One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23.39 – 43, NIV)

“Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” That required a lot of faith. That a man dying on a cross would be coming into a kingdom. And that a criminal dying on a cross would be able to come into it with him.

The criminal believed:

• In the true identity of Jesus
• In life after death
• That his performance (or lack of it) had nothing to do with his eligibility for Jesus’ kingdom

The criminal’s faith is a bright spot in this sordid tale of Jesus’ execution, and it’s recorded only by Luke. As I write, I’m reminded of flowers we had in the front yard of another house in Colorado. They often would bloom before the last spring snowfall, and you’d see something like this picture. Flowers in the snow. The promise of spring in what appears to be winter.

Even as he dies, Jesus imparts life…to a criminal!

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (John 12.24, ESV)

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” (John 12.32, ESV)

This blog is read by English teachers, so I apologize for the incorrect grammar in the title. Unfortunately, “it was me” sounds a little less pretentious than the correct “It was I,” and for this blog, I really don’t need pretentious.

We’re entering Holy Week, and we have a few more days to meditate on those events. Too often we seem to race through from Palm Sunday right to Easter even though the Gospels devote a lot of space to these few days.

They stripped off his clothing and placed a scarlet robe on him to make fun of him. Then they braided a crown of thorns and set it on his head. After placing a reed staff in his right hand, they knelt down before him and irreverently mocked him, saying, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Then they spat in his face and took the reed staff from his hand and hit him repeatedly on his head, driving the crown of thorns deep into his brow. (Matthew 27.28 – 30, Passion Translation)

The first thing that struck me was the unnecessary cruelty. Crucifixion is horrible enough, but these Roman soldiers added this. It’s always tough to see the cruelty of men. Soldiers, probably disgruntled at being stationed in Jerusalem, considered this fun. Jesus submitted himself to all the sin of men. And sin can be very ugly. And Jesus died for that sin, too.

But the second thing that occurred to me was this:

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53.3 – 6, KJV)

He was despised, and we esteemed him not…we esteemed him stricken, smitten of God. BUT, he was wounded for OUR transgressions (not his!), he was bruised for OUR iniquities (not his!)…with his stripes WE are healed. WE have gone astray. WE have turned every one to his own way; the LORD has laid on him the iniquity OF US ALL.

That was me in the crowd of soldiers in Matthew 26. I taunted him. I struck him with a reed. I put the crown of thorns on his head. Like Mel Gibson showing an actor how to drive the nail into the cross in The Passion of the Christ movie, it was Mel’s hand that went into the movie. He said in interviews later something like, “The Jews didn’t crucify Jesus; I did.”

Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief…The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy… (1 Timothy 1.13 – 16, ESV)

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3.23, ESV)

What lesson should we take away from Peter’s denial of Jesus?

But Peter was adamant. “Listen, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Don’t you understand? I don’t even know him.” While the words were still in his mouth, the rooster crowed. At that moment, the Lord, who was being led through the courtyard by his captors, turned around and gazed at Peter. All at once Peter remembered the words Jesus had prophesied over him, “Before the rooster crows in the morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” Peter burst into tears, ran off from the crowd, and wept bitterly. (Luke 22.60 – 62, Passion Translation)

What was Jesus thinking? What about Peter? 

Was Jesus disappointed with Peter? I don’t see why he would have been. First, he predicted Peter’s denial after he predicted that all the disciples would run away. He needed them to run away, to lay low, so they would be around to carry on the work after the resurrection. Jesus loved Peter, of course, but he also may have communicated with that look, “Peter. This is the second time you’ve doubted by word. First, you said I wouldn’t go to the cross. Then when I said you would run away, you said you wouldn’t. Don’t doubt my words!”

The real lesson was for Peter. We know that Jesus restored Peter in John 21, but the restoration was for Peter’s sake. Peter needed to learn that his relationship with Jesus was not predicated on his performance. This is a truth we all sometimes have trouble with. 

Baseball can be instructive. At the professional level, the very best hitters fail 2 of every 3 times they come to bat. What do you do when you make the third out by striking out with the bases loaded? You pick up your glove and take your position in the field. If it was the last out of the game, you show up the next day and continue to play. Perfection is not expected nor is it possible. When you fail, get over it.

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. (1 John 1.8 – 10, ESV)

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. (1 Timothy 6.15, NKJV)

I read recently the account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13.1 – 20. The story of the final encounter between Judas and Jesus is in verses 21 – 30, but there are references to Judas in the foot-washing story. 

During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,… Jesus said to [Peter], “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”…I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’

Maybe John wanted to make it clear that Judas was there and that Jesus knew what Judas was about to do, and he washed his feet anyway! Maybe Jesus was giving Judas one more chance to accept what Jesus came to do. Judas, like the crowd on Palm Sunday, knew and said all the right things. But the idea of a suffering, serving, foot-washing Savior was not what people had in mind. Nor do we, I’m afraid. 

I’m reminded of a time when I was on church staff and set up the chapel for a Friday morning, 6 a.m., Bible study the night before. I was more than irritated when I arrived at 5:30 Friday morning to find the chapel in disarray. The podium, overhead projector, and screen (these were the old days!) were nowhere to be seen. It turns out there had been a wedding rehearsal the night before, and the folks put our stuff out into the hall, not bothering to put it back.

While I was scurrying around (and thinking about who I was going to complain to), Terry the teacher came in. Terry was a leader in the community and the church, and a builder of high-end houses. He came in cheerfully, “Hi Bob. How are things going?” “Not too well, Terry. Somebody messed with our setup.”

I’ll never forget Terry’s instant response:

How can I help?

Terry understood that leaders are servants. I didn’t. I don’t mind serving as long as my position is respected, and I don’t have to do things twice!

You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13.13 – 17, ESV)

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10.45, ESV)

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. (2 Corinthians 4.5, ESV)

This is the last of this series of “not enough.” We’ve seen that being fed is not enough, witnessing the spectacular is not enough, and even enthusiastic worship is not enough when it comes to the difference between knowing about Jesus and really knowing Jesus in a committed relationship not unlike marriage. So here’s the last one:

Hanging around in the inner circle is not enough.

Really? Where do you get that? Very simple. As we enter some meditations on Holy Week (a bit early, I know), read the texts on the last supper: Jesus initiation of the ceremony we call Communion or Eucharist or The Lord’s Supper. Judas was still there!

Tomorrow I’ll write more about the foot washing event from John 13, where Judas is explicitly pointed out as present. He was also there during the meal:

Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. (John 13.24 – 26, NIV)

Judas was not only there for the last supper, but he had also been there for years with the other disciples. There were times when “… many of his [wider circle of]disciples turned back and no longer followed him.” (John 6.66, NIV) But not the twelve, including Judas:

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) (John 6.67 – 71, NIV)

Some people are active in their church. Very active. Members of boards. Singing in the choir. Faithful attenders. But, like Judas, they never really commit themselves to Jesus. These people, like many churches, treat discipleship as optional. As I wrote a few days ago:

Making discipleship an optional add-on is as silly as the bride and groom going back to their separate homes after the wedding ceremony. 

Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity… (Hebrews 6.1, ESV)

We are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ… (Ephesians 4.15, ESV)

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1.5 – 8, ESV)

We interrupt our series on “not enough” to bring you a “word from our sponsor.” As we get ready to move into Holy Week, our neighbor was kind enough to leave a small reminder in last night’s three inches of snow:

It reminded June and me of our love for each other, the love that exists in our immediate neighborhood, and the love that God has for us.

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5.6 – 8, NIV)

Continuing our meditation on a real, enduring relationship with Jesus in contrast with things that “aren’t enough,” I must add this one:

Celebratory Worship Is Not Enough

This principle seems especially appropriate as many pastors and their members are wringing their hands over not being able to gather on Sundays during the coronavirus lockdowns. I’ve already offered some observations and suggestions on that issue, but today’s blog is serious. It’s the fact I opened this series with:

The same people who lined the streets and sang songs of praise to Jesus were no doubt among the crowd clamoring for his crucifixion a few days later. Remember, only 120 faithful followers were in the Upper Room in Acts 1. What happened to those enthusiastically singing praises on Palm Sunday?

As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” (Luke 19.36 – 38, NIV)

Praises one day…a riot soon after:

Now it was the custom at the festival to release a prisoner whom the people requested…The crowd came up and asked Pilate to do for them what he usually did. “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas instead. “What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?” Pilate asked them. “Crucify him!” they shouted… They shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15.6 – 14, NIV, emphasis mine)

As important as gathering to worship is, including singing biblically-based songs, Palm Sunday’s crowd teaches us that that’s not enough.

I could have designed the blogs so that this one would come out on Palm Sunday, but I’m starting Holy Week a bit earlier this year to give us more time. We often seem to rush through the important, world-changing events of this week. So with most of us with more time on our hands, we’ll see what else we can learn from Holy Week events.

Not everyone who says to me, “LORD, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 7.21, ESV)

Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. (Isaiah 1.13, 14, ESV)

Quit your worship charades. I can’t stand your trivial religious games: Monthly conferences, weekly Sabbaths, special meetings— meetings, meetings, meetings—I can’t stand one more! Meetings for this, meetings for that. I hate them! You’ve worn me out! I’m sick of your religion, religion, religion, while you go right on sinning. When you put on your next prayer-performance, I’ll be looking the other way. No matter how long or loud or often you pray, I’ll not be listening… (Isaiah 1.13 – 15, MSG)

We’ve been thinking about relationship with Jesus and the 120 people in the Upper Room in Acts 1. What happened to all the others? The 15,000+ he fed, for example?

Here’s another example. A lot of people witnessed Jesus’ raising the widow of Nain’s son:

Soon afterward he went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a great crowd went with him. As he drew near to the gate of the town, behold, a man who had died was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow, and a considerable crowd from the town was with her. (Luke 7:11 – 12, ESV, emphasis mine)

I wrote about this over a year ago (time flies!). The story makes the point that the spectacular is not enough. Just as being fed is not enough (read, sitting under great teaching) neither is participating in or witnessing spectacular events. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, too, with plenty of witnesses from Jerusalem.

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. (John 11.43 – 46, NIV)

The Promise Keepers’ men’s events of the late 1990s were extraordinary. I was there, with my sons, for the first three or four of them, and I was deeply moved. But without an abiding day-to-day relationship with Jesus, fueled by time in the Word and prayer, the effects of the best moments wear off. Just as one doesn’t sustain a marriage on the memory of a spectacular wedding ceremony.

Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. (Proverbs 8.34, NIV)

My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. (Psalm 5.3, NKJV)

We’ve been considering why there were only 120 people in the Upper Room after the resurrection. What happened to all the others? What happened, for example, to the 5,000 “men” that Jesus fed as recorded in all four gospels.

But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” And he said, “Bring them here to me.” Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children. (Matthew 14.16 – 21, ESV, emphasis mine)

5,000 – 15,000+ people! “They all ate and were satisfied.” BUT, they did not have a relationship with Jesus, as we wrote the past two days. In fact, when Jesus tried to do serious teaching after feeding them:

Many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. (John 6.66, ESV)

I’m reminded of those who love to listen to great teaching. I remember from when I was on the staff of a large church seeing a fellow come out of a Wednesday night session in which one of our church’s leading lay teachers was holding forth. He was so excited: “That Andy. He sure can teach!” I should have said to him, “Yes, he can. What’s one thing you’re taking away from tonight’s teaching?” I didn’t ask him because I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t have been able to answer.

When it comes to relationship with Jesus, listening to great teaching and experiencing a miracle is not enough.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. (James 1.22, NIV)

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (Matthew 7.24 – 27, NIV, emphasis mine)

I want to continue our meditation on relationship. Several years ago, I was filling in for a pastor who wanted me to include five essential steps in the progression of following Jesus as seen on the left side of the chart below: belief, repentance, confession, baptism, and discipleship. As I was thinking about it, I realized those five steps are remarkably similar to the marriage relationship on the right side of the chart (not surprising since we are often referred to as “the bride of Christ”). 

Let’s look briefly at a few highlights:

• First, genuine relationship with Jesus is more like the relationship between Eddie and Barbie Broussard than it is like the thousands lined up to chant “Hosanna” on Palm Sunday.
• People’s views on baptism are all over the place on who, when, how, and how important. But no one would argue that baptism without the other four steps means anything. It would be like buying and wearing a wedding ring when you don’t have a spouse! 
• Too many churches stop at step 3 or 4. I heard a pastor say, “Get ’em saved and baptized! That’s what we’re about!” Making discipleship an optional add-on is as silly as the bride and groom going back to their separate homes after the wedding ceremony. 

Beginning tomorrow I want to contrast those who had a relationship with Jesus with those who were merely around him. Remember, thousands of people experienced various parts of Jesus’ ministry: healings, miraculous meals, people raised from the dead, grand parades, etc., and there were only 120 followers in the Upper Room after the resurrection.

Then you will say, “We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.” But he will reply, “I don’t know you…” (Luke 13.26, 27, NIV)

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15.1, 2, ESV)