Week 16—Friday Luke 23:18-23
Week 16—FRIDAY
SOME QUESTIONS JESUS RAISES IN HIS BODY
We saw yesterday that Jesus raised at the cross all the problems that haunt people’s minds—and raised them in his own body. The Word of Question became flesh. “My son, the world is dark with griefs and graves, so dark that men cry out against the heavens.” In his orphaned cry he gathered up on his parched lips everything that makes us “cry out against the heavens.” What were some of those questions he raised in his body?
How far can evil go in a world of this kind? How far can force go? How far can lies and clever manipulation go? How far can you cover up the designs of evil in the cloak of good and religion? The answer is that evil can go a long, long way—it can put the Son of God, the Creator of creation, on a wooden cross—wood which he created. That’s a long, long way. How far can force go? It can nail the Creator’s hands upon the cross. And it can lift it up for all to see what force can do. How far can lies and clever manipulation go? It can twist the truth of him who was the Truth and make it into a falsehood and can thus crucify him on misquotations. How far can evil designs be wrapped in the cloak of religion and good? It can go a long way—it can make evil seem good—they crucified Jesus in the name of God, his Father. They made it appear that they were protecting the sacred name of God. “You have heard the blasphemy!” they cried. Evil, force, lies, perverted religion can go a long way in a world of this kind.
They can do these things today and tomorrow, but the third day? No! For Jesus gathers all these questions in his body and answers them in his resurrected body and spirit the third day!
O Jesus, you are the Omega, the Christ of the Final Word. For you let us have our word, and your answer was Silence—Silence until the final victorious word of the blessed Resurrection. We thank you, thank you, dear Lord. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: If he conquered in the flesh so can I—by his grace.