The Jesus of Holy Week · Apr 3, 11:44 AM
It is the events of Holy Week that reveal who Jesus really is—so much more than a prophet or great moral teacher. And it is when we clearly see Jesus that our bold professions, like Peter’s, are separated from the jagged deeds that reflect our true hearts.
In his essay, Jesus Who Was and Who Is, author and Presbyterian Minister Frederick Buechner writes of the historical and living Jesus:
“…We all have Gospel moments that mean most to us….I have always particularly treasured that moment when Pilate asks him (Jesus), “What is truth?” and he stands there in silence presumably because nothing he might answer could be as eloquent as just the silence, just his standing there. I treasure the moment on the cross when the good thief turns to him and, speaking for all of us, says, “Jesus, remember me,” and we know as surely as we know anything that Jesus remembers him and will always remember him. And the moment after the resurrection, when just at dawn, on the beach, he is waiting by a charcoal fire and calls out to his fisherman friends, “Come and have breakfast.” And in that first, fresh light, they come and have it. And have it from his hands. Have it from him.
“It is the Jesus who was who said, “Come unto me, all yea that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” and it is the Jesus who says it now—he unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known and from whom no secrets are hid—and says it almost unbearably to every last one of us, the young as well as the old, the lucky as well as the unlucky, the victimized as well as the victim, because there is not one of us who is not in some way heavy laden and in need of what it is he brings. Perhaps it is by what he brings that we know best the Jesus who is. To the blinded he brings vision. To the deafened the sound of a voice unlike all other voices. To the deadened the breath of life. Rest.
“The Jesus who is is the one whom we search for even when we do not know that we are searching and hide from even when we do not know that we are hiding.…”
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hi Jack, Thanks for these wonderful thoughts! I particularly liked this comment:
“The Jesus who is the one whom we search for even when we do not know that we are searching and hide from even when we do not know that we are hiding.…”
I have come to find out recently that there are many more people who are searching for Jesus without knowing it, than one might think. They might be searching for him as Divine Love, without knowing the Divine Love has a name: Jesus. Some are searching for him as The Truth, without knowing that Truth is a person. Others are looking for The Way, also without knowing that the way is a person. They are on the journey, and the person called Love, Truth or the Way is drawing them to Himself, rather like Aslan drew Lucy to himself in Narnia. Lucy knew him as Aslan, even before she came to know him as Jesus on earth.
His name is much more than a magic formula. Many will call him Lord, Lord on that day…and say, “did we not prophesy in your name? did we not cast out demons in your name? (and did we not plant churches in your name?), but he will say “I don’t know you…go away.”
If these words of Jesus are true, then the inverse must surely also be true. Some may not call him Lord, Lord, and may say “What we did, we did in the name of Love, or Truth” and he will say, come closer, I know you! What you did in the name of Love, you did for me. You did it in accordance with my character, my nature, by the power of my Spirit.
There are many fellow travelers together with us on our journey who are searching but do not know what they are searching for (or who). There are also many who worship with us in the Church, who are hiding even when they do not know they are hiding. Thanks!
— joseph · Apr 3, 04:22 PM · #
Great post Joe.
So far all I have to say personally is, “Lord, all I’ve done, I’ve done for myself.” I’m hoping that soon that will change.
I had a great time today with my nephew and niece, Aaron and Sierra. We played in the water at the beach for a long time. They jumped on my back and I threw them around in the water and they threw wet sand at me. At the end of our time together though, as I was leaving, it was as if they were at a loss for what to do. Well who are we going to knock into the water and throw wet sand at now? Who will be the center of our attention? But soon enough they realized, “Hey, we can throw sand at eachother!”
I’m not sure exactly what all this signifies, but I think in some ways, Jesus comes to play with us and when we see him we give him our attention but soon after our eyes shift away from him and we no longer see him. Once we don’t see him, we’re at a loss, “well, what will we do now?” we divert our attention to one another. I think it’s partially a good thing and partially bad. We can lose track completely of God and then we give far to much attention to the wrong people. I think the important thing that I realized today though, is that although I was giving them something by being with them and loving them, they were also filling a place in my heart. Just by being children they filled me with joy and excitment, worry and care. We all fill a special place in God’s heart when we give him our love and attention. Whether or not we actually ever do anything “for” God, just delighting in him is his greatest wish for us. =O)
— John · Apr 3, 07:00 PM · #
First of all, John, the kids had a blast with you. They couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had playing with you! It was definately a wonderful bonding experience for them. Thank you.
Second, Wow Dad! I totally teared up on: “Some may not call him Lord, Lord, and may say “What we did, we did in the name of Love, or Truth” and he will say, come closer, I know you! What you did in the name of Love, you did for me. You did it in accordance with my character, my nature, by the power of my Spirit.”
I guess I’m starting to release my pre-judgments of people. Maybe having a deeply spiritual good friend who is mormon is opening my eyes, I don’t know.
But anyways, I know a few people who claim to follow Jesus – but are really hiding from him. And I know a few people who want nothing to do with a “Church Building”, but feed the hungry and clothe the poor.
The kingdom is a mystery. All we can do is walk toward the light (Jesus) together and pickup those that have fallen along the way.
— Sarah M · Apr 4, 10:20 AM · #
Wow! I am moved by your words. Thank you all for making me think more deeply. May He (Jesus) be more deeply revealed in our lives to those around us…the scripture says, “Christ in you, the hope of glory.”
— Debbie · Apr 4, 03:09 PM · #
This is good stuff. I like what you’re saying Joseph. From my conservative evangelical concept of everyone being either “in” or “out” based on a mental assent and a public confession of certain doctrinal beliefs, what you’re saying is scarey and unsettling. Some would say heretical. But I would have to say that your words ring true. I’m with John, Sarah and Debbie.
John in Lexington
— John Meadows · Apr 4, 09:45 PM · #