May 12, 2013
Scripture:
Hymn 312 – Jesus loves me
Prayer
2 Kings 6:8-23
Naaman was the captain of the Syrian army. The king of Syria went to war against Israel. He sent his army to different posts to watch for opportunities to fight against Israel. Elisha, the man of God, sent a message to the king of Israel, telling him the king of Syria’s plans. This way, the king of Israel was able to avoid the areas in which Syria had set up their armies. This happened several times and it confused the king of Syria. How did Israel figure out his plans each time? He thought that one of his men was a spy for Israel. One of the king’s men told him of the prophet Elisha. He told the king that Elisha had the ability to know what the king was thinking about in his bedroom and this man believed that Elisha was the one telling the king of Israel their plans. We know that God was telling Elisha the king’s plans. We serve a God that is all-knowing. It is precious to know that we can look to God for direction in our lives.
When the king of Syria found out that it was Elisha that was telling the king of Israel their plans, he decided to send his army to capture Elisha. His army went out and surrounded the city in which Elisha resided. Elisha’s servant looked out his window and saw all the soldiers. Being frightened, the servant asked Elisha what they were going to do. Do you think that Elisha was afraid? No, he knew that God was on his side and that He would protect them. Elisha saw all the soldiers and chariots, but he said that there more on his side then theirs. The Lord has told us that He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world.
Elisha prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes so that he could see. With his eyes opened, the servant could see the huge army that God had provided. Then Elisha prayed again and asked God to smite the Syrian army with blindness. He led them the king of Samaria. The king of Samaria wondered what he should do with these men; should he kill them? Elisha had a different plan: he first asked God to return their sight, and then he got the king to feed them and sent them home. The king of Syria never attacked Israel again.
The first lesson we can learn is that God know everything, and second we need to love of enemies. The Lord loved us when were his enemies. Hopefully we can be thankful for all the love and protection the Lord gives us.
Luke 23:13-33
We now come back to Pilate for the Lord’s final court session. This hearing really reveals who Pilate was; he was the Roman government power, and the judge, but he didn’t meet out justice due to the influence of the people. He had said several times that the Lord was innocent. Our Lord is the only person that you could say that about. He was the only perfectly just person—one who had known no sin—and yet these men tried to find fault in Him. It exposes them. The witness of the Jews didn’t condemn Jesus, but they weren’t trying to pursue justice; they were trying to accomplish an end. Psalm 109:5 says, “They have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love”. Jesus had done so much good, yet the people rewarded Him evil for that good.
It was tradition for Pilate to release one prisoner to the Jews on the Passover. The people had a choice to make, and they made it badly. They asked for Barabbas—a murderer—and cried to Pilate to “Crucify!” Jesus. Usually the Jews would defend their own people, but that day they were out to kill Him.
In verse 20 Pilate tried again to get the people to agree to release Jesus, but again they cried, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” Pilate defended the Lord three times, saying that there was no cause to kill Him, and that he would chastise Him and release Him. Each time the crowd required our Lord’s crucifixion. They crucified the Prince of Peace and have never had peace since.
While the people were in a frenzy and Pilate was trying to control them, we hear nothing come from our Lord. He was silent. They led Him away as a sheep to the slaughter. It seems ironic; He is the great deliverer, and yet was delivered for our offences. We ask Him, “Saviour lead us lest we stray”, but here He was led. He was treated opposite to what would characterize Him.
Some people say that Simon of Cyrene carried the cross because the Lord fell under it, but that’s not in the Bible. Verse 26 makes it sound like Simon carried the whole thing, but it’s possible that he just carried the end of the cross behind Jesus. John 19:17 tells us that, “And he bearing his cross went forth”. If there was anyone at this point who had strength it was Jesus. He bore the cross to Calvary, and at Calvary the cross bore Him.
Simon was just a passerby. He was coming out of the country, and wasn’t part of the group that condemned Jesus. It’s possible that his sons were in the early assemblies from names mentioned by Mark and Paul. This incident probably had a profound impact on Simon, as he was forced to walk with the Lord to Calvary and saw what was going on there. It must have touched him.
It seemed that all the people were crying out against the Lord, but as He went along there were some in the crowd that were distressed for Him. They had human feelings, but for some reason—probably fear, like Peter the night before—didn’t demonstrate them in Pilate’s court. At court He was silent, but Jesus now uses this opportunity to talk to the people along the way; not of the unfairness of His treatment, but a warning: “If they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?”
Hymn 266 – We’ll praise Thee glorious Lord
Prayer