ANYONE FOR CALVARY?

Scripture for the day: John 12:32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.

Thought for the day: Isn't it interesting how we tend to sanitize or sugarcoat everything that, in its raw state, might be disturbing or distasteful? For instance, who likes to suffer and sacrifice? No one, so we tend to focus on passages of scripture that promise health and wealth and all the blessings God can pour out upon us if we simply join His crowd. No one wants to be a slave; everyone wants to be free to come and go and make his or her own decisions. Who needs scriptures that say things like, “But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life” (Romans 6:22). We’d rather concentrate on those scriptures that point toward everlasting happiness and a life of continual praise, and I understand that; I truly do. But let’s take this particular passage of scripture as our example for today. We (and by we, I mean particularly the Western church) have taken this statement by Jesus and so twisted it to fit our own particular health and wealth lifestyles that for most Christians today it bears no resemblance to what Jesus meant at all. Look again at the context.

Jesus had entered the temple to teach during this, His last week before His death. He'd been teaching about the kingdom of God, all the while fending off attack after attack from the Pharisees and religious rulers. In the midst of it all His mind was occupied with the mission of redemption that would soon be completed through His suffering and death. By His own admission, His heart was heavy with the responsibility of what He would soon experience and, in His humanity, would rather have been just about anywhere else. Then, by way of explaining God's voice to the people, He made the pronouncement we read today. In doing so, He spoke of the manner in which He would die in just a few days.

But what has it come to mean in western society? It means this: if we praise Him; if we lift up the name of Jesus, all people will turn to Him. So, we go about singing light, happy, positive praise songs and choruses 'till we're hoarse. Or we adorn ourselves with gold crosses and bright wristbands that ask, "What Would Jesus Do?" Don't misunderstand; these things are not wrong. In fact, they are worthwhile activities for us to be about. But they don't even remotely approach the meaning of the words Jesus spoke. It was Jesus’ suffering and dying on the cross that would draw people, not simply the praise of His name. Let's face it; there are countless people out there receiving praise and honor every day, and they make no eternal difference.

In one of the cities in America there is an elevated train that passes through some outlying neighborhoods as it carries people in and out of the city. One of the stations is near a large burial ground, Calvary cemetery. In that part of town there are more dead than living so the train doesn't regularly stop at that station, except by request. Consequently, when the train leaves the station prior to this one, the conductor opens the passenger doors and says, "Next station is Calvary. Train stops only on signal. Anyone for Calvary?"

What a neat parable of life. The train stops at Market Street, at School Street, at University Avenue, at Main Street, at Vanity Fair, at Church Street and at Home Avenue. But to get to Calvary means a choice and an expressed desire.

Anyone for Calvary?

Now go take on your world. - Bill