The common mission to make disciples links the church, family, and classical Christian school together in helping children discover His amazing grace!
When Pilate heard
this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he
belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in
Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long
desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see
some sign done by him. So he questioned him at some length, but he made no
answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And
Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then,
arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. And Herod and
Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had
been at enmity with each other. (Luke 23:6-12).
Jesus’ steady march toward Calvary’s cross
took a brief but poignant detour through the court of the tetrarch Herod. This
is the puppet ruler who, in a drunken stupor, cruelly and unjustly beheaded
John the Baptist to please his party guests… (see Matthew 14:1-12). Luke
notes here that Herod… “had long desired to see him because he had heard
about him”. We might imagine that Jesus wanted this meeting even more.
What a grand opportunity to avenge the death of His cousin and faithful servant
John! But Jesus left vengeance to God, who would deal justly with Herod. He was
accused by a nephew of conspiracy against the Roman emperor Caligula and ended
his days in exile in Gaul. Jesus quietly and submissively trusted God’s grace
to use these conspirators and events to propel Him toward the cross… “Where
sin increased, grace abounded all the more” (Romans 5:20). Diligent
disciples, living for and sharing Christ in a sinful world, will find
encouragement here to trust the grace that empowers us.
God’s grace responds to cruelty with compassion.
Herod’s cruelty prompted the compassion of Christ as instead of
judging the foolish adulterer and murderer for beheading His cousin John, Jesus
proceeded steadily toward Calvary’s cross. Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit,
exhorts us to keep our focus on Jesus as we encounter the cruelty of the
unbelieving world around us… “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so
great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which
clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before
us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated
at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1-2). When we imitate
the compassion of Christ, God’s grace empowers us to become a clearer reflection
of His mercy to our hurting world.
God’s grace answers contempt with confirmation.
Herod and his soldiers’ contempt produced a confirmation of
Christ as sovereign over this and every other moment that led Him to Calvary’s
cross. Christ’s quiet confidence before His accusers reminds us of the attitude
of Daniel’s friends in a similar confrontation… “Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego answered and said to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to
answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to
deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your
hand, O king’” (Daniel 3:16-17). When we imitate the quiet confidence
of Christ before our enemies, God’s grace confirms His sovereignty over our
lives because we are His children.
God’s grace turns conspiracy into cooperation.
Herod’s conspiracy with Pilate unwittingly promoted their cooperation
with Christ as the Lord turned their unholy alliance into a stepping stone
toward Calvary’s cross. The Spirit inspired David to declare that the corrupt
hearts of unholy rulers will always conspire against the coming rule of Christ…
“The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel
together, against the LORD and against his Anointed, saying, ‘Let us burst
their bonds apart and cast away their cords from us’” (Psalm 2:2-3).
When we imitate the meekness of Christ when confronted by the power of the
world, God’s grace grants us a victory that gives glory to Christ, the King of
kings.
As we grow up into Christ, imitating His
humility and compassion, we show the world…
The Grace that Empowers Us.
Empowerment is the emotion of organism in control of your own mind and body, to be empowered is to make your decisions on your own and taking ownership in your actions. Article Rewriter and Spinner available on our website.
ReplyDelete