figure (beard, fake blood, the crown
of the thorns, the works), the church minister (a proclaimer of the gospel),
and a church deacon to read the scriptures.
In the background stood the few community Christians who came together
to watch the action…and in the far distance stood a lone cameraman covering the
event for the small-town 5:00 news.
Each player in this public community display walked from
station to station, with the small crowd following. The path marked out paralleled
along the sidewalk of the town’s main drive, all the way back to the church.
The voice of the read scripture was quiet, barely heard. The minister, also
barely heard, told of what this read word means to our lives… and all in the
middle of an otherwise busy street on a typical small-town afternoon.
As I observed this, I couldn't help but think that there has
got to be some sort of metaphor here
for contemporary Christianity. In the midst of a noisy, everyday secular life
stands 3 major players: Jesus Christ Himself, the Word of God, and the faithful
proclaimer of that word (aka your local evangelical church pastor). Walking
behind these down the road are the small remnant of believers who choose, in
spite of what others may think of them, to publicly follow all three…
all the way to the Cross. The disciples didn’t do that (save John). The throngs
of people shouting “Hosanna” and the hundreds who were healed didn’t do that.
Yet, the faithful remnant, by the power and leading of the Holy Spirit, follow
Christ, his word, and biblical teaching to the letter every day (or at least they
should).
Then there are those who “while seeing, do not see” (Matt.
13:13). First, you have the “cameramen” of the world….those who follow Jesus,
but only to the extent where they can take the true gospel of Christ home with
them, to later edit it… thereby not only polishing it up but also removing any
parts of it that might be disagreeable to the masses; parts that might make
them “uncomfortable”. Finally, there are the others into whose context this
drama of redemption is inserted. Some might slow down long enough to catch a
glimpse in their rear-view mirror. Others might drive on by, just rolling their
eyes. Still others might rev there massive truck engines as a cruel mocking joke
(yes, that actually happened).
The drama, however, remain unphased by all of these. There
were many who, by their noise… by their deception… by their critiques… by their
unbelief… tried to silence this divine drama when it played out 2,000 years ago.
Today, there are still those who seek to do the same, and the voice of
opposition grows ever stronger. But the drama of redemption rolls along
unphased. Jesus Christ’s divine sacrifice on the cross stands in the public
square… fully visible to anyone who
will stop long enough to see it… and yet so many don’t. Many will stop only
long enough to smile and say “Well isn’t that nice?” or “I wish these nut jobs
would stay indoors”, never truly taking part in the painful drama that was
played out on their behalf. When
Jesus said “Take up YOUR cross and follow me”, He was talking about dying with Him; about walking the same
road HE walked. But, for many, that’s by far too uncomfortable… that requires
far too much commitment… that requires way too much sacrifice.
Many “believers” are happy to watch their kids wave branches
in church on Palm Sunday… and many more are pleased sing and dance and smile
and rejoice with the happy, resurrected Jesus in the pews on Easter morning…. And
yet, MANY Good Friday services sit 95% empty. Why is that? The answer goes so
much deeper than “It’s hard cuz work during the week”. Could it be because no one truly wants to think about the Jesus on
the cross? Could it be because it is our guilt
and shame that held Him there and we’re too afraid to even think about it, let
alone confess it? And yet, we have the nerve
to call it GOOD Friday?
Good Friday can only be good
if all three players in the divine drama are present, each with their own
special benefit for your life. I have no doubt that many Christians are willing
to focus on Jesus (resurrected or otherwise). But where are all those same
Christians to be found when it’s time to listen to (aka study) God’s words in
the Bible? Where are those same Christians when it’s time to listen to the man
called by God to proclaim His word from the pulpit, in order to help you learn
and grow in righteousness? And where are those same Christians when the
opportunities of life call for you to pick up your cross… to come and die to
yourself … in order to find yourself buried and raised in your Savior? Those Christians are nowhere to be found…
because they let the busy noise of everyday life… the distractions of a loudly
sinful culture… and the cold winds of discomfort for publicly following Him
overwhelm them… Most importantly, they take their eyes off the One in the
center.
Many of you know that God said in Psalm 46:10 “Be still (“SHUT UP!” in the Hebrew) and
know that I am God”. Well, if we are going to make this Good Friday GOOD, we
too need to shut up and put Jesus back into the center. We need to strain our
ears and listen intently to the word and its exposition as they are being
proclaimed in the midst of the noise. We need to tune out all other
distractions and never take our eyes off Christ as we follow Him. We must never
seek to edit, change, dilute, or cheapen God’s word or Christ’s gospel (see Revelation
22:18-19). Finally, and with most difficulty, we must take up our cross and die
with Christ… finding true abundant life that He paid the ultimate price to give
us. Then, and only then, can Good
Friday truly be good.
“Though none go with me, still I will follow.
Though NONE go with, still I will
follow.
Though none go with me, still I WILL
follow.
No turning back. NO turning back!”
No comments:
Post a Comment