Hail the Conquering King

"Then Pilate said to him, 'So you are a king?' Jesus answered, 'You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world- to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." -John 18:37 (ESV)

And so we stand in the midst of the week that changed human history forever.

As I was studying through the scriptures in preparation for Good Friday and Easter, I was using my spiral bound ESV study bible. But in my main bible, which is a CSB translation, the above verse is translated slightly differently.

"....You say that I'm a king," Jesus replied. "I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice." -John 18:37b (CSB)

I was born for this.

Sobering words, when we think of the horrors of Roman crucifixion.

God, wrapped in flesh, surrounded by people He created, was mocked, reviled, and beaten. Any other human would have died from the sheer amount of blood he lost just through the scourging and being forced to carry His cross. All while His people stood by, and cried out to destroy the very son of God.

Today, however, I want to focus on the disciples, specifically Peter.

The more I've studied scripture, the more I've related to Peter until he's one of my favorite characters. Far too often I see myself reflected in his quick temper, his struggle with sin, and even his shortcomings.

I knew, of course, that he promised never to deny Jesus. I did not, however, know how vehement he was about it.

-Matthew 26:30-35

"Even if I must die with you I will not deny you!"

I can almost hear his cry, his voice breaking as he stood before his master and swore never to leave him.

To the point that he was willing to die with Christ.

How easy it is, to hear myself crying out something so similar! To be filled with that same passion and be so convinced in our own abilities that we brazen forward.

Ultimately, all the other disciples fled, terrified. But Peter and John followed Jesus to the first questioning at the High Priest's.

How much anxiety and fear they must have felt! Peter, clinging desperately to his last shred of faith as he hovered in the courtyard, waiting nervously for any news of his Lord.

But when it came down to it?

The moment he was asked about Jesus, he lied and claimed not to know this man.

It wasn't a soldier. It wasn't even a manservant of the Sanhedrin.

No, the person who had questioned Peter and made him immediately try to save himself?

A young servant girl.

But two other times Peter denied Jesus, and when the rooster crowed (which was actually more likely a trumpet signaling the changing of the guard), he realized he had done exactly what the Lord had predicted, and he ran out, weeping bitterly.

His passion for Christ, to follow Him to the point of death was undeniable. But ultimately, Peter had built his foundation on his own words, and not those of Christ. He relied on his own strength, and failed.

Because we all have failed.

Our own strength will never be good enough.

We will never be strong enough, brave enough, kind enough, or just enough period.

When we rely on our own abilities, we hit rock bottom. There's nowhere to go, and we don't have what it takes, because we are finite, lowly human beings. It's no surprise that we end up flat on our face.

Trusting in our own abilities will only ever lead us to ruin.

But it's Friday. And Sunday's coming for the desert of our hearts.

Have you ever read the story of Jesus' restoration of Peter, after His resurrection? If not, I highly encourage you to go do it. You can find it in John chapter 21, verses 15-19.

And Jesus takes such tender care of Peter. He treats him with such love. There is no condemnation in His eyes as He looks at His precious son and forgives Him completely.

And just a couple chapters later, in Acts 2, Peter- the very same man who couldn't even admit to associating with Jesus- stands up in front of a large crowd, and delivers one of the most powerful sermons found in the entire bible.

Christ began to build His church, using the man who had failed.

Why?

Because Christ restores us, forgives us, and makes us whole.

He is the one who is strong enough, brave enough, kind enough, and just enough period.

To try to make myself fit into that mold would be idolatry.

But the beauty of this is that in the midst of my insufficiency, Christ meets me right where I am.

A couple days ago, at the breakfast table, my dad mentioned a quote by Doug Wilson that really resonated with me. “Christ does not mind a messy workshop.”

I thought that was so profound! It’s so true— I know that I am such a messy, flawed, hopelessly flawed person. But Jesus stepped right in without hesitation. He’s making me new day by day, and He’s unbothered by the mess as he slowly transforms my heart from the inside out.

My church is studying through the book of John in our sermons. We just read the story about Jesus spitting in the mud and smearing it on the blind man’s eyes, which then restores his sight completely.

It was the first time I’d fully seen that story for what it is: a physical metaphor of the gospel and the work of salvation. After the sermon, one of the ladies in our church said something to the effect of, “it makes me think of how the work of salvation is messy and dirty. Praise Jesus, that You were willing to get Your hands dirty for me!”

I can’t shake that phrase!! And the quote from this morning has me thinking about it now more than ever. I want my rallying cry today and for all my life to be ‘Praise Jesus for dirtying His hands for me!’ ❤️

As we move towards Easter, and the week that Jesus was betrayed, handed over to wicked men, and yet willingly drank the cup of wrath, separating Himself for the first time ever from God as He hung on that cross, I want that to stick in my mind, reminding me of how much He suffered on my behalf, and how He did not shy away from the squalor of my sin.

Happy Easter! Until next time, stay undistracted, and keep a ready bible.

-Mira