Hey Jesus… do you remember that Passover…. ?

 Just a man and Jesus… reminiscing one day….

Hey… Remember that one Passover Jesus?

Jesus: “Yeah… the great Exodus…”

No. Not that one… That was totally cool and everything – but it just irritated me that all those signs and wonders, locust and sickness… they still didn’t believe! Then the wilderness, the fake gods… geeze! I mean really!

Jesus: “Yeah… it happens…”

The Passover that I meant was the one that happened, after you came here on earth… you remember…

Jesus: “…? I was here for 33 years… that’s a lot of Passovers, dude.”

When you were on the other side of the Sea of Galilee – you remember….

Jesus: “The Sea of Tiberius?”

Yeah! When that huge crowd was following you! They were crazy in love with all the signs and wonders you were doing! Healing all those sick people. That was nuts! Great! But wow! What a crowd!

Jesus: “Oh do I remember – I had to climb up that hill.”

What was there like 8 or 10,000 guys?

 Jesus: “There was about 5,000, actually.”

I know right – and the only one smart enough to bring a lunch was that little boy! That was too funny! He was happy to hand it over though… cute kid.

Jesus (wink) “Gotta love those little ones… He brought just enough too.”

I don’t know how you did it… and twelve baskets full left over! I’ll never figure that one out… 5 little barley loves and two sardines! Crazy! And we all got totally full! You know you didn’t have to do that.

Jesus (sarcastic – laugh) “Well, I figured ya’ll might want eat – since you didn’t think to bring anything along either…”  

Well, I’ll tell you what… After it was over, I thought for sure the crowd was going to crown you right there! If it was in today’s world, they would have done been texting their wives and had them sewing you the royal robes….

Jesus: “I know right!… That’s why I just disappeared.”

Yeah you did! That’s right! Man, we didn’t know where you went – we just got in the boat and started rowing….

Jesus (laughing):  “And rowing… and rowing…and rowing… What was it, about five miles?”

Seriously! Were you watching the whole time? Oh that’s real funny! Here you come walking on the water like its dry land – and then all of a sudden ‘Whoop! There it is!’ dry land.

Jesus – (totally laughing) “Yeah, I was tired of walking…. Figured you guys were tired of rowing.”

Oh man! That’s just not right.

(Taken from the Gospel of John, chapter 6; obviously paraphrased)

After that day of preaching a teaching 5,000 men, those very same men – who witnessed Jesus healing the sick…

Those very same men, who were fed till their bellies were full – KNOWING that Jesus only had the equivalent of a “Lunchable” from a smart little boy…

Those very same men, who were ready to crown Him king…

Searched for Him high and low until they finally met up with Him the next morning…

And what did they want?

They wanted to know what signs He could do to prove to them that He was indeed the Messiah.

Jesus’ response to them was, of course, a metaphor – and it wasn’t a pretty metaphor either – actually it was quite barbaric –

He told them they must “eat of His flesh and drink of His blood.”

And then he turned to his “disciples” who, at the time included more men than just the twelve who stuck it out, and said:

“Does that offend you? You don’t get it. The flesh has nothing to do with anything! Only the Spirit of God grants life and the Spirit only gives it to whomever God chooses.”

So history tells us that many of them just turned and walked away.

Not much has changed.

Jesus chose to come to this world to die for sinners… To be the ultimate Passover sacrifice – “The Lamb that was slain,”

And He chose to do it at a moment in time where people thought they were “righteous.”

Today, we are simply arrogant. Educated people with absolutely no knowledge, wisdom or understanding… Oh wait – nothing has changed…. we now are more accurate, we call  it “Self-righteous.”

Before the Vatican was erected and a man was given Jesus’ Holy name of “Holy Father” AKA: the pope….

The Jewish religious leaders (such as Saul… later known as Paul) were rigorously trained in magnificent temples and knew the Old Testament scrolls better than many so called “Christians do today (let alone preachers).

The “Bible-belt” of America is close – But the Catholic church is pretty much spot on as to the way of the Roman Empire back in the day… High priests, holy water, and traditions of men… not much as changed.

As a matter of fact, if you walk into a Catholic church today – they still have Jesus hanging on the cross… right where they put Him.

These scholars, these “religious and righteous men,” Jesus said were worthless and dead. They knew nothing and the poor beggars and children had a better chance of eternal life then they did.

They talked the talk – but couldn’t walk the walk.

Just like their ancestors who were part of the Great Exodus….

One more Passover feast to celebrate their freedom… all while denying True freedom.

In Christ.

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might
and honor and glory and blessing!” (Rev. 5:11). 

The more things change… the more things stay the same….

When they saw the prophecies that they had memorized coming true before their eyes – they chose not only to ignore it – but to report it.

Back then, God was considered Holy and blasphemy was a penalty that resulted in death by stoning in the town square.

But that was not good enough for Jesus – The people of the day… these so called “good, religious, spiritual,” people….

Demanded His death by the most horrific way possible. Crucifixion. Rome can thank Alexander the Great for such a wonderful legacy…

Barbaric, as it was… That is not all that occurred.

His flesh was literally torn to pieces, by repeated whipping, the use of which was the traditional weighted whip with numerous “tails” that were embedded with shards of glass, metal, and hooks that would not only hit the flesh, but tear into it, ripping it away from the bones.

He told them they must “eat of His flesh and drink of His blood.”

But this… this was the pre-curser.

This was “Good Friday.”

The beating that left Jesus so “marred” that he was “beyond recognition,” of being a man. (Isaiah 52:13).

His Bones exposed… and He was spit on… (Ps. 22:16-17)

They laid a royal robe on His bleeding skin to dry  – only to be ripped off of his skin yet again…

 “Yeah, well after it was over, I thought for sure the crowd was going to crown you right there! If it was in today’s world, they would have done been texting their wives and had them sewing you the royal robes….”

His beard was ripped out of his face. (Isaiah 50:6).

A “mock-crown” of 1-2 inch thorns covering His head as they continued to beat his body, including blows to the head – driving the thorns deep into his scalp, (Mark 15:19-21, Matt. 27:30).

They then laid a 75-100 pound cross-beam across His shoulders and made Him walk the (approx.) ½ mile through the busy market streets to “the place of the Skull.” (Golgotha) beating Him repeatedly each time He fell…

“Does that offend you?”

 

He was nailed to splintery piece of wood – rather than being tied, (Jn. 19:18).

After which, the guards “cast lots” (played dice) for his clothing (their souvenir). (Jn. 19:23).

Then, the crossbar that Jesus literally hung from with only his hands nailed (the nails were the size of rail-road ties) was hoisted into place…

And Jesus’ feet were then nailed to the stake.

The final Passover… “It is finished.”

Jesus was so mutilated after the beating that following the resurrection – people did not recognize Him – Even his disciple Thomas required proof – whereby Jesus told him to touch his hands and feet. (Jn. 24:39).

“You don’t get it. The flesh has nothing to do with anything! Only the Spirit of God grants life and the Spirit only gives it to whomever God chooses.”

And therefore, many turned and walked away.

The only thing different today is that we most certainly do not consider the God of the Bible, let alone Jesus Christ His son, as anything close to being Holy….

Even when we have miracles such as:

The sphere of the earth spins on its axis…  (Is. 40:22 – God knew before Columbus)…

When we watch the daily rise and set of the sun each day…

The ocean waves as they come to a sudden end and then splash at our feet…

When we catch our breath riding a roller coaster because of gravitational force…

of… Nature?

…

Or we fly a kite with the miracle that is our child…

By way of the wind that comes and goes where and when it pleases…

Or stay up late to watch the rare occurrence of the “blood moon” as mentioned in the book of Joel.

Yet, we still ask God for a “sign.”

The human race is just the same as it was then… Ignorant, well educated, dead people, who simply turn and walk away…

You will wake your children early on a Sunday morning to hunt for bright colored eggs that you have hidden –

But it will be too much of a bother to wake them up to attend a service to remember what Christ has done for you.

You do not like to hear what the Bible says, you only want to believe parts… Your parts, that you have written… that you believe…  – (You cannot continue to live in sin, it leads to death, Rom. 3:23).

We don’t like to hear the Truth – that only God can call you unto Himself. (“You did not chose me, but I chose you,” Jn. 15:16).

Hey Jesus… Remember that Passover?

As we begin this Passover feast…

To remember…

Let us remember the True Passover…. the final Passover…

Where the blood of a lamb… THE lamb… was slain so that you can be free.

Or are you are just going to turn and walk away.

Holly T. Ashley

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