Most of us thank God every day that He "gave his only begotten son" for us. I certainly do. However, as one who grew up in a Jewish home and went to synagogue with family and friends, I'm appalled that His fellow Jews turned on him. Maybe Judas shouldn't get ALL the credit for his betrayal as he often seems to. As a faith, Jewishness has never really lived in me. As a heritage, it has always lived in me, and it connects me to those who caused His crucifixion. That's a difficult pill to swallow, but at the same time, I'm proud to have overcome that connection, and to have found a new connection where He is my savior, my Father in heaven, my friend, my counselor, and my life coach.
I grew up among modern day Pharisees and while it was 70 years ago, I remember the feelings well....the obligations, the judgement, the guilt, the pressure to do things that made no sense. It was oppressive. My experience being a Christian is the opposite....it's liberating, empowering, humbling, comforting, energizing, and it makes sense. I'm not saying all this to denigrate the Jewish faith, but today's devotional really put me in touch with my own personal experience as a Jew and the contrast between that and my personal experience as a Christian. And I'm sad that it was the Jews who were unjust, hypocritical, and responsible for His suffering.
Yes Todd, it is profoundly ironic that the jews would go to the Romans concerning Jesus since they hated the Romans, but it shows the reliable hypocrisy that runs through all of mankind throughout all time. The Lord knew that he could count on their hypocrisy to ensure His plan for salvation was implemented. We see it today where people with dark hearts and evil plans cry out for punishment against innocent people while having no crime to charge them with. Often the accusers are really the guilty ones as here in the accusations against Jesus they were calling for His death. Contrast that with Romans 6:23, which basically shows that we are all worthy of death since we have all been born with a sin nature and we have all sinned.So here those worthy of death pressed Pilate for the punishment of the One who knew no sin and the greatest irony is that in doing so they helped carry out the Lord's plan for salvation - even for them.
That's great Mike! Irony upon irony; in the Lord there is so much hope and there are answers, upon answers. Jesus is the answer; the answer to all etermity, all of the issues of life and it makes sense, because in. Him all things consist.
So...those Jews who were so unjust, hypocritical, and dark hearted were actually carrying out God's plan. That does make me feel better. Thanks, Noel!!
That's great Mike! Irony upon irony; in the Lord there is so much hope and there are answers, upon answers. Jesus is the answer; the answer to all etermity, all of the issues of life and it makes sense, because in. Him all things consist.
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Most of us thank God every day that He "gave his only begotten son" for us. I certainly do. However, as one who grew up in a Jewish home and went to synagogue with family and friends, I'm appalled that His fellow Jews turned on him. Maybe Judas shouldn't get ALL the credit for his betrayal as he often seems to. As a faith, Jewishness has never really lived in me. As a heritage, it has always lived in me, and it connects me to those who caused His crucifixion. That's a difficult pill to swallow, but at the same time, I'm proud to have overcome that connection, and to have found a new connection where He is my savior, my Father in heaven, my friend, my counselor, and my life coach.
I grew up among modern day Pharisees and while it was 70 years ago, I remember the feelings well....the obligations, the judgement, the guilt, the pressure to do things that made no sense. It was oppressive. My experience being a Christian is the opposite....it's liberating, empowering, humbling, comforting, energizing, and it makes sense. I'm not saying all this to denigrate the Jewish faith, but today's devotional really put me in touch with my own personal experience as a Jew and the contrast between that and my personal experience as a Christian. And I'm sad that it was the Jews who were unjust, hypocritical, and responsible for His suffering.
Yes Todd, it is profoundly ironic that the jews would go to the Romans concerning Jesus since they hated the Romans, but it shows the reliable hypocrisy that runs through all of mankind throughout all time. The Lord knew that he could count on their hypocrisy to ensure His plan for salvation was implemented. We see it today where people with dark hearts and evil plans cry out for punishment against innocent people while having no crime to charge them with. Often the accusers are really the guilty ones as here in the accusations against Jesus they were calling for His death. Contrast that with Romans 6:23, which basically shows that we are all worthy of death since we have all been born with a sin nature and we have all sinned.So here those worthy of death pressed Pilate for the punishment of the One who knew no sin and the greatest irony is that in doing so they helped carry out the Lord's plan for salvation - even for them.
That's great Mike! Irony upon irony; in the Lord there is so much hope and there are answers, upon answers. Jesus is the answer; the answer to all etermity, all of the issues of life and it makes sense, because in. Him all things consist.
So...those Jews who were so unjust, hypocritical, and dark hearted were actually carrying out God's plan. That does make me feel better. Thanks, Noel!!
That's great Mike! Irony upon irony; in the Lord there is so much hope and there are answers, upon answers. Jesus is the answer; the answer to all etermity, all of the issues of life and it makes sense, because in. Him all things consist.