Winter Storm Harper 01/20/19

Silver Springs State Park, Silver Springs, Florida

God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; He does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone He has made may know His work, He stops all people from their labor. ~ Job 37:5-7

We worshiped at Trinity Baptist Church in Ocala, Florida. It’s quite a large church! Last Sunday’s attendance was 546, and their weekly budget is almost $25,000! It seemed like a fairly friendly, Spirit-minded, God-fearing, Jesus-loving church. The music engaged us, although I didn’t sing out loud (healing, remember?), I definitely sang in my heart as I mouthed the words. And we were both glad when they said unto me, ‘Let us go to the House of the Lord.’ ~ Psalm 122:1

The Pastor’s evidently been doing a series (The Jesus Journey) on the book of Luke, “for years” he joked. But today’s lesson was more from Matthew’s version of events because he offers more details. So, from Luke 23:16, 22 and Matthew 27:26-31, we begin a disturbing, but necessary, lesson today.

No one wants to think about, let alone talk about the torture our Lord Jesus suffered on our behalf. Oh, we know He died for us, and we know it was on a cross. But the closest any of us has ever gotten to understanding what actually took place, was if we watched Mel Gibson’s movie, The Passion.

We don’t want to talk about it. We want to talk about the streets of gold and the joy of being in heaven. But we can’t get there without first going through the cross. And the cross is ugly and painful and horrific and full of blood and gore and death. And as the Pastor pointed out, we need to understand precisely what Jesus endured to make us think twice about our sin.

I can remember many years ago, the youth group at the Baptist church we attended, did a short play. This little sketch they did had more impact on my life than just about any sermon I’ve ever heard, or book I’ve ever read (Bible excluded). I don’t remember exactly what they did, it was just too long ago, but one young man portrayed Jesus. Another portrayed a Christian young man going about his daily choices in life. The gist was that Jesus went with him everywhere, never saying a word, just as He goes with us if we’ve chosen to make Him Lord. Anyway, the young man grew frustrated and began making ungodly, worldly, “flesh” satisfying decisions. Just little things like gossip, etc., but every time he wanted to do the wrong thing, he first turned around and “nailed” Jesus’ body to an invisible cross. The sound of hammer to nail to board could be heard loudly from backstage as the young man mimed the action. It was heart-wrenching, but effective. It made a lot of people begin to think twice about their decisions.

So now we’re ready for today’s lesson, but as we get into it, remember that Jesus has already endured much. He’s prayers and the knowledge of what is to come has been so agonizing He’s shed blood, He’s been arrested, betrayed by one of The Twelve, abandoned by everyone, denied by Peter, accused by false witnesses in an unjust trial, spat upon, His body pummeled with multiple fists, His face slapped by numerous men, marched from one end of town to the other and back again, ridiculed and mocked, and listened to a multitude of people – children of the Father – people He helped create – call for crucifixion; the most horrific means of death possible.

Today isn’t even about the crucifixion. It’s about what happened previously as Pilate’s soldiers (Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea, where Jerusalem was.) took charge of Jesus under Pilate’s direction. You see, Pilate didn’t really want to crucify Jesus. He didn’t believe Jesus had done anything worth that punishment, and I personally think, Pilate had a fear of Jesus because I’m certain he’d heard all about Jesus during the past three years. So instead of immediately ordering the crucifixion, he thought to placate the people (mostly the Jewish leadership) by having Jesus flogged instead. And everything is a fulfillment of prophecy. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified.(Matthew 20:18-19) I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard, I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. (Isaiah 50:6)

Scripture doesn’t tell us, but history does; but there were 400-600 men present for the scourging. They’re not all there to participate, but they are there for the sport of it. Scourging was raw brutality and many didn’t even survive. The flagellum (the tool they used) had 7-9 leather strips attached to a piece of wood that was held in the hand. Each piece of leather held pieces of sharpened bone, glass and/or metal attached to it.

The prisoner was either standing with arms splayed and held securely, or bent over a rock or wood podium and secured. Two guards participated in administering the punishment, one on either side and they took turns, rhythmically swinging their flagellum until 40 lashes were administered. The swing was administered with all their force, embedding the pieces into flesh, and ripping it back out, usually taking flesh with it. Oftentimes, the flogging/scourging was so brutal, internal organs were exposed.

Yes, it’s horrible to read about, but Jesus deserves for us to know what He endured. And you would think this would be the end of it, but it wasn’t. And you have to wonder, where was God? God didn’t let this happen, He ordained it. If we ever question whether or not God loves us, all we have to do is look to Jesus and what He suffered for us.

Now that the scouring was over, and before Jesus was re-presented to Pilate and the people, the soldiers mocked Him. He has open wounds all over Him and now the soldiers put a scarlet robe on Him (a symbol of royalty and representative of sin). Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. (Isaiah 1:18) Everything the soldiers did, what they thought was in jest, was a message of truth of Jesus and His Kingship. The crown of thorns they made for Him and pressed upon His head, representative of the wreath Caesar wore like a crown. Keep in mind that these thorns were some little rosebush thorns, although that would be bad enough. These were 2-3” long and pressed into His head until they reached bone, and some sliding along the bone under the skin. And they placed a long reed into His bound hands, which symbolized a supreme ruler. They gave it in sport and mocking, but it displays His supreme Authority.

And then they bowed before Him and said, “Hail! King of the Jews!” Again, done in jest, but another truth proclaimed. . . . that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Chris is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:10-11)

And then they spat on Him.

Today, men still figuratively spit on Jesus, laughing and mocking at The Word, Jesus and the Church.

Knowing all this – – the high price Jesus paid for our sin – – how can we turn a blind eye or dabble in sin? Without Jesus, there is no payment for sin.

There is no middle ground. You can’t remain neutral. You either crucify Jesus, or you crown Him King.

Other than those rare ice storms that come upon us, we really don’t have cause to be concerned about winter snow storms. Until this one.

Winter Storm Harper hit our family and friends in Northeast Ohio with a knockout punch. And she stretched from Texas to Maine. We even had a small touch from her hand as temperatures dropped to below average and we had a few sprinkles.

And it also happens to be the name of our one and only granddaughter. 😊

Everyone was pretty much snowbound for a day or two as 11-13 inches of snow fell and piled up around their homes from the fierce wind.

All our family’s church services were cancelled – including all locations of our very large church, The Chapel. I don’t know how first responders got around.

And as of this writing (the 23^rd), our oldest son’s road has still not been plowed! He had to call off work because he couldn’t get out of his driveway! And according to the headlines, people all over Akron are getting really ticked at the City of Akron. Apparently, they’ve not bothered to plow a lot of streets.

At any rate, back to today’s post.

Thanks to all of you who thought to send me pictures! I love the snow and never get to even see it, let alone be in it, anymore. So I’ll share some since we did nothing blog or picture-worthy today, except attend church.