March 18, 2010

Mark 15:26-47
Remember the pictures, Where's Waldo? Some people like me enjoyed spending a few minutes every once in a while looking for Waldo. In the midst of this massive and intricate cartoon the artist would draw Waldo. Waldo always wore the same clothes. If I remember right, he had this distinctive, colorful, striped hat and shirt. He was always so well blended in with the crowd that sometimes he was difficult to find.
Where is the glory of the King? Here, the King is on a cross. He doesn't much look like a king. Pilate ordered the inscription to insult the Jews. But it was true. He is the King. The ruler of the strongest army of the Universe could have destroyed the earth with a word and set Himself free. He doesn't look much like the King on the cross. Like Waldo, He is blending in with the clowns around Him. Can you see Him? He's the One in the middle of the three naked ones on the cross.
From noon until 3:00 p.m. a curious thing happened. There was darkness over the whole land. How could that happen? It is mid-day. The sun is at its brightest. No clouds are recorded but it was dark. This was significant. The clowns cannot see but the creation can. Oh, wait, He is giving a royal pronouncement. "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?" The King of the Universe hadn't just blended in with the clowns, the sinners, He had become one. Where is the King? That's Him on the cross. He has become sin on my behalf. I put Him there. He went there for me--and you--and the other clowns that surrounded Him and have lived from Adam until the end of time. Do you recognize Him? Boy did He blend in well! The veil of the temple tore from the top to the bottom. God's glory will come rushing out! His glory will destroy us! But wait. Nothing happened. We did not die! Why? Because the King became one of us, He died in our place. The glory of God is not longer lethal to us who are in Him.
Then there was the Roman Centurion. Of all the people who recognized the King, how did he see Him? He had watched this man. He had probably heard of His teaching in the temple during the week. He had observed the trial. He probably supervised the beating in Pilate's hall. He watched him die. No man dies like that man died. Creation turned black when that man died. This Man forgave in the midst of agony. The earth quaked when He quit breathing. He saw through the disguise. He saw the glory of God. Do you see it? Where is the King? Indeed we serve a glorious King! Speak His glory to someone today!
--Pastor John