Good Friday

For my birthday this year my Grandma gave me her Nativity set that she and Grandpa purchased back in the 1960's when they lived in Europe. This set is my favorite part of Christmas, setting it up is how I begin my Christmas celebrating. Since I got it for my birthday I set it up--in mid March.

I know, a nativity scene set up during Lent--not typical. But then again, I'm not the most typical 20 something either, so it works. It has actually been interesting, because near it I have a cross and the juxtaposition of the shepherds worshiping the baby, the wise men traveling to worship and then the ugly cross--it is a quick glance at Christianity in a nutshell. Without THAT baby we wouldn't have the cross, and without the cross we would not have a path cleared to God. The sacrificial system would be a booming business still.

Jesus was 100% man and 100% God. I have always wondered, how soon did Jesus realize His deity? As a human baby He would have had to develop awareness, but as God HE would be totally aware. How soon did Jesus know who HE was. We know that HE was aware at 12, but what about before? How young was the boy Jesus when HE realized that as an adult HE would be betrayed, abandoned, beaten, condemned, mocked and crucified? That is something I want to ask HIM someday in Heaven.

Today is Good Friday, the day that we commemorate HIS passion- the day where HE was sent through a mockery of a trial, flogged, mocked, abandoned by His closest friends, paraded through the city and led up a hill where Roman soldiers nailed Him to a wooden cross, planted it in the ground, and left Him there, naked, bleeding, dying-all while His people watched and mocked, not knowing the truth.

The nails and the rope were strong, but it was no man made material that held Christ to the cross. Christ could have left at any moment. The power was His, and the angels in Heaven were at His beck and call, but through it all Christ remained on that Cross. He suffered the agonizing pain, the humiliation, the abandonment of His friends, and worst being forsaken by Holy Father God. All because He loves humanity.

Jesus came as the baby that I see in my nativity, He grew up, healed, fed, cleaned and provided for people. He taught lessons and He befriended a small group of disciples. Then, He hung on that cross--yes it was ugly, but the ugliness of the cross is outweighed by the awesome work it accomplished. He did all that because of you, me, and every other human. He hung on that cross for those we consider saints and those we consider the most vile villians.

Jesus loves us, and wants ALL of us in Heaven with Him. He knows that the vast majority will reject Him, but yet He still hung there and died! That is L-O-V-E. It is easy to imagine Jesus hanging there for those we love, but Jesus died for Hitler, for Stalin, for Osama too! He loves each of us, no matter what we do. He hates our sin--it is what caused the need for His death, but He loves us!

Jesus went through all that for each of us. He hung on that cross out of love and knowledge that it was the only way that humans would have a chance at an eternity with Him and his Father in Heaven. Our sin propelled Him to the hill called Golgotha, but His love held Him there. His love allowed Him to die. But, Good Friday-the day of His passion was not the end. On Easter Sunday we find out more!

-JLK-