What’s it all about?
I experienced a flashback this week. Of a song from several years ago that, for me, brought to me the answer to this question so clearly, What’s it all about? It is actually a Christmas song from The Go Fish Guys. We appreciated VBS curriculum from their organization for a few years. Roll your eyes if you want to (I’m sure I deserve it!), but it really got me thinking about what is coming up …
In just a few weeks, we’ll be reading from the Book of Acts about the Apostle Paul’s journeys to tell people about the saving work of Jesus and how it was all to reach many, including you and me, with the truth of Jesus. Acts is about the establishing and expansion of the Church in the years following Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross.
I don’t know about you, but I like to read or watch things in order. I feel like I’m missing something if I haven’t read the first chapter but jump ahead right into the third or fourth. So I’m inviting you to spend the next few weeks reading about what had happened shortly before the Book of Acts begins. And then asking the question … What’s it all about?
This week let’s read from Luke chapter 23, starting at verse 26. What’s it all about? Jesus’ Crucifixion.
Read to consider how the stage is being set for Jesus’ love, grace and mercy to be spread by His followers. It’s about the Cross.
Luke 23.26-43
26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments. 35 And the people stood by, watching, but the rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine 37 and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
What’s it all about? Cross carried, followed, endured unto death. Truth spoken, love imparted, forgiveness extended, welcome into paradise spoken, sin covered.
It’s about the cross … that’s the title of the song running through my head and my heart today. Christmas and Thanksgiving, Acts and the Letters of John … about the cross.
With love, Colleen
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