Lent Devotions: A Prophetic Psalm

Psalm 22:7-8              All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads:

 "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him."

It’s amazing to think that Psalm 22 was written centuries before Christ died on the Cross, because many of its verses are teeming with prophecies about Jesus’ experiences at Calvary. Today’s passage, for instance, is a prophecy about those who mocked Jesus at the foot of the Cross. They added to His injuries by raging against Christ. As it states in both the psalm and the Gospels, they hurled insults against Him culminating in a mocking accusation of “He trusts in God; let God rescue Him!”

It must have tormented Jesus to hear those hurtful words from His own people. He had spent three years trying to draw them closer to God through grace, love, and peace. But the mob gathered at Calvary didn’t want to hear “All you need is love.” They didn’t want a Messiah who forgave their enemies. They didn’t want a leader who brought about change through helping the weak and healing the sick. They wanted a Christ who obliterated their enemies; they wanted a Champion who would kick the Romans out of the Promised Land.

And so, when Jesus failed to live up to their expectations, they turned against Him and mocked His powerlessness as He agonizingly died upon the Cross.

In some places and with other people, Christ and Christianity still face those torments. Atheists despise us and blame Christianity for all of the wars in the last two thousand years. Advocates of progressive change try to diminish our relevance and message by equating our Faith with other religions. Or they mock our Faith by revising and rewriting history in order to exclude the influence that Christianity has had upon Western Society and throughout the world.

But as long as Time exists and people remain on this planet, Christ’s words and ways will endure, despite the challenges and criticisms of our Faith. The Cross did not end Jesus’ global ministry; it actually began there. The Calvary mockers may have died 1900 years ago and turned to dust, but the Spirit of Christ endures and His mission remains.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, thank You for Your power that prevails and Your words that will not go away. Thank You for enduring on the Cross so that the penalty for sin could finally be paid. Without You, our world would not be the same. With You, we have a hope that continues throughout eternity. In Your Holy Name, we thankfully pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or offer feedback, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Holy Week Devotions: Seven Last Words of Christ

(For the next seven days, Presbyterian Bloggers are posting daily devotions about Christ’s Last Words from the Cross. Some of their regular contributors – Sarah, Jody, Doug & myself – will be writing them. If you have any comments, meditations, or prayers to add to each post, please put them in the comments section.)

Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Luke 23:32-34 (NIV)

It’s highly appropriate that the first words from Christ, as He was being painfully nailed to His Cross, should be about forgiveness. His whole ministry repeatedly emphasized peace and reconciliation, mercy and restoration. In the face of such excruciating pain, Christ does not forget His mission or message. Even from the Cross, He practices what He preaches.

Jesus puts Himself between God’s wrath and those who crucified Him. He cries out for mercy, not for Himself, but for those who abuse and attack Him. He advocates on their behalf, even although they do not know who He is, what He is praying, or what they are actually doing. They are killing God. They are destroying the One Hope that the world has of salvation.

Christ is the King of all Creation, and He is also King of His Crucifiers. They are sinfully ignorant; He is divinely tolerant. Anyone else in such pain would curse those around them, but Christ passionately cares for them and asks God to forgive them.

In this holiest of all weeks in the year, let us seek such mercy, discover grace, and offer forgiveness to those who hurt us.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, even from the Cross You teach us lesson of faith, hope, and love. Give us the courage to forgive one another; to be reconciled by Your grace; and to be reunited through Your amazing and fearless love. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John “Stushie” Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. He writes the daily devotional “Heaven’s Highway.”

The artwork is called “King for a Day,” by Stushie.