The Everyday Prayer

Re:Verse passage – John 19:28-30 (day two) 

He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit. vs. 30b

“Don’t cry for me, for I go where music is born…” These were  Johann Sebastian Bach’s last words. I, along with many musicians, believe Bach was the greatest composer to ever live. What a poetic ending to his devout life. Have you given thought to what your last words might be? Imagined the scene, surrounded by family, trying to encourage and comfort them as you transition to eternity?

None of these thoughts, or Bach’s poetry are possible with out Jesus first finishing what he came to do. Without Jesus ultimate, once for all, sacrifice all ‘last words’ are empty and hollow. Take a moment to thank Jesus for giving us an opportunity for hope, and even a little poetry.

Re:Verse passage – John 19:17-27 (day seven)

They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. vs 17

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 

This was probably the moment it all began to sink in for the disciples. Here is Jesus, taking up a heavy cross and dragging it to the top of the mountain. Those who were watching were probably reliving these words in their mind saying, “Is this really what He meant? Is this what He was calling us to do?” It was, and they did. Extrabiblical sources would tell us that many of them did take up a cross or something similar as all of them but John (exiled) were martyred for their belief in the Risen King.

How will you take up your cross? This burden is not light. That daily act of self denial is difficult and goes against the sinful nature that is pushing back inside of us. As we enter into this new year, how will you follow Jesus more closely? Will you take up your cross daily? Will you deny yourself and submit to Him every day? Let us all instill habits now that will lead us closer to Jesus in 2023! Happy New Year!

Re:Verse passage – John 19:17-27 (day six) 

The sign was a deterrent. Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews was more than just an opportunity to stick it to the Jewish leaders, Pilate was also conveying a message, Caesar is King, and never forget it!

Although, more subtle and less dramatic, our contemporary culture is no different in its messaging:

Jesus has no dominion here; we have no king but Caesar.

Truth is, those in power today, (whether on the right or left) would find a way to crucify him all over again. They already do. He is too much a threat to their power and control.

One day, the resurrected Jesus will subject all earthly powers and authorities under his feet. There will be no ambiguity or confusion; King Jesus will be on the throne.

Re:Verse passage – John 19:17-27 (day five) 

“When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.”

Even as Jesus is being executed, He is teaching about relationships in the Body of Christ that is being formed. Here, He goes against the customary pattern for His earthly family to take care of their (His) mother. Instead, Jesus is initiating the loving and caring relationships we are to have within the Body of Christ for one another. We are the Family of God. Remember His words (Mark 10) after the encounter with the rich young ruler?  “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.”
How we love and care for others in the Family of God matters!!

Re:Verse passage – John 19:17-27 (day four)

Often when I read this passage, I put myself in Jesus’ mind, looking from his view, down at the crowd that had gathered as he was raised up on the cross. Today, though, I find myself in the crowd, seeing these events play out from Mary’s vantage point. She saw it all happen, huddled there with her faithful friends as her firstborn son was put to death. And in his last moments, Jesus ensures that Mary will be taken care of. Jesus accomplished everything he set out to do. He didn’t die with anything left undone, there were no loose ends left to tie. Taking care of his mother was one of his final acts.

When Mary heard Jesus call out from the cross, “Woman, behold your son!” and realized that he had given her into John’s care, I wonder if her mind returned to Bethlehem, where she gazed down at her son lying in the manger. As the angels sang and the shepherds came to behold the child king, Luke 2:19 tells us that “Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” While she couldn’t have known then how things would play out, I wonder if these quiet ponderings from long ago strengthened her faith in this moment of grief. Mary had a unique vantage point to see Christ’s life lived out with heavenly purpose. From start to finish, she saw the Lord’s faithfulness in and through her son. What a promise we have from Jesus – that he will be faithful from start to finish.

Re:Verse passage – John 19:17-27 (day three)

“They divided my outer garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.”

The gospel accounts of the actions of the soldiers in getting their hands on Jesus’s possessions – namely his clothing – has some history of being used as a cautionary tale to warn people against participating in games of chance: “To gamble is to partake in the same activities as the Roman soldiers at the foot of the cross.” With all due respect to the good intentions of those who would exhort people to avoid practices that can lead to crime and addiction, John’s intent is something other than throwing shade at casinos. What the scriptures reveal is Jesus Christ having come in the flesh – God made human, God made vulnerable. Only from a human being could everything be taken, from friends to the clothes on his back. Behold the man.

Re:Verse passage – John 19:17-27 (day two) Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts, a part to every soldier and also the tunic; now the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece. vs 23

If we are humble or display humility we ‘bring ourselves low’. We do this out of reverence or deference to authority or respect. The root of humiliation is the same, but it is something done to you. Christ shows an incredible amount of humility in his discourse with Pilate and in all the mock proceedings. He also allows this death penalty theatre to play out in a way that had to be hard to watch at any level. The soldiers after they had done driven spikes into human flesh and hoisted them up on display went about the business of gambling over the garments. Jesus’ mother and friends we witness to this, and had to stand in horror. Jesus, meanwhile, endured the scene. More than that, he allowed it. In light of the resurrection power to come, this humility should overwhelm us. We too often sanitize the passion of Jesus as we tell the story again and again, but it was gruesome. Take a moment to that the Lord for enduring the agony in order that we may have eternal life.

Re:Verse passage – John 19:5-16 (day seven)

The Lord said to Samuel, “Listen to the voice of the people in regard to all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me from being king over them.  1 Samuel 8:7

We asked The King for another king, and he delivered, but another king could not be The King that we needed. The imperfection of mankind does not lend itself to being capable of true Kingship. The Perfect and Sovereign King knew our plight, so He sent His Son to be our King.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people;  for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:10-11

Immanuel! God with us! This was the Perfect King. The very King we needed, but even this King was rejected because He was not the King we expected.

Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” John 19:15b

If the chief priests believe they have no other king but Caesar, then they have not only rejected Jesus as the Messiah, but they have rejected The Lord as their King.

Today we celebrate the birth of a King as the angels proclaimed in Luke 2. There are still those who reject Him, but we do not. We perceive His power. We worship His wisdom. We praise His Holy Name. We have no King but Jesus!