During a men’s bible study, a father asked that we pray for his step-son who had cancer.  He was very concerned because his mid- 30-year-old stepson would not share what type of cancer he had, nor would he allow his mother to come visit him a few hundred miles away.   

I would NOT describe myself as an emotional person, in fact my wife thinks I have a mild case of autism when it comes to empathy.  I prefer to say, I have pretty tough skin so nothing really bothers me.  But that evening, in that moment upon hearing about the stepson, I was overwhelmed with emotion. Being new to the Bible study group, I was embarrassed for not being able to keep it together.  In my previous life, I would never admit to I breaking down in tears and I certainly wouldn’t share the reason why.   In that instant, the Holy Spirit revealed to me the young man was going to die.  It wasn’t that I heard the specific words, it was just a “knowing”.  

Aware this young man was going to die, I was immediately reminded of Jesus suffering on the cross. It was the Holy Spirit showing me why this young man did not want his mother to visit him.   In addition to the physical pain of suffering and torture, Jesus had to endure the emotional toll it was having on His mother as she witnessed His execution on the cross.  There is no doubt Mary’s face was full of anguish and despair.  It is one thing to endure the suffering that precedes your death; but to watch the emotional turmoil on your mother’s face as she witnesses your misery knowing she cannot stop it, can only add to your misery.  

I did not reveal the dying part of the message to the step-dad, but I tried to share that the young man might have been trying to protect his mother from witnessing his suffering.  I don’t know if the step-dad understood the message because I was trying to communicate it through my sobs, which certainly took me and probably the other men by surprise.

The experience motivated me to contemplate on the various perspectives of the people present during the crucifixion of Jesus.  I can only speculate to their thoughts and mindset. I do so in curiosity not judgement.

Mary the Mother of Jesus:
This is an experience of a pain that no parent wants to imagine or have to endure. And yet it happens across the world in hospitals everyday. Parents watching their children suffer, their innocent children, knowing they will die and there is nothing they can do to stop it. Agony, helplessness and despair are just a few words that come to mind, but how do you really describe what a parent of a dying child at any age goes through? Mary must have felt like her heart was being ripped out.

Mary’s sister, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the wife of Clopas:
In addition to His mother, there were several of Jesus’ followers including faithful women who were there to support her. In today’s world when a parent is about to lose a child they are also accompanied with relatives, friends and loved ones to support and comfort them. This includes the caregivers who work at the hospital and have become attached to the suffering children they cared for. They witness the agony of the child and the parent.

The Missing Apostles:
Where were the men who were not present? Specifically, the 10 apostles. Judas had already hanged himself and other than the apostle John, the rest of the apostles were absent. These were Jesus’ closest followers, men who spent 3 years with Jesus; traveling, eating, and lodging with Him. These men were chosen by Him and witnessed amazing miracles and came to know Him as the Messiah. Why were they not present?  Did they have doubts in their belief or were they terrified for their own safety. Perhaps a little of both.

I can only assume Jesus’ teaching about the Father’s kingdom and His love for the world took 2’nd place to their fear of also being arrested and put to death.  It’s easy to understand their thought processes. They witness a Man perform amazing miracles, who has the authority to cast out demons from the possessed, turn water into wine, walk on water and bring the dead back to life; one would think how can the Son of God be allowed to be put to death? Of course we have the hindsight and the luxury of reading the Bible and learning it was Jesus who allowed Himself to be executed. But at the time, the apostles did not fully understand it.

The Apostle John:
He was the only one of the 12 apostles present for the crucifixion.  What was he thinking?  He was one “cool hand Luke”. Did he have conversations beforehand with the other 10? Did they discuss it or even argue about it? Did John say “Look, you guys can hide if you want but I am going”. What prompted John to be there for Jesus when the rest of the apostles chose not to?

Simon from Cyrene:
Simon was a long way from his home in North Africa. Cyrene was in present day Libya. Simon was probably in Jerusalem as a faithful Jew to celebrate Passover. We only know he was compelled to carry Jesus’ cross because Jesus was too weakened from the torture and scouraging. I wonder, did Simon remain at Golgotha to watch the crucifixion? If so, what a transformation he would have experienced. First he is forced to carry the cross beam of what he must of thought was a convicted criminal; because Roman crucifixion was reserved for the worst criminals in the lowest classes. But his assumptions would have been proven wrong if he witnessed Jesus’ entire crucifixion. Can you imagine how his thinking would have changed after witnessing the entire crucifixion and hearing the seven times Jesus spoke from the cross?

The Roman Centurions:
These guys were professional soldiers who most likely participated in and witnessed many crucifixions. They had two tasks at hand. First was to fasten the person to the cross, raise it, and secure it vertically to the ground. Their second responsibility was to ensure no one interfered with the crucifixion so they remained until the criminal died.

Criminal #1:
This guy couldn’t see who Jesus really was or he didn’t care.  We know he joined in with the onlookers who jeered and mocked Jesus asking Him to prove Himself by coming down off the cross. We know this criminal spent his last moments rejecting the Messiah as he embraced the darkness of this world up to the very end.  How many people lie on their death beds refusing to acknowledge our Savior?

Criminal #2:
Now this guy gives me great conflict.  We have a known criminal who probably spent a lifetime of crime causing injury and misery to others. If anyone deserved to go to hell, it was this guy. But for some reason, this low life criminal had a heart that was open to see Jesus for who He is and this happens literally at the finish line of his life. He accepts Jesus as his Savior and we know he is enjoying eternity in God’s light. 

Why my conflict? The justice side of me is agravated that this guy got away with not paying for his crimes.  Where was the accountability? There are a lot of people in this world who have darkened it by their behavior.  I could think of a dozen politicians on both sides of the aisle who have done a lot of damage to our country over the last 40 years.  The justice side of me is troubled knowing they can be forgiven moments before their leaving this world.  Think about it, what would your reaction be to walk into heaven and see Hitler standing there?  It’s doubtful Hitler gave his life to Christ in his final moments, but if he did so with a genuine heart, then we have to trust and believe God’s word as it is written in the Bible.

However, the Christian side of me is filled with great hope knowing that if the worst of the worst can be saved right up to the moment of taking their last breath, then there’s a chance for my loved ones and friends who have not accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. When you are SAVED, whether you describe it as becoming a believer, have your spiritual awakening, become born again; you are immediately excited to be in a personal and intimate relationship with the LORD, and you want that for everyone, especially your loved ones. That’s when the dread comes in because you fear for your loved ones who are non-believers. You want to enjoy eternity in the presence of God for yourself and in the company of your friends and loved ones. But the Bible is pretty blunt about it; a person does not make it into heaven because they were a “good person”, and God is certainly not going to give a non-believer a break just because they happened to be one of your loved ones.

John 3:16-17 makes it pretty clear…
For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him.

Criminal #2 gives me reflection and hope. I reflect on the blessings I received in 2011 on a mid-summer’s day in July when I prayed the most important 4-words of my life, “Holy Spirit help me”. And that prayer was answered in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in the 2nd week of November.

I am thankful for Criminal #2. Although my salvation happened much later into my 50s, I appreciate it wasn’t until my last moments and I have hope for my non-believing friends and loved ones. Criminal #2 reminds me to never stop praying for them. In addition to the people I care about, God opened my heart to pray for people like the politicians I previously mentioned. How much better would our country and our world be, if we prayed for their salvation in lieu of hoping they actually get the accountability they deserve?

May all of mankind and God’s creation turn towards Him and be filled with His light of overflowing grace and mercy. – Amen

Happy Easter!

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