Easter weekend thoughts from my journal:
April 20th, 2019
Yesturday I spent almost the entire day meditating in “Good Friday” and the events that happened that day. Jesus died yesturday. I was sad. I’m still sad. Earlier on in the week our team was discussing Judas and how if we were in his shoes, we probably would have done the same thing.
Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What are you willing to give me if I relieved Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. So from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.
Matthew 26: 14-16
While I know that in my heart, my head makes me think differently. I don’t think I would have the guts to betray a friend like that. But then yesturday we read about Pilate.
And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”— who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.
Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them. But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”
But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested. And he released to them the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.
Luke 23: 18-25
He had the power to stop what was going to happen to Jesus. He knew Jesus was an innocent man. Yet he gave into the crowds’ wanting for Jesus to be punished. He handed Jesus over and even tried to wash away “the blood of this innocent man”, off of his hands.
When Pilate saw that he could not prevail at all, but rather that a tumult was rising, he took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, “I am innocent of the blood of this just Person. You see to it.”
Matthew 27: 24
Jokes on him… because his sins aren’t washed clean until the cross.
Reality hit me right there though.
I know my flesh would do the same thing Pilate did. People pleasing is and would be my downfall. And I try to avoid all and any conflict at all cost, I would have gave in to the pressure just like Pilate did…
Which means that I myself put Jesus… GAVE up Jesus to be on that cross that day.
Whoa.
Even though to us, Pilate’s sin looks less than Judas’… the reality is that Jesus views it as equal. So, in that sense… I would have done the same thing Judas did. Since all sin is the same.
Oh man. I don’t think Easter week has hit me this hard. I know what happens, I’ve known all my life. It’s the same story every year. Never changing. And I know in my head that I’ve always KNOWN my sins are what put Jesus on that cross. But that was all head knowledge, not HEART knowledge.
But God changed my perspective on it this year for me. Easter will never be the same for me.
It’s sad. Its painful. And it’s joyful.
Jesus paid it all.
Laiken Martin
