Lent

[Paula]

Luke 23:26
[26] As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

(Mark 15:21
[21] A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.)

The study book has chosen to focus on just one verse today. It’s often a throwaway verse, which can be missed in all the drama surrounding its place in the final few hours of Jesus’ life. Mark gives a little more detail, in naming Simon’s children - Alexander and Rufus. The question is, how does Mark, from Jerusalem, know Alexander and Rufus, who are from modern day Libya? The likely answer is that they became Christians. So, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and forced to carry a massive crossbeam in the place of a man who had been beaten to the point of death, looks to have set his whole family on the path of believing in Jesus Christ. It encourages me (and is the reason I’ve ‘put myself out there’ by sharing with you this Lent journey I’m going through) that just one ‘chance’ event, sometimes just one throwaway comment, can be what inspires someone to want to know more about the gospel of Christ

[Suzi]

I've really enjoyed these discussions with you. It's often challenged the thoughts I had about passages, and I've not read much of Luke before, so thank you.

[Stella180]

I've has a lot of mixed thoughts and feelings surrounding the passages you have shared. I'm far from a "good christian" and have had an on off relationship with the church throughout my life but I am glad you have stuck with this thread despite little response from the members. I hope people have at least read all that you have shared.

[Paula]

I am so glad it’s given you both pause for thought

[Suzi]

It really has. I've found myself coming back to these passages/themes during the day/week too. I've really enjoyed it.

[Stella180]

I have really struggled with some of them, tbh I struggle with a lot of stuff in the bible for a variety of reasons but it’s been good to have a discussion

[Suzi]

That's what I've loved - actually having somewhere to talk things through, whether we all agree or not, it's a safe space to talk things through.

[Stella180]

Totally agree. It’s good to see the perspective of others. I feel that the bible is open to interpretation and seeing passages in a different way and discussing our views in a respectful manner is always going to be a good thing.

[Suzi]

I think so.

[Paula]

Luke 23:27-31
[27] A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. [28] Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. [29] For the time will come when you will say, 'Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!' [30] Then “ 'they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ' [31] For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

This prophecy looked forward to AD70, when the Romans besieged Jerusalem and destroyed the temple, and refers to a prophecy in the Old Testament book, Daniel, which the Gospel of Matthew references.

Matthew 24:15-21
[15] “So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel---let the reader understand--- [16] then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. [17] Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. [18] Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. [19] How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! [20] Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. [21] For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now---and never to be equaled again.

But all these prophecies also look forward to the Day of Judgement at the end of the world. It’s believed that the ‘abomination’ in Revelations is the antichrist. Judgement sounds harsh, but needs to be shown in the light of Jesus’ sacrifice for us just a few hours later, and the best way I can describe it is by this analogy:

“Two people went through school and university together and developed a close friendship. Life went on and they went their separate ways and lost contact. One went on to become a judge, while the other’s life spiralled downwards and he ended up as a criminal. One day the criminal appeared before the judge. He had committed a crime to which he pleaded guilty. The judge recognised his old friend and faced the dilemma, which, in effect, God faces.

He was a judge so he had to be just; he couldn’t simply let the man off. On the other hand, he wanted to be merciful, because he loved his friend. So he fined him the correct penalty for the offence. That was justice. Then he came down from his position as judge and wrote a cheque for the amount of the fine. He gave it to his friend, saying that he would pay the penalty for him. That was an act of mercy, love and sacrifice.

The illustration is not an exact one. Our plight is worse – the penalty we face is death. The relationship is closer – your Father in heaven loves you more than any earthly parent loves their child. And the cost is greater. It cost God far more than money – he came himself, in the person of Jesus, and paid the penalty of sin.

God is not soft on crime. In his justice, God judges us because we are guilty. Then in his mercy and love he comes down in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ, and pays the penalty for us. Through the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, God is both just and merciful.”