As we reflect on the events that are recorded in the
passion narrative. it is only natural to ask ourselves what Jesus' death is all
about.
What does it mean'?
From one point of view, it's quite simple.
Those who oppose Jesus gather a crowd together and scare
the Roman governor into letting Jesus be executed.
Jesus is an innocent man, done to death by his more
powerful enemies.
But there's more to it than that.
For one thing, Jesus is done to death because of his
message B
a message of God's love offered to all human beings.
This message simply seemed too good to be true.
It seemed dangerous to the power brokers.
Jesus could have backed off.
He could have toned down his message.
He could have gotten out of the country or simply kept
quiet.
But he didn't, and the reason he didn't was because the
message was too important. The Good News of God's love was B and is B a message that everybody needs to hear.
It's a message that gives ultimate meaning and purpose to
the life of every human being.
If Jesus had backed off he might have saved his life. but
the message would have been lost.
Jesus remained truthful to his message B
even when he began to see that it would cost him his life.
He died so that the truth he preached would be available to
the people of his time. so that it would be available to us.
Jesus died for his message.
the message that is our salvation.
Jesus died for us.
But there is still another
dimension to Jesus' death.
He was sent from his Father with a
mission.
and that mission was not just to
teach, important as that was and is.
but also to demonstrate what human
life is all about.
Jesus came into a world like ours.
a sinful world.
a selfish world.
a shortsighted world.
Through the whole course of his life Jesus showed that the
real value of human life lies in relationship to his heavenly Father.
Everything Jesus did was directed to the love of God and to
the love of those who are loved by God.
His mission was to live human existence as God had intended
it to be lived from the beginning.
He remained obedient to that mission even when it cost him
his life.
From then on human life has been different in God's sight.
in and selfishness and shortsightedness remain, but God now
offers a whole new relationship to those who are willing to continue the life
of Jesus.
to those who are willing to live
with the values and goals and relationships that were his.
Our life is different because we share the life of Jesus.
Our life has a new depth because Jesus was faithful to his
heavenly Father even when that faithfulness brought about his death.
Jesus died for us.
These are deep and complex matters.
Yet like all the greatest truths. this one can also be expressed
very simply:
Jesus died for us.
That is what we celebrate today.
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