Things had started well enough. Crowds had flocked to Him—astounded by His miracles (Mark 1:27), amazed at His power and His teaching (Luke 4:36). Soon, however, public sentiment changed.
The religious leaders were first to question His credentials, offended by the company He kept (Mark 2:16) and the “blasphemous” claims He made (Mark 14:64), and stating that the power by which He healed was from “Satan” (Mark 3:22). His neighborhood “scoffed” at Him (Mark 6:3). His synagogue tried to kill Him (Luke 4:29), and even His family felt embarrassed by His actions and antics (Mark 3:21). By the end of His days He’d been betrayed by a disciple (Luke 22:4), disowned by a friend (Luke 22:60), deserted by His followers (Mark 14:50), cursed by a criminal (Luke 23:39), and faced the abandonment of His Father (Mark 15:34).
Now we find Him in darkness—cold and alone, naked, and exposed, abandoned by all on a cross of shame. The crowd’s hollow praise has fallen silent, His followers’ loyalty pledges have proven false. Those He’d fed, befriended, healed, and forgiven are nowhere to be seen. All that remains is the muffled sniggers from His betrayers, the whimpers of His grief-stricken mother, and the murmurs of soldiers.
A “political disturber” quashed. A “blasphemous healer” silenced. A darkened sky. A tear from heaven. The sins of the world resting on the shoulders of a man.
Would I have mourned for Jesus, or scoffed? Would I have stayed “uninvolved” or, like the centurion, lamented His wrongful death? (Luke 23:47).
The one thing I know is that I would have abandoned Jesus too. And that makes His death for my sins so much more amazing.
More:
Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down. . . . He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed (Isaiah 53:4-5).
Next:
Picture yourself at Jesus’ crucifixion. Where are you in the crowd, and what are you saying? What is Jesus saying to you?
Soldier4Christ on January 2, 2011 at 7:29 am
I too would have abandoned Jesus. I know that I am weak and without Him I am nothing. It breaks my heart to think that He loved me so much that He was willing to die for my sins even though He knew who I was and the things I would do before I was even born. I pray that in 2011 I can live up to the resolution to pursue Christ more in my life, and that He will be number 1. I can think of so many times in my life where I have given Him crumbs instead of the whole loaf. That needs to change in 2011.
Jim Winter on January 2, 2011 at 7:51 am
Soldier, So well put. I also feel weak and committed to better and more powerful relationship with my Lord. Thank you so much ODJ for this site to help me on my journey.
God Bless All,
Jim
kram4mark on January 2, 2011 at 1:56 pm
All comments are very well said and even though I dont want to admit it I probably would have abandoned Him too even though I am a strong believer today. I need to be on my knees more than on my feet.
Forgive me Father for all my shortcomings for they are many. In Jesus’ Name Amen
AManofGod on January 2, 2011 at 5:17 pm
I hate to admit it but I too doubt I have the
“intestinal fortitude” to stand true and NOT abondon Jesus. It’s difficult to do the right thing in the face of such numbers! I am sure others felt then the way we feel now as we read this post.
The great news is that Jesus is so much stronger than we are! He can stand tall and strong in the face of numbers that would silence even the best of us. Thanks to Him and His mercy we will not face the fate we all deserve.
His mercy truly knows no bounds!
AManofGod
cuddles on January 2, 2011 at 6:35 pm
I find it very difficult to do the right thing to-day and I am sure I would not have been any different in Jesus’s day. My prayer is that my faith will grow stronger daily and that I do not get angry with those who do not share my faith. I have great comfort knowing that Jesus’s has died for me and all sinners. I do feel sad though that attitudes in the world to-day are the way they are and I am so glad to live in a community where I am free to practice my religion.
daisymarygoldr on January 4, 2011 at 11:36 am
Great and profitable post! It is understandable that without the comforter, the disciples abandoned Jesus out of fear. However, just a few weeks later, they were transformed into bold believers who were no longer scared for their lives but risked imprisonment, persecution, and death for the One who died to save them from sin.
Back then in that crowd, I would be mourning for Jesus just like those women who did not abandon Jesus at the hour of His crucifixion. And like Mary Magdalene I would have also hovered around the grave to claim my Lord’s dead body.
And today, I have the Holy Spirit who gives me the strength to walk the lonely, cold, cruel, and shameful path of the cross with unfaltering fidelity. Come what may—pain or crisis, it is my prayer that God’s Spirit will always give me the boldness to stand by Him.
This is not to boast but I love Him because He first loved me and He who was abandoned by both man and God has promised never to abandon me.
prayerful on January 5, 2011 at 6:24 am
the end is a bit cheeky, but this is easily the best devotional i have read on this site in the last year and a half.
in as much as we are to appreciate Christ’s sacrifice and our failings, we are also to serve God by working for justice. innocent women and men should not be tortured and we see this injustice happen in our world daily. when we only see our sin and miss, neglect the call to justice embedded in the cross, we miss the full message of Christ’s sacrifice.
but, all in all, this was a good message.