In Microcosm

In microcosm

“As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross.  
They came to a place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull).  
There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.  
When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.  
And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.  
Above his head they placed the written charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.  
Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.  
Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads  and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! Come down from the cross, if you are the Son of God!” 
In the same way the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the elders mocked him.  
“He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the King of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.  
He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him, for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”  
In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.”
Matthew 27:32-44
We have here Matthews account of the crucifixion. Here we see humanity in microcosm.
First of all we have uncaring soldiers who had mocked Jesus and were now gambling for the only real possessions he had, his clothing.
Today there are armies and governments who are uncaring. People to whom life is cheap. People who if you don’t conform to their ways treat you as less than human.
Next we have the sign”This is Jesus the King of the Jews” the religious leaders objected to the sign. John’s gospel recoding,
“The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” 
  Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 
                                                                          John 19:21,22.
I was I think pilots way of needling the religious leaders. He knew Jesus was innocent.  And while he may not have thought Jesus the son of God. He may have thought of him as at least a good man simply caught up in politics.
So he without realizing it placed a sign for the ages. “The King of the Jews”.
I believe that when Jesus returns to this earth the Jews of that day will recognize Him as their Messiah. And truly worship him.
We as Christians believe Jesus is the Messiah that in accordance to Old Testament prophesy came to the Jews first then the rest of the world. That he was a suffering Messiah that died for our sins.
The way Christians see things about Jesus is depicted by the reaction of the thieves crucified with him that day.
“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  
We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 
Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 
                                                                                                  Luke 23:39-43.
These criminals had the same choice to make as we do today.
To believe Jesus is who he said he is the Christ the one and only Son of God or to reject him.
One chose to reject Jesus and I believe did not go to heaven.
The other however confessed that he was being punished for the crimes he had committed. He confessed his sins and by faith believed that Jesus was indeed the one and only son of God the Saviour of the world.
In doing so he fulfilled what we Christians believe you have to do to inherit eternal life. Confess your sins to God and believe by faith that Jesus is the Son of God.
The final group was the men that for political expediency had condemned Jesus to death they mocked him.
For them all Jesus was, was a political enemy. A threat to their authority. They never listened to what he had to say. Some from what we know thinking some of what Jesus taught foolishness.
Paul writing to the Corinthians states,
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom,  but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  
1 Corinthians 1:18-23
Think about it.