“He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him. For he said, “I am the Son of God.”
Observation
Some of the governor’s soldiers take Jesus away. They beat Him and mock him, placing a crown of thorns on His head and a reed for a sceptre in His hand.
They then lead Jesus to the place called Golgotha where they crucify Him. The soldiers gamble for His clothes. A sign is fastened to the cross that says, “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.”
All manner of people come and mock Jesus. They call out, “He saved others; Let us see Him save Himself.”
Application
The mockery of the people is completely undiluted. They have all forgotten the miracles and the hundreds of people healed. Now they only have contempt for Jesus.
The irony of all this is that the mockery and taunts were fulfilled. God did come and rescue Jesus from death, although not the cross. Even these non- prayers were answered by God.
When people rare determined to reject the reign of God, they will reject every attempt of God to save them. This is a very sad reality.
When people seemingly reject us because of our faith, we should remember that they rejected the Saviour first.
Prayer
Father forgive me for the times I may have rejected you and your salvation. I thank you that you rejoice over every sinner who truly repents. Amen.
A commonly-repeated criticism since the beginning of 2020 has been that if you prioritise freedom over safety, you are being selfish. In many Christian circles, it is said to be “not loving your neighbour” if you vocally defend freedom. Such ideas continue to circulate, even as heavier lockdowns and curfews are imposed in Victoria, New South Wales and beyond.
But they mostly miss the point. Such criticisms assume that every measure that could be introduced to protect Australians against covid is by definition necessary and good. They seemingly deny the possibility that any cure could be worse than a disease, or that there is such a thing as going too far.
The executive director of the Menzies Research Centre Nick Cater has expressed sensible concerns about this. He argues that good public policy has been near-impossible to implement over this period because fear has overtaken reason in our risk assessments:
We are caught in a feedback loop, a vortex of fear, where politicians can no longer act sensibly because they have to respond to public fear. If they opened up now people would go berserk and say that it’s not safe to go outside…
I have come to the conclusion that the government has lost control. It has to obey this mantra of fear, and as a result of that it takes no risks whatsoever.
This reflects the broader culture of our times, not just in Australia but in the Western world more broadly. Nobody is prepared to put up with the slightest amount of risk. Wherever risk occurs the government has to deal with it.
Consider, for example, that while daily case numbers of covid reached into the hundreds this week in Australia, daily calls to suicide helplines reached into the thousands. Lifeline has had its three busiest days in history since Monday, with up to 3,500 people calling the helpline per day. And that’s just one of many such services available to distressed Australians.
Surely “loving your neighbour” also means being concerned — and indeed, speaking out — about government policies that are inflicting this level of distress. As Christians, we believe that people are not machines that merely require a certain set of material inputs to get through life. We are made in God’s image. We are relational creatures who survive and thrive through active involvement in our communities, and meaningful work and service to others.
Even the World Health Organization recognises this holistic view of health, or at least it did until recently. While we seem to have redefined ‘health’ to mean the absence of sickness, the WHO’s Constitution, drafted in the 1940s, pushed back against this reductionistic view:
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity… Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures.
Of course, covid is deadly. But so are many things — including some of the measures our governments have implemented in the name of ‘health’. We have allowed fear to redefine our most basic understanding of what it means to live and function as a healthy human being.
To protect their health, Australians have been told to not talk to their neighbours, not to engage in outdoor recreation, not to attend church, not to watch sunsets, not to leave home for more than an hour a day. In all this time, we are yet to hear a single public health official or minister promote exercise, good diet, sunlight, weight loss or vitamin supplements. All of these simple, everyday strategies are important aspects of health, and are known to boost our immune systems and reduce our chances of suffering the most debilitating impacts of the virus.
When we make time to soak, we rest in God’s presence and remind ourselves that it’s so important to be still and know that His love for us is deep and fulfilling. Carol Arnott
In the rural villages of Afghanistan, especially among known Christians, the Taliban are taking young women and girls and giving them away as plunder to their fighters.
“In young families, the husbands are being executed and the women are being taken, raped, etc.,” says Joel Richardson, a teacher and author affiliated with Global Catalytic Ministries.
Some believers are fleeing to the countryside. “They are going to the mountains, the ravines, sleeping out with their sleeping bags and blankets, trying to weather the intensity of this moment, assuming they can eventually go back to their villages.”
Incredibly, many believe the country of Afghanistan has the second-fastest growing church in the world, next to Iran. “Christians are aware of what’s coming. Some are saying they will stand firm. Some are still sharing the Gospel – it’s amazing.”
Richardson has received reports of Afghan Christians who are choosing to stay and share the gospel. “They say, ‘we don’t care, we’re here because we love this nation, we love our people, and we’re going to share the gospel regardless, even if it means losing our lives.’
“In one village that had been taken over a few weeks ago, the Christians started sharing Bible stories with the Taliban and the Taliban in their village have been studying the Bible and praying.
“They are actually studying the Bible with the Taliban! They haven’t made a confession of faith yet, but seem very interested.”
The fearless nature of these believers reminds Richardson of the character of the believers in the Book of Revelation. “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. They did not love their lives unto death. We are seeing that in real time.
“Our brothers and sisters are demonstrating the character that will be required to navigate the days ahead, as we approach the Last Days. Jesus made it clear, the gates of hell will not prevail against the kingdom of God!”
