Be With Me: 7 Minutes of Biblical Wonder

We are at the central event of human history.  It is at the central place of human history.  It is at the central time of human history.  (It literally splits time in half as we refer to it:  BC and AD) It is with the central figure of human history, Jesus.  

I wonder who else is there.  Let's make a list!

• Jesus
• the four soldiers and the centurion in charge of the execution
• 2 robbers
• Chief Priests: Ananias and Ciaphas 
• Scribes and Elders
• Some Bystanders and "those who passed by"
• Simon of Cyrene at least at the beginning
• the disciple whom He loved: John
• crowds assembled for the spectacle
• Joseph of Arimethea and Nicodemus at least after death
• maybe Pilate at the beginning
• The daughters of Jerusalem
• Salome: mother of the sons of Zebedee, James and John.  Probably Mary's sister
• Mary, Jesus' mother
• Mary, of Madala
• Mary, mother of another James and Joses also called Joseph
• Mary, wife of Clopas, who might have been the guy on the road to Emmaus

This means, when Jesus speaks to JOHN, his real mother and his new adoptive mother were BOTH there. Join me as we wonder how she feels about this new relationship. I wonder how Mary feels.  I wonder how John feels.  Please share the podcast.

The Cross is the great Grand Central Station of history.  All Scripture intersects there from the Old and New Testament.  People intersect there.

Today, I am struck with how LANGUAGES intersect at the cross.

The troubled Mr. Pilate has one more jab available towards the Jewish leaders. He writes KING OF THE JEWS and has it put on the cross.  Of note today, it is in three languages.  Three!

• Latin: the official Roman language of more recent conquest.
• Greek: the previous Greek Empire language and lingua franca of the day
• Aramaic:  the local, commonly spoken language.  

All this, so nobody could miss it.  Also, your local podcaster finds out why the place is called CALVARY. Listen and hear all the roads leading to the Cross and the place called Calvary.

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One of the Thieves on the (other) cross goes from:

• railing and reviling Jesus 
• Realizing a few things about God.  Probably that He's real, He's there, His judgments are true and just, I am deserving of all that is coming to me.  But too, He might offer grace.
• Repenting.  Oh the rarest of events in the human heart!
• Rebuking the other thief over the top of Jesus
• Requesting of God. It is all we can do.  As opposed to demanding, like the bad thief.
• Requesting that Jesus would REMEMBER ME.  Drop the Mic.  Beautiful
• Rescue!  The 911 call is answered.  You will be with me in paradise today.

Pay close attention today.  Paradise is at stake.  Here's what I know about it for the thief that was stolen back from Satan's oppression:  It was immediate.  It was Paradisey; paradisical.

Whether you are a railer, or a realizer, or a repenter, or a requester of remembering, this Thief is for you.  Thank you for listening and subscribing and then listening again tomorrow.  

So Jesus has the most nasty actions done to Him by the most nasty people.  The big question is: How does He respond?

The Good Book says that God is KIND To the UNGRATEFUL and EVIL.  It is in the context of Jesus delivering the LOVE YOUR ENEMIES concept of Luke 6.  God does this, therefore, so should you. 

So here we are, in the most extreme of circumstances.  Jesus fulfills OT prophesy by INTERCEDING for His transgressors.  He actually prays for them and asks the Father to forgive them.  He is kind.  They are nasty. 

How do they respond? They heap blasphemy upon the crucified Lord:  They MOCK Him.  They respond in the worst way possible...At least at first. Stay tuned.  It does not end here.  Come back tomorrow.  Before you do, write a review on Apple Podcasts.  Share the podcast with your least favorite person.

All the tracks of Scripture run to the Cross.  All the tracks of Scripture run FROM the Cross.

Stuff from the Old Testament is being fulfilled with almost every line of the story of the Cross. Stuff from the New Testament is being seeded here and will be explained later.

The story isn't over for some of our main characters.  There is more to say about the Robbers and the Soldiers.  They, for having a front row seat, (literally the soldiers sit down and watch after the business of getting Jesus on the cross) use it well and do some WONDERING.

And of course, central is Jesus.  He is being reviled, but one of the tracks to 1 Peter tells us exactly what Jesus is doing while He is being reviled:  ENTRUSTING.  Gotta love Jesus.  Gotta worship Him.  

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  Thanks you for walking this walk with me!

The crucifixion process is gruesome.  Today there is spitting, stripping, fake homage, and hitting.

But there is also a HERO of the crucifixion.  Besides Jesus, there is SIMON of Cyrene.  He's just in from N. Africa.  He's just in time for the Passover.  Probably had some trouble on the way. 

Jesus is in real, physical, and practical need.  He's all blood-lossed and weary.  He starts bearing His own cross.  But then He cannot.  He is fully human and the tank is empty.  

Think of this:  your salvation depends on Jesus getting to the cross successfully.  The critical moment of your DEATH depends on Jesus getting to the cross successfully.  Your payment for the debt you cannot pay of sin depends on Jesus getting to the cross successfully.  

Will Jesus make it? NO.  You, me, and world history is in BIG TROUBLE.  Jesus doesn't make it to the cross.  

Except for the rest of the story.  Enter:  SIMON of Cyrene.  This is an amazing story.  Share it by sharing this podcast.  Then, when we get to heaven, let's buy this guy lunch.

Paul Tripp writes that love is defined by an ACTION.  Specifically, THIS ACTION.  The Cross, and all that goes with it.  We should probably study and expose ourselves to it.

Pilate is pulled in multiple directions.

• His Wife writes to have nothing to do with this righteous man.  She has suffered greatly in a dream.
• The Jews vehemently want Jesus crucified, and actions meant to appease them only rile them up further.
• Caesar and Rome and Pilates Job and authority loom in the distance.  This seems to be the trump-card that the Jews eventually play.
• But most of all JESUS.  He is rattled by his previous interaction with Jesus. "Are you the king of the Jews?" A: Who's asking? You personally or you professionally? He is rattled by the note from his wife.  He is rattled by the possibility that this really is "the Son of God."

What Pilate does is not very loving. What Jesus endures, IS LOVING.  Remember, Jesus could have stopped this process at any moment He wished.  But He LOVES.  

I am appreciative.  Humbled.  Worshipful.  Join me in these 7 minutes.  Please share this podcast with someone who needs a little love.  www.bewithme.us

Even before we get to the crucifixion, there are many nastinesses to sit with.  We must sit with "Good Friday" before we get to Easter.  

First let's consider Barabbas.  Notorious. Robber. Murderer. Insurrectionist. Rebel.  Yes, he's the guy we want out amongst us.  Let's put him back into our community.  This is an insult of the highest order to Jesus that he doesn't compare with this cockroach of a man.

Second, let's consider the injustice.  Pilate is perfectly clear: Jesus is innocent.  He says it 3 different times.  Get this: Pilate DESIRED to release Jesus.  That he didn't speaks of why Herod's JOKE of episode #41 was so poignant.  Not guilty. Nothing deserving of death. And yet Pilate DECIDES not to do justice.

Thirdly, the SCOURGING.  This is the most severe, bloody, inhumane, frequently disembowelling, often fatal Roman punishment.  Jesus could have stopped it at blow number 12 with the imbedded bone and metal fragments tearing into Him.

The depth of the suffering=depth of the problem=gloriousness of the remedy.  Gotta look first at the depth of suffering.  That's why this is a horrible podcast.   Keep listening, they aren't all horrible.  www.bewithme.us

Herod and Pilate become BFF (Best Friends Forever) at the end of this story.  It all involves the UNDERSTANDING and sympathy that is demonstrated by a JOKE.  The Joke is an expensive grand gesture, which makes the punchline even stronger.  The joke actually costs Herod something.   I'll bet he thought it was HILARIOUS.  

Unfortunately, the Joke is on Jesus' head and on his back.  He is dressed as a 'king' that neither Herod or Pilate will acknowledge. Worse, there is CONTEMPT: "to show by attitude or manner of treatment that the entity (Jesus) has NO MERIT or WORTH." ie:Jesus is nothing.

What IS acknowledged, IMHO, is Herod saying, "I see you.  I see your situation.  I know that you are in a real pickle here. You have no good options. I see that Jesus is a real political problem for you. Of course neither of us sees Him as guilty, but we are not shooting for justice here.  Even so, I see and understand that you have got a difficult decision on your hands." This is what he is saying by sending Jesus back to him as 'king'. Their enmity turns into BFF because of the joke of Jesus as king.  

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Pilate gets the chance of a lifetime.  He gets to be literally near the kingdom, and the KING.  It rattles him a little bit, but probably not enough.

Pilate inquires as to whether Jesus is KING.  Jesus asks the super-great question in follow-up. He asks, "Do you say this of your own accord, or did others s say it to you about me?"  I think that means, "Are you asking for others, or are you asking for YOURSELF?  Are you personally wrestling whether I am KING? Or are we just talking of you in your role as Roman Governor?"

We all are near to the kingdom.  I know that because you are here reading and listening to this.  So let's go the next step.  Be near.  Be hearers. Be truth seekers.  Be Truth finders.  Let's be like Pilate in some ways:  Inquire PERSONALLY.  But unlike him, let's tell Jesus that He really is King!

Thanks for listening these 7 minutes.  Please Share this podcast with someone in your world.