I have imagined the reactions and thought processes of those people involved in the Good Friday and Easter narrative.
I hope that it will assist you to meditate on these events with fresh thoughts.
I
was a brash character, always the first to sign up to some gallant cause.
I
always maintained that I was going to lay down my life for my country, because
it could take that ultimate sacrifice in getting rid of the Romans out of our land
and out of our lives.
I
thought about the great battles that I was going to take part in and the number
of Roman soldiers who would beg to me for mercy before I finally despatched
them from this earth.
Then
something strange happened when this Jesus came through our town and I was
attracted to His life and teaching. He told of a new kingdom, belonging to God,
that seemed so contradictory to what I had been expecting. He said that the
kingdom of God was not of this world – I was fascinated but did not fully grasp
what He was talking about.
He
encouraged me to join His followers and then promoted me if you like to His
inner group ‘the Twelve Disciples.’ We saw close up when he performed amazing
miracles and spoke with such wisdom, sometimes He directed His words to us as
the special group.
There
were only times when being in the group was not all good because He would be
angry especially at us because we should have known better, such as waking Him
up in the boat when an enormous storm blew up.
Never
mind, I thought, I can take anything that is thrown at us. So, when Jesus
informed us that He was going to Jerusalem to be beaten and killed, I was one
of the vocal ones who declared that we would follow Him anywhere.
But,
when push came to shove, when the soldiers came to arrest Jesus in the Garden
of Gethsemane, I was one of the first ones to scarper. All the bravado talk about giving up my life
for the cause was like dew vanishing from the morning grass. I did not even
have the guts to hang around to see the Lord being crucified.
Then
on the third day, when we disciples were cowering in the upper room with the
door firmly locked, I was astounded when Jesus appeared in His risen body. He
was right – He would not only be beaten and die, but would also rise again.
After
that, I resolved that as He gave His all for me then I would give my all for
Him, even if it meant dying for Him for He was promising a better kingdom that
I could possibly experience in this world.
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