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Stations of The Cross
First Station
After their meal Jesus took his apprentices to the Garden of Gethsemane. He left most of them by the entrance but asked Peter, James and John to follow him a little further. He was nearly overcome with sorrow and a heavy heart when he said to them, "My soul is very sad. My soul is so full of sorrow I am ready to die. You stay here and watch with me."
He went on a little farther and got down with his face on the ground. He prayed, "My Father, if it can be done, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not what I want, but as you will."
Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. "Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?" he asked Peter. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak."
He went back a second time and prayed, "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."
When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So he left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing, “Not my will, but yours.”
Jesus goes knowingly and willingly to his death. In this first scene we see him struggling with the horror of what is about to happen. He understands what comes next. From here he can see to the end of the story. But this has been part of the plan all along. Jesus who has been obedient to his Father’s will all of his life is going to be obedient to it now. He’ll go through with the plan. With all the pain and suffering that that involves. This is the last chance to duck out and do things another way. The last chance to be the mighty king the crowds have been calling for, to be the hero that drives the hated invaders from the country, the last chance to be the warrior messiah. But here Jesus chooses obedience, Jesus chooses his Father’s way, Jesus chooses the cross.
Second Station
Whilst he was speaking with his companions in the garden, Judas, another of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a mob armed with swords and clubs. They had been sent by the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: "The one I kiss is the man; arrest him quickly and take him away under guard." Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, "Rabbi!" and kissed him. The crowd seized Jesus and was making to take him away when one of those standing near drew his sword. He struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear.
But Jesus didn’t want violence and healed him "Am I leading a rebellion," he said, "that you have come out at night with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled." When they saw what was happening and heard what Jesus was saying, those who were with him fled.
Judas has a plan. He’s tired of all the waiting, seize the moment. It’s time for action, Passover is almost over. The crowds that cheered for Jesus will be gone by tomorrow, it’s now or never. He’s going to force a show down. He’s got a plan. But it’s not what God has in mind. We don’t really know what Judas was thinking when he thought he knew better than Jesus. But it’s a mistake we’ve all made. It’s called sin.
Third Station
After Jesus had been arrested, he was led off to the house of Caiaphas the high priest. where the nation's leaders and the teachers of the Law of Moses were meeting.
The chief priests and the council wanted to put Jesus to death. So they tried to find some people who would tell lies about him in court. But they could not find any, even though many of the usual troublemakers came forward and told all sorts of lies. At length, two men came forward and said, "This man claimed that he would tear down God's temple and build it again in three days." The high priest stood up and asked Jesus, "Will you say anything in your own defence? Do you hear the charges they are making against you?" But Jesus did not answer. So the high priest said, "With the living God looking on, you must tell the truth. Tell us, are you the Messiah, the Son of God?"
"I am” Jesus answered. “I tell all of you, soon you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right side of God All-Mighty and coming on the clouds of heaven."
The high priest then tore his robe and said, "This man claims to be God! We don't need any more witnesses! You have heard what he said. What do you think?" And the others answered, "He is worthy of death". They spat in his face and struck him with their fists.
It was a political show trial. A scripted drama playing out a predetermined verdict. The conclusion was decided long before things even started. An illegal gathering, with dissenting voices mysteriously absent. No time given to prepare a defence, no counsel offered and obvious problems with the prosecution witnesses. Physical abuse of the accused and finally an illegal verdict on a different charge. What does God do in the face of injustice?
Fourth Station
Now Peter was sat out in the courtyard of the house, when a servant girl came over to him. "You were with this Jesus of Galilee," she said. But he denied it before them all. "I don't know what you're talking about," he said. Frightened he went out to the gateway, where another girl saw him and said to the people there, "This guy is one of his followers." He denied it again, with an oath: "No, by heaven I’m not, I don't know him!" After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, "Surely you are one of them, your accent gives you away." Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, "I don't know the man!"
Immediately, a rooster crowed and Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." He went outside and wept bitterly.
He was deserted by everyone around him. He went through it alone. The crowds that had hailed the coming king would tomorrow shout his death sentence. The people he had fed and healed would turn their backs on him. The people who had heard what he had to say would find someone else to listen to. His disciples were gone, even the twelve, after all they’d seen and done for the last three years. And Peter, the leader, the most fearless, most reckless of them, scared into complete denial. “I don’t even know him.”
Fifth Station
After this Jesus was taken before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
But when he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he made no answer. And so Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the charges they are bringing against you?" But Jesus did not answer, not a single word—to the great amazement of the governor.
Now it was the governor's custom at the Passover Feast to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a notorious outlaw, called Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, "Which one do you want me to release to you: the gangster Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Christ?" For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed.
"Which of the two do you want me to release to you?" asked the governor. "Barabbas," they answered.
"What shall I do, then, with Jesus?" Pilate asked.
They all answered, "Crucify him!"
"Why? What crime has he committed?" asked Pilate.
But they shouted all the louder, "Crucify him".
When Pilate saw that things were getting nasty and that he was in danger of starting a riot, he took a bowl of water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. "I am innocent of this man's blood," he said. "It is your responsibility!"
All the people answered, "Let his blood be on us and on our children!"
Then he released Barabbas to them. But condemned Jesus.
If only it were so easy to shift blame. If only saying so, made it so. Wouldn’t it all be a lot easier if we could just pass the buck. But the truth is we are responsible for the things we do. And we’re responsible for the things we see done and when we’re in charge, we’re responsible for the things we let others do. Jesus comes up against the superpower of the day, the mighty Roman Empire. And it condems him to death. Pilate just wants an easy life, no rioting this time. And if it means killing one Jew instead of another, so be it. He’s the govenor of a Roman province he’s not supposed to be swayed by the crowd. Nor are we.
Sixth Station
He was taken to be whipped and crucified. The soldiers of Pilate took Jesus into a large room where a big group of them gathered around Him. They spat on Him, they took a stick and hit Him on the head, they took a whip and tore the flesh from his back. Just before this treatment killed Him they gave Him his cross to carry. And they nailed Him to it, driving iron spikes through his wrists. The abuse was so bad that in the end he had to be helped to where they would kill him.
For much of the last two thousand years and still in many places today following Jesus is a highly risky choice. He faced brutality and death, so do many of his followers, so do many of our brothers and sisters. Jesus didn’t promise us an easy ride. He doesn’t promise health or happiness, success or popularity. Instead he says, “take up your cross and follow me”.
Seventh Station
They took off His clothes and put a purple robe on Him. They divided His clothes by drawing lots. It happened as it had been written in the Psalms. They put a crown of thorns on His head. The soldiers got on their knees before Him and made fun of Him pretending to treat him as a king.
The leaders were there with them making fun of Jesus. They said, "He saved others, let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the Chosen One of God!" The soldiers joined in with this too. They said, "If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself." And on a sign that was hung above His head these words were written in the Greek and Latin and Hebrew languages: "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
It must have been very tempting to say something. On top of everything, after all that had happened, they mocked him. Made light of his death and ridiculed the things he’d said. It must have been tempting to put them straight. But he saves his final words for his followers, his mother and his Father…
Eighth Station
The Servant grew up before God like a scrawny seedling, ?
like a scrubby plant in dry ground. ?
He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, ?
nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men, ?
a man of sorrows, who knew suffering first hand. ?
One look at him and we turned away ?
we looked down on him, we thought him scum.
But the fact is, it was our pains he carried— ?
our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us.?
We thought he brought it on himself, ?
that God was punishing him for his own failures.?
But it was our sins that did that to him, ?
that ripped and tore and crushed him—our sins!?
He took the punishment, and that brought us peace.
By his wounds we are healed.
We are all, like sheep, we’ve wandered off and gone our own way, ?
but the LORD has laid all of our failings on him ?
He was beaten and tortured, ?
and he took it in silence; ?
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, ?
and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, ?
he did not open his mouth.
Falsely accused and convicted in a miscarriage of justice he was taken away.
Who would have thought this could happen to him.
He died for the sins of many.
He wasn't dishonest or violent,
but he was buried in a tomb of cruel and rich people.
The LORD decided his servant would suffer as a sacrifice
to take away the sin and guilt of others.
Still, it's what I had in mind all along,
to crush him with pain.?
The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin
so that he'd see life come from it—life, life, and more life. ?
And my plan will deeply prosper through him.
he'll live again to see what comes out the terrible suffering of his soul, ?
He’ll see that it’s worth it and be glad he did it.?
Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my obedient servant,
will make many "righteous ones,"
as he himself carries the burden of their sins.?
Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly— ?
the best of everything, the place of highest honour—?
Because he went down to death and didn't flinch, ?
because he embraced the company of the lowest.?
He took on his own shoulders the sin of others, ?
he took up the cause of all those who had gone astray.
and gave his life as a ransom for many. |
Daniel Bennett, 31/03/2008 |
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