Words for Worship

Ministry Today

Matthew 27:15-23
 

Matthew 27:24-26

I have to say that even Sir Humphrey Appleby from yes Minister would have had his hands full with Pontius Pilate since he was a real disaster.  

A point made all to clear by a number of incidents that led to riots. For example, his predecessors had respected Jewish customs by removing all images and effigies on their standards when entering Jerusalem, Pilate however allowed his soldiers to bring them into the city at night. When the citizens of Jerusalem discovered these,, they appealed to Pilate to remove them. After five days of deliberation, Pilate had his soldiers surround the demonstrators threatening them with death. The problem was they were willing to accept rather than submit to desecration of Mosaic law. Pilate finally removed the images.

Pilate then as they say had form; form that is in terms of provoking Jewish mobs and then appeasing them.

 And so to him standing at the edge of Christ’s pain and being the prima facie cause of Christ’s pain as we ask - did he rob Jesus of daylight. And the answer is - no - that was some else.

Was it then Barabbas – after all, by many accounts, he was a robber or a bandit maybe even a terrorist. So we know where this character stands ethically. But if we reflect a little deeper we realise that Barabbas is not the one who commits robbery on this day. For today, Barabbas is merely another man on the edge of Jesus' pain. Yet he could point to who really robbed the day.

Let then hear from him now

I had to get out of there sharpish. I thought they had me that time. Most of them think I'm a animal. I don’t really care - Dog eat dog eh.... no place to be getting starry eyed, if you win you win, if you lose you lose. He lost. Tough luck.

Ok, so I was guilty and he was innocent, at least that's what they all said. But suppose we all took up this idea that we had to be fair, had to "love your neighbour". Unrealistic really. All these religious people were manipulating me as much as him. They were the ones doing the shouting, it's not me to blame. These religious types all say one thing and do another. Preaching one thing and doing the opposite behind the scenes.

But this Jesus, he seemed different, I've never come across someone like him before. Can't explain it really, but he went in my place without a word. He didn't shout or make a big fuss, didn't even complain much.

I know it should have been me going down. Here I am getting all sorry and glassy eyed for Jesus when I was the lucky one. Makes you think though. Nothing's going to change because I feel a bit guilty.

Except that Jesus was different. Any trouble I get I deserve, but not him. Do I feel guilty? Sure. He took my place in front of the baying crowd, he took the fall for me demanded by the mob, it was they who nailed him.

Silence

The real robbers then were the crowd! It was the crowd who steal justice, who robbed Jesus of his life and whose theft took us to the darkness of Golgotha. It is the crowd that today can rob us as well. For like Pilate we can go along with the crowd to get an easy life. Or like Barabbas - we can try to channel crowds for our own ends. Yet if we do - the mob will rule and we and our principles, beliefs and convictions will not. Because as every ephemeral celeb knows – the crowd gives, the crowd taketh away and blessed is not the name of the crowd.

One of my hobbies from yesteryear was amateur radio. And that is why I am interested in the pastimes’ only saint – Maximillian Kolbe. Because during the Second World War he provided shelter to refugees from Greater Poland including 2000 Jews. He was also active on radio amateur getting reports of Nazi atrocities out to the west.

In 1941 he was arrested and sent to Auschwitz where shortly after a man vanished from his barracks. The Camp Commandant picked 10 men to be starved to death. One of the selected men cried out, lamenting his family, and Kolbe volunteered to take his place. During the time in the cell he led the men in songs and prayer. After three weeks, he was finally executed.  

Today if we want to stand outside the crowd, then we do need to stand on the edge of Jesus pain. We will not, of course, face being physical execution. We may not even suffer verbal assault or ridicule. Instead for our principles, beliefs and convictions we will suffer something almost worse. We will suffer indifference.

Yet let our Lord and the saints who have gone before be our model. Let us offer ourselves up for the good of others; let us take the place of those who cannot or will not speak up; let us be the suffering remnant. For then we will be true to Christ and ourselves; we will be ranked amongst the worthy and we will be quietly triumphant before God who is ever our eternal witness.

Let us pray

Dear God
Sometimes it seems such a risk to pray
To know your still small voice
In everything
Overcome my doubt and release me
From myself
Make me aware of all that I have missed
Self seeking to overcome
Opportunities to serve
People to love
Give me courage to pray
And be changed forever. Amen

Barrabas - to blame?