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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion March 21, 2008 The Execution of a Criminal |
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Frontline Devotion for Good Friday, March 21, 2008 by Fritz Foltz
Luke 23: 39-49
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, ‘Are
you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!’ But the other rebuked him, saying,
‘Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And
we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our
deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ Then he said, ‘Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will
be with me in Paradise.’ The Death of Jesus
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn
in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I
commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last.
Saints and criminals die the same way in our world. The Gospel writers make plain Jesus was executed as someone who threatened the social order. Even though Matthew reports Pilate found no laws Jesus had broken, he still felt he was an insurgent whose program would lead to riots and revolution. The crowd thought they were choosing between two criminals, Barabbas and Jesus.
All the Gospels say he was executed with two other political criminals. The charge placed above him was “The King of the Jews”. We might read this as a spiritual title. Those around the Cross used it as a label for the revolutionaries who were trying to drive the Romans out of the Holy Land.
Matthew, Mark, and John say the two thieves joined the crowds in mocking Jesus, berating him for refusing to use his power if he had any. Luke alone presents one of the thieves recognizing Jesus is saint not criminal. He asks, “Jesus, remember me when you come to your kingdom”, and Jesus grants his prayer.
We often feel the need to claim Jesus did not break any laws. Yet we have to acknowledge he surely was a revolutionary. Not that he believed he could bring a better system by using violence to overthrow the government; but rather he acted as a saint who had faith in God’s promises. He proclaimed we have to depend on God rather than the Roman or any other political government to provide security, prosperity, and justice.
Jesus still calls us to revolution. He calls us to follow him in placing our trust in God’s promise to provide the prosperity that grants the courage to share what we have, God’s promise to provide the security that enables us to love our enemies, and God’s promise to provide justice for all so we can go beyond seeking fairness for ourselves and begin working for the common good. That kind of program is so radical in our world that many still regard those who teach it as criminals.
Let us pray: Christ Jesus, we arrest you and place you on trial for interfering in our lives. Turn us around and enable us to withstand the temptations of this rebellious world. You share with us your meal of salvation. We give you thanks and ask that you hasten the coming day of the Great Banquet when all people in all places shall be united in your love. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry on the "Frontlines" of the world. Frontline Devotions are sent via email daily. Sign up by clicking on the box to the left. Pastor Dave welcomes feedback. Contact him at pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org. |
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