November 10, 2010 (Mark 15-16, Matthew 27-28, Luke 22-24, John 18-21)

Today's reading was the crucifixion, burial and ressurection of Jesus. I saw a few things I had never seen/thought of before.

Some things never change - some people are convinced more by money, than by truth. The guards placed outside the tomb witnessed the angel rolling away the stone, and reported it to the officials. I have to imagine they were overwhelmed by what they had seen. But, they were convinced by a bribe of money to lie. Human nature has not changed. Bribes worked back then, they still work now.

^{Matthew 28:11} As the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and told the leading priests what had happened. ¹² A meeting with the elders was called, and they decided to give the soldiers a large bribe. ¹³ They told the soldiers, “You must say, ‘Jesus’ disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole his body.’¹⁴ If the governor hears about it, we’ll stand up for you so you won’t get in trouble.” ¹⁵So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today.

Then in Mark I came across the passage I was aware of from before - the one where the angel said the following:

^{Mark 16:5} When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, ⁶ but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. ⁷ Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.”

God knew that Peter, because of his failure, would no longer feel like a disciple and would no longer feel worthy. But a passage I had never seen before was this:

^{LUK3 24:33} And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven disciples and the others who had gathered with them, ³⁴ who said, “The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter.”

Jesus Himself paid a special visit to Peter. This is the only mention of it - so we don't know what was said. But from personal experience I know that after failure, the only way to truly forgive oneself is to personally hear from God.

This next passage reminded me of things that are happening today in the realm of politics. It seems the loudest voices are the ones that are heard. And the outcome was the death of an innocent man, but that was in fulfillment of Scripture. Perhaps the same is happening today in our time - the loudest voices are the ones that are being heard, but is that in fulfillment of Scripture as well?

^{lUKE 23:23} But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded.

And to end, a verse that rings true today. We don't have the privilege to walk with the visible Christ, but we do have the privilege to walk with the Christ that is revealed to us through His Holy Spirit. May we continue to believe in His word as revealed to us.

^{John 20:29} Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”