Gettin’ Smart

TITLE: Gettin’ Smart
DATE :November 21, 2019
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​Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed.

TEXT:      Matthew 27: 41-43 – ESV -   41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”

Worldly people like to laugh at Jesus and His followers. They always have, I imagine they always will. Of course there are those times when God’s people have turned the table.  

During World War One, a Salvation Army worker was on duty at the Kansas City railroad station.

She was assisting the service men, many of whom were away from home for the first time. Most appreciated her care. Most, but not all. For example there was the “know-it-all-wise-guy” who had originally hailed from  a big city on the East Coast.  

He told his buddies, ‘Watch me have some fun.’

With some bravado he sauntered over to the Salvation Army lady and said, “Will you pray for me?” The tone of his voce told the Worker that the lad was having a tough time not laughing at the embarrassment he was going to cause her.

Knowing it was the private’s intention to make fun of her, her prayer, and, indirectly, her Lord and Savior, she solemnly folded her hands and spoke loudly enough so that all of his grinning friends would be able to hear her, she prayed....

“Lord, be with this young man in his travels and bring him home safely to those who love him, and between now and then,  please do Your best to make this young man’s heart as soft as his head.” You know, it’s kind of nice when Christians manage to turn the table on the world.

The Jewish priests didn’t know it, but even  as He was dying Jesus was turning the tables on them.


Even as they mocked Him, Jesus was saving them, you and me. He was turning the table on Satan and death who had said that ‘the grave is the final end of all of us.’ How red-faced Satan must have been as Jesus victoriously rebuilt the bridge between God and man.

This is a covenant of forgiveness and hope. 

As we see humanity making fun of a dying man, of our dying Redeemer. What had He done to deserve such abuse? He had healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the hungry, called sinners to repentance and shared how a lost soul can be saved.

The cruel reaction to Jesus’ bounty points out how very much the world needs the gift which Jesus was winning.  It is a gift which is so great we ought to fall to our knees before His cross and say, “Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving us at the cost of Your own life.”

As Jesus looks down on us we arise, redeemed, restored, recycled.

THE PRAYER: Lord Jesus, by Your death You showed the truth of Your words: “Greater love has no man than this, than he give up his life for another.” I give thanks that I am one of those people that You have saved. Please let me do what I can so others may be called by the Spirit into Your marvelous light. This we ask in Your holy Name. Amen.
 
The devotion for today was inspired by various recent news articles The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along with three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html
 
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