Thoughts on the Cross

Thoughts inspired by my church's reading of the Good Friday account in John 18 and 19:

• Jesus' death sentence was for blasphemy. It was a false accusation, but He accepted the sentence for His friends, who each in their own sins had committed that blasphemy, had declared themselves to be more intelligent than infinite God through their defiance of His laws.  Our pride is our death sentence, and Jesus has taken it for us, if we choose to be His friend.
• “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.  In doing so, they, the highest religious authorities of Jacob's line, broke the covenant and ended the Levite priesthood. Then, upon Jesus' death, the inner veil of the Temple was torn, showing that God had accepted His sacrifice, that the age of the priesthood of Melchizedek had come, to offer forgiveness to all the Jews and gentiles.
• Pilate crucified Jesus with the sign "King of the Jews" in the languages of the people (Aramaic), of the Empire (Latin), and of the world (Greek). He was the appointed authority of the Empire of Rome, the hand of the Emperor of mankind, and he recognized what the priests refused to. In doing so, he declared who the world system would forever oppose: the King of the next world.

Love

I saw a movie tonight which God used to remind me that He loves me.

His love is so deep that He died for me, personally. I can't express how amazing that is.

I can't express just how revolting to me the mistakes are that people have made in trying to understand Him. He did not die for humanity corporately, but personally for each and every person.

He found a way to save everyone; He stands with outstretched arms, saying, "Come to me, learn to live, to grow and learn forever. Let me be your guide, teaching you from infinite wisdom how to make right decisions, and what things have true value and real meaning."

He started the Church, not to run people's lives, but to give us a place to be at home. He is the King, and His kingdom has free citizenship, no questions asked. Have you been a bad person, a mean and spiteful person? He will forgive you, welcome you with open arms, and help you to change, to become a better person.

He is choice, infinite choice. We are made in His image; we are expressly designed for choosing. From hands that grasp to a voice that speaks, we are built for freely choosing.

His greatest gift is free will. It is this He values about us above all: we can choose. He values choice so much that if someone says, "I don't want to be with you," He lets them. It breaks His heart, but He lets them.

Choose Him, because He has already chosen you, and is waiting.