Scripture

Our verse for today comes from John 19:31, “Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.”

Background

In the movie Fried Green Tomatoes, a middle-aged housewife meets and develops a friendship with an elderly lady living in a nursing home. As they spend time together, the elderly Ninny tells her younger friend about her hometown and the lives of two women, Idgie and Ruth. These two develop a deep friendship until Ruth moves away and gets married to Frank, causing Idgie to struggle to forget her as she deals with the pain of losing her dearest friend. Eventually, the pregnant Ruth leaves her husband, who is abusing her, and comes back home to have her son, and she and Idgie open the Whistle Stop Café. When Ruth’s husband shows up to kidnap his son, he is killed and Idgie is arrested, having publicly threatened him for how he had treated Ruth. But even though his car is found at the bottom of the local lake, Frank’s body is never recovered. Ultimately we learn that Idgie’s cook had killed Frank, and her son, known for the barbecue that he made at the Café, had cooked him up and served him at the restaurant, even to the sheriff who was there looking for the man he was eating. That’s right, the sheriff was devouring the very thing that he was looking for.

Application

Rewind two thousand years. Hanging on the cross is what’s left of the body of Jesus. The Jews had abused Him, mocked Him, and viciously crucified Him. But now, all they were concerned about was getting Him down from the cross so that they could prepare for their holiest of weekends, the Sabbath and Passover. They needed to make everything ready so that the Passover lamb could be sacrificed and the festival could begin as they celebrated the promise of the coming Messiah. That’s right, they had just destroyed the very One that they were celebrating would come one day. But is this happening with you today? Are you adamant about something for Christ while tearing apart the very cause for which you stand? It clicked for very few back then, but I hope it clicks for you now. There is no conflict in God’s will. The Spirit does not fight against Himself. And neither must we.

Charge

As we seek Him today, ask God to make your heart ache as His heart aches. Be blind to what is going on within your own heart.

Salvation – Eternal Life in Less Than 150 Words