OzThoughts – Tuesday, 14th April 2009

OzThoughts – Tuesday, 14th April 2009

Jesus never discussed the pain he suffered on the cross. At least, if he did, the Gospel writers never recorded it.

The pain is foretold by Isaiah in his well known description of the Suffering Servant in Chapter 53. The people of Jesus day knew the suffering of crucifixion first hand. Mel Gibson and many others have imagined it. Many have portrayed it and described it in as many ways.

However, as Isaiah says like a sheep before his shearers is dumb, so he did not open his mouth. He did not open His mouth after His resurrection either. He did not bleat like a lamb for its mother, but we know He did communicate with His Heavenly Father.

I think the closest He got to talking about His suffering was asking Thomas, the Doubter, to look at His hands and the wound in his side. I think it would have stopped right there. Thomas would have been too embarrassed to look. Thomas would have known Jesus right then without looking.

Jesus did what had to be done. He had to do His Father’s will. He had to suffer and die to pay the penalty for our sin. He went to the Cross, sadly but also gladly. He suffered, He bore the pain, He died, and He has the scars.

Nowhere, from His first words to the women in the garden, or then to the Disciples on the various occasions, He did not recount the suffering or the cost. He was alive and He lived to prepare them for the future.

I drew two thoughts from this. One was that maybe we spend too much time recounting and recounting the problems of the past.

We can be like an author promoting a new book going from interview to interview telling the same little stories. The little stories of the past become the world view of us. When we should be rejoicing in a new life, we are telling old stories. We might ask what is the value in retelling the old stories of our hurts and failures. Is this a really therapy or just a diversion from moving on?

The other thought was just that. We must move on by rejoicing in the new life. Look to the future. Seek God’s will for the future. Set some plans. Having thanked God for dealing with the past, get on with the future plans He has for us.


PRAYER:

Thank you Heavenly Father for your forgiveness of the past and that Jesus shows me life. Help me to seek and do your will today. Amen.

Arise, my soul, arise,
Shake off they guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice
In my behalf appears;
Before the throne my surety stands,
My name is written on his hands.

He ever lives above
For me to intercede,
His all-redeeming love,
His precious blood to plead;
His blood atoned for all our race
And sprinkles now the throne of grace.

Five bleeding wounds he bears,
Received on Calvary;
They pour effectual prayers,
They strongly plead for me.
Forgive him, O forgive, they cry,
Nor let that ransomed sinner die.

The Father hears him pray,
His dear anointed one;
He cannot turn away
The presence of his Son;
His Spirit answers to the blood
And tells me I am born of God.

My God is reconciled,
His pardoning voice I hear;
He owns me for his child,
I can no longer fear;
With confidence I now draw nigh
And Father, Abba Father! cry.
Author: Charles Wesley (1707-88)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 106

John 20:11-18 (The Message)
11-13But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept, she knelt to look into the tomb and saw two angels sitting there, dressed in white, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus' body had been laid. They said to her, "Woman, why do you weep?"
13-14"They took my Master," she said, "and I don't know where they put him." After she said this, she turned away and saw Jesus standing there. But she didn't recognize him.
15Jesus spoke to her, "Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking for?"
She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, "Mister, if you took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him."
16Jesus said, "Mary."
Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" meaning "Teacher!"
17Jesus said, "Don't cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, 'I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God.'"
18Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to the disciples: "I saw the Master!" And she told them everything he said to her.

John 20:19-31 (The Message)
19-20 Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you." Then he showed them his hands and side.
20-21 The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus repeated his greeting: "Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you."
22-23 Then he took a deep breath and breathed into them. "Receive the Holy Spirit," he said. "If you forgive someone's sins, they're gone for good. If you don't forgive sins, what are you going to do with them?"
24-25 But Thomas, sometimes called the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We saw the Master."
But he said, "Unless I see the nail holes in his hands, put my finger in the nail holes, and stick my hand in his side, I won't believe it."
26 Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, "Peace to you."
27 Then he focused his attention on Thomas. "Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don't be unbelieving. Believe."
28 Thomas said, "My Master! My God!"
29 Jesus said, "So, you believe because you've seen with your own eyes. Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing."
30-31 Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal life in the way he personally revealed it.



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