Oh, Holy Week… But…

WED., APR. 19, 2000, 8:33 AM
OFFICE, PULLIAM

Yes, o son, this is Holy Week, the most important remembrance and “celebration” in the Christian year. And, objectively, it is a strange mixture of circumstances, traditions, and perceptions, for you, and many Americans. As a P.S. to your morning consideration of John’s version of what I, as Jesus, said to the disciples before the End of the Week, I’ll speak to you (not unexpectedly).

In these chapters of discourse I was quite blunt about My future. But it also was pretty clear that I was “arranging it.” I had come into the City in a humble and yet noticeable way. Last Sunday you and your fellow Christians celebrated that entrance with palm leaves. It was, in the original, a great show of interest and expectation.

Yet after several days in that great City I offered these thoughts to the assembled disciples, beginning, “Let not your hearts be troubled…”, with assurances that I would give up My life, as Jesus, but then would return… and believers, in Me, all through the ages, would benefit. The disciples were not quite able to comprehend why I was doing this, and how it would happen, but they also were aware that some of My assertions were disparaging the Jewish leaders, and the “unrest” resulting was troubling the Roman rulers. This, of course, was My Plan.

You have pondered, “Couldn’t Jesus have done it ‘another way’?”. Of course… for I had both natural talents and supernatural powers. Pilate, according to John’s story, was quite willing to “dismiss My case,” and he almost “begged” Me to answer in ways that would merit such. I was either silent or I responded in a way that inflamed the Jewish leaders.

There was no justification for the crowd to begin shouting, “Crucify him.” I, as Holy Spirit, was involved, and I was urging some leaders to cry for crucifixion. It was an important destiny. It had to come out as a “sacrifice.” As you said this morning, I, as Jesus, was the mystical mixture of God and man. There is no way I can describe that “mixture.”

As Jesus I knew I was to die… it was “the right time.” While knowing this I also had thoughts about My future ministry as the living Christ. And as a man, a human, I knew the crucifixion would be painful. AND, as the Christ I knew that the pain would be “manageable,” even “thrilling.” A you looked upon that new portion of your pasture fence yesterday, with those prominent barbs, you remembered the time you fell back into a stretched portion of the fence, in its earlier “repair,” and because of the joy of doing that job with son John Patrick, there was no pain. It was a small experience in realizing how emotions and spirit can allay or even not allow pain.

So, how did I, as Jesus, “handle this”? My Spirit controlled the pain (I, Holy Spirit, was there) so that I didn’t become irrational and “unsacred.” I certainly didn’t want to “spoil the sacrifice” by shouting “Take Me down” or something more blasphemous. Yet it was important to experience a painful death as part of “what was destined to be.” I suffered, but My conduct caused some to say, and others to feel, that “Truly, this was the Son of God!”

And of course the story continues… that My tomb was empty on “Easter morning,” that I was in that “crucified body,” but now more mystical… more able to appear and disappear in supernatural ways. (This was the same “mixture” with the natural, but with more power in the supernatural.)

Thus, it was a terrible ending to a good life… but… also a noble sacrifice that would benefit Christians through the ages, including you. “The Jews” were despicable in demanding My crucifixion, but… also being honest in doubting that “their Messiah” would come as I did… and… had a role to play in this great drama. “The Jews” are to be hated for their actions… and… forgiven for what they “had to do.”