Reflect
Reading this passage, I am struck by the presence of the many people for this most significant event in history. People were present for many reasons, some horrified to see their Lord treated in such a way. Others were there to mock, to watch as entertainment, the spectacle as the Son of God was executed.
As I read this passage I am taken back a number of years when I was in a choir and we sang the spiritual “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?”. In the song we are asked questions about our presence at the events of Jesus’ crucifixion. For each question there is a response “Oooh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.”
Luke brings us to the cross in this account and we may shudder with the knowledge that our sin brings us to the cross. Yes, we were there at the cross, too. And it may cause us to tremble. However, the song concludes with the question “Were you there when He rose up from the grave?” Our quaking response is not one loathing our presence at the cross but an excited trembling that Jesus conquered sin and death by submitting to the cross. Praise God for the cross and the empty tomb.
Pastor Mike
Pray
- Pray for Pastor Lyle, for his family and his ministry.
- Pray for Eric Peters, Facility Manager; Custodians, Adit Gamble, Stan Goodnough and Anne King; Maintenance, Joe Richards.
- Pray for our Church Board members: Bee Stiansen, Cam Klapstein, Darryl Sparling, Julie Leverette, Marvin Schneider, Matt Barker, Matt Chute, Mike Pedde, and Nick Mitchell.
- Pray for our office staff: Robin Radke and Naomi Voss; Bookkeeper Lynette Carlson.