The large crowd was so angry with Him that they wanted Him dead, even though He had done nothing wrong. That used to seem strange and incredible, but it’s becoming a reality here.
If you don’t believe it, speak out against the current social norm. Say that you believe all children should be allowed to live, even the unborn. Say that the Bible is opposed to same sex unions. Stand up for your belief that we should be married, not just live together. Voice your Bible based opinion on addictive substances…see what happens. The anger and vitriol that is directed toward you is simply hard to imagine. Gone are the days of tolerating the opinions and views of others. We no longer “agree to disagree”…the other party must be demonized.
I suspect that were I to be interviewed on national television I would receive death threats against me. Can you believe that? A minister of the Gospel who has lived his entire life in this country, appreciates the freedoms, retired from the military having served honorably….could that be possible? I assure you, I have watched it happen to better people than me.
We live in a society that is rapidly becoming hostile to the Gospel. In fact, it seems that they have created a new gospel that bears a resemblance to the real one, but fits their social agenda. Instead of being shaped by God’s Word they have shaped God’s Word to fit them. The tail is wagging the dog.
I don’t mean to say that we could ever experience what Christ experienced…He truly was perfect without any sin at all. If there was ever anyone who didn’t deserve the cross, it was Jesus. Ironically, He is the only one who could offer Himself and have it make a difference.
I was reading about a very popular minister who has recently (last several years) spoken publically about his belief that gay marriage is acceptable. He makes a compelling case, based on human emotions. To blur the idea that the Bible speaks against it, he simply dismisses it (the Bible) as 2,000 year old letters to others, not us. Do you know what happened to him? He was received like a hero returning from battle. He was on the popular TV shows, his book made the best seller list and everyone talked about him. Many people nodded their heads in approval and appreciation of what He said. The voices that spoke against him were marginalized, and the Book that disagrees with him was pushed aside. Unbelievable, were it not happening right in front of us.
There is no need to muster your imagination as you read Mark 15. You don’t have to wonder “what must it have been like to see Jesus beaten and rejected?” Look out your window. Turn on your television. Read a popular social magazine. The beginning of the rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord and Eternal Authority is all around us.
So then, what should our response be? First, we should be filled with joy. These are exciting times in which to live! It’s possible that we could be alive during the tribulation or rapture…think of it! The event that thousands of generations have longed to see and never did…,might occur during our lifetime! Second, keeping that in mind, we should “double down” on our commitment to live holy lives. We should become even more aggressive in our prayer lives, asking God to remove any traces of our carnal nature…so that it cannot reappear and spoil our testimony in these trying times.
Third, we should become even more vocal than we have been. The time for allowing our lives to be the primary way people know we are followers of Jesus is behind us. We need to speak up. The road of life is washed out ahead of us, and if we don’t warn people to take the detour, they are going to run off the berm and over the edge of a cliff. Speak up! continue to serve and love without retaliating, and increase your prayers for others, because we are all going to need them. Perhaps sooner than later.
Feeling apocalyptic,
PR