Luke 23: 13-24 (NIV)
“Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, 'You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. Therefore, I will punish him and then release him.'
But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!” (Barabbas had been thrown into prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.) Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, 'Crucify him! Crucify him!' For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.” But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.”
I read through this passage this last week as we approached Good Friday and Easter, and I was struck with how lonely Jesus must have felt. Cornered and demonized by the religious leaders. His friends and family afraid to stand up for him in case their own lives would be threatened.
Knowing the weight of the sacrifice that he needed to make…The emotional turmoil, despair, and desperate loneliness he felt must have been overwhelmingly heavy. I think I often skip past the suffering of the cross and just like to remember the victory of the resurrection, without stopping to acknowledge the fact that Jesus took on the heavy weight of our sin. AND, that he was alone. Jesus died…alone, so that no one would ever have to feel alone again.
This is something that we should remind ourselves of every day. That HE won the victory, and now we are never alone. His Spirit dwells in us. In the age of social media, loneliness is a plague. But, as followers of Jesus, we should walk to a different beat. We should live lives that acknowledge the presence and peace of the Holy Spirit in every minute of our lives. No matter what scenario of life we’re in. God is with us, walking with us, and leading us.
Jesus suffered the loneliness of the cross so that we could know His presence, and be led by His spirit in every moment of our lives. What an amazing gift that is.
Jon
jneufeld@b4church.org
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