Thought for the day – Sunday 29th March 2020
Reading: John 19:16 – 24
So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him, and with him two others—one on each side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: Jesus of Nazareth, the king of the Jews. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”
Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.
“Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”
This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said, “They divided my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.” So this is what the soldiers did.
Passion Sunday is a strange day. We’ve celebrated Mother Church and the way we have been nurtured in our Church Family, remembering the love of our parents on the way. Palm Sunday is coming; we sing loudly of glory, praise and honour to Jesus and talk of rejoicing as the King of Kings enters Jerusalem. But Passion Sunday is when we pause and consider what Jesus did for us and why. It is a day for considering At One Ment – through Jesus we can have our true relationship with our Father restored: it is a day of forgiveness offered for all with that forgiveness advertised and won by Jesus on the Cross. Sin is defeated even as he hangs there and the cross becomes our key to life.
Today – take some time, do not hurry yourself. Put yourself at the foot of that cross – see Jesus hanging there and remember he is there for you. Pause to consider your need for forgiveness and then take time for confession, remembering Jesus has promised forgiveness when we ask in his name. Perhaps consider Charles Wesley’s words “My chains fell off, my heart was free, I rose, went forth and followed thee!” and now accept God’s forgiveness with a joyful heart as you prepare to get ready for Easter
Prayer: Holy and forgiving God who longs to be in fellowship with all his children, draw me close and ever closer to you so that, by the sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross and through the power of the Holy Spirit I may walk more closely in your way and rest in you always. In Jesus’ name. Amen.