No Other God

A reading for Good Friday, April 14, 2017: Luke 23:32-47.

"And as for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." 

-Genesis 5:20 (NAS)

The Passion narrative is hard to read. Perhaps we have read it so often that we have become desensitized to the violence and cruelty of it. The power of Caesar as exercised through Pilate, combined with the fear and condemnation of the Jewish High Council, executed Jesus of Nazareth with high prejudice and finality. Once and for all, we will silence this so called "King of the Jews." They raise a sign, written in all three languages of the day so that all the people who pass by will understand truly who rules in Jerusalem. It is not Jesus. It is Caesar! It is Caiphas! There is an absurd sort of desperation in the lengths that the enemies of God's peace will go in order to maintain the illusion that they are in charge.

One of the criminals crucified with Jesus knows the truth. Luke places on his lips, surely an unlikely source of testimony, the truth that God's Kingdom was coming even now in the death of Jesus, the Christ. “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Today is a day of reflection. It is a day to absorb the truth of the gospel. There is no other God but the Almighty God who sent Jesus Christ into the world for the sake of our sins. There is no other God whose power rests in simple serving of one another, love for the sake of love. There is no other God who exercises power in forgiveness and peace, rather than cruelty and condemnation. There is no other God but Almighty God!

Others will do their best to try and silence the way of peace... but stay tuned. We know the rest of the story!