Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Remember

Good Friday is nearly here and I am aware that too often we rush to the joy of Easter without some sober remembering of what happened that day.

My good friend Bill says that a big part of worship is remembering, remembering what we learn God has done in Scripture and what He has done for each of us personally. Hopefully those two knowings don't reside separately but rather reside intertwined in a way that draws us deeper into Him, into the awe of intimacy with the God who spoke all of this into existence.

I want to remember and honor what that Friday was so long ago, what it must have felt for His disciples and for those that loved Him. I also want to remember and honor the high cost the Incarnate God paid for my entrance, my adoption into His family.

I want to remember how, in the end of John 14, He says to the remaining 11, "Let's go".  He was a man facing a horror none of us can imagine and I am sure He, as fully man, must have felt sick to His stomach, but He gathered up His band of followers and heads out for Gethsemane.

I want to remember how His heart desired to be attended by His dearest friends as He prayed there in the garden. I want to remember how He must have felt disappointed in those that could not stay awake as He prayed.

I want to remember His words pleading for this "cup" to be taken from Him but His submission, "Not my will, but yours". I want to remember He sweat drops of blood due to the anguish headed His way.

I want to remember that upon seeing the band headed to arrest Him, led by Judas, He asks peacefully, "Who do you seek" and when they say, "Jesus of Nazareth", He answered with the deep dignity of choice, "I am him who you seek".  It is such a bold statement they have to ask again.

I want to remember Judas' kiss of betrayal and the scattering of all but a couple of disciples.

I want to remember the three trials, the questions and His willingness to hand Himself over to Rome.

I want to remember His beating, being spit upon, the scourging and the crown of mocking thornes He wore on His way carrying the instrument of His death, the cross.

I want to remember the nails, His nakedness, His suffering, His final words.

I want to remember and show solidarity with those who've gone before.  I am thinking here of those gathered that day in the shadow of the cross, those that loved Jesus and could not believe what was happening. Could not believe it and yet could not set aside the fact He was hanging right before them dying as they wept in grief, shock and horror.

Yes, we know how this all ends, and in a few days they will as well, but I think it is important to remember that day as it was and identify with those that loved Jesus who had yet to fathom the next few days and the coming resurrection.

I also think about those who may have been smiling at the demise of the itinerate preacher who would not go away.  The Pharisees had been plotting for some time for this day and it could not have worked out better for them.  I doubt they were whoopin' and hollerin', that kind of behavior was beneath them, but sly smiles amongst themselves as they continued to whip the observant crowd into a frenzy would not be beneath them.

There probably were some there who were whoopin' and hollerin'.  I imagine a whole host in the unseen world who gleefully watched this man's death. They might have been dancing around the foot of that cross. They thought they'd won.

Nowhere are we instructed to observe Good Friday in any particular manner. However, I do want to remind myself again of what my friend Bill teaches, remembering is a large part of worship. Traditionally we set aside one evening to remember with some sober respect the high cost paid for our redemption.  It really comes down to perhaps one hour or 90 minutes out of an entire year where we corporately try to absorb what that day meant for the one suffering on our behalf and to show solidarity with those who loved Him and who were caught up as they watched Him die.

I remember with a sober respect what was done for us, and I also remember to show solidarity with those grieving that day.