My instant reaction to reading the crucifixion narrative should be both sadness and grief.
But today it was different. My reaction was, “Why?”
In Mark’s gospel, it says the passersby and the Jewish leaders mocked him as he hung on the cross. They said:
“He saved others; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the Kind of Isreal, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Mark 15:31-32.
There’s several places where it says he could do it. He makes reference to legions of angels that could fight at his command…if he wanted them to.
He tells Pilate he has no power except what the Father gives him. I take that to mean Pilate has power merely to complete this event. Everything is in Jesus’ control.
He did so many miracles. He even controlled the weather. Surely, he could do this.
And yet, he doesn’t. He does nothing. He goes through the whole torture and dies. Now there’s an image–God dies at the hands of murderers.
How do you make sense of that? I think, for a lot of people, it just doesn’t make sense. And, at the same time, it does.
24 and the power of crazy love
I’ve been watching the first season of 24.
I know, I’m way behind on television. Cut me some slack.
Anyway, Teri (the wife of Special Agent Jack Bauer, the main character) and her daughter Kim are being held by terrorists as bargaining chips to get Jack to cooperate in their plot to kill a presidential candidate.
Of course, one of the terrorists decides he’d like to have a little fun and rape the daughter. Why not? They’ll be dead soon anyway.
So, out of deep, deep love, Teri offers herself to the terrorist in place of her daughter. That’s heavy duty love. Crazy love. Self-sacrificing love.
That kind of love is a powerful thing. It can’t be destroyed or overcome. It’s what keeps life moving forward even after terrible tragedy. It’s what drives societies to rebuild and start over after years under dictators like Hitler or Stalin.
This is the principle of life within the Trinity
That is the same kind of love Jesus poured out on the cross for you and me.
That self-sacrificing courses through the union of Trinitarian Persons. It’s the love, the power, that created the universe. It’s also the power that re-created it after disfigurement by sin.
When I need to make sense of Christianity, I always turn the fundamental principle of life within the Trinity–self-sacrificing love.
It’s the central mystery of the Christian Faith. It’s the core, foundational truth that explains everything. When you’re confused, just turn there.
Faith takeaway
Why does God get tortured and die?
Because it wasn’t a show of power that could save mankind or make them believe. It was a show of love that could penetrate, heal, and renew our fallen nature.
Then, when that was done, the Holy Spirit could enter our hearts and transform our minds to think, judge, and act like God. That was Christ’s mission. Not to make the haters believe. They will never believe. They’ll always find an excuse why it couldn’t be real.
But faith…that’s a different thing altogether.
Photo Credit: Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton via Compfight cc
You’re only on the first season of 24?!?!?! Just kidding. We started watching it pre-kid and loved it. Then we never finished the last couple of seasons because that’s when the kids started coming. Love the analogy, too. A faith and culture infusion!
I know right??? Only the first season! I’m so lame. I seem to recall I’ve been a little busy with kids as well. 😉
I love to make those analogies too. I think some of the best posts use the culture to make theological points. It connects with people because they understand the emotions from the TV show or remember what they felt like watching it. Very powerful and persuasive stuff.
Thanks for commenting.