We keep remembering what happened on that day when the sun refused to shine and the elements greatly trembled, the dead walking out of graves. We follow along with heavy hearts as our Lord was dragged from one ruler to the next. How He was heartlessly slaughtered as a lamb, to the point where he was so misshaped that a few women that walked past the cross were so filled with human compassion, that they cried when they saw his body. How his beloved friend came to meet him with a kiss, while at the same time signaling those behind him that this was He, whom they so desperately hungered to destroy. We question how Peter could have spent all this time with his Lord, walking close beside him and clinging to his every word, excepting spiritual powers from him. But when the time came when it mattered most, he said I do not know this man and he at last sealed it of with cursing and anger to make sure the world was convinced.
We have thought about many things that revolved around these days but one of the greatest matters that many of us might forget is the leaders in the church that had utterly fooled and misled so many of it’s members. What Christ endured for us is beyond our comprehension and we should meditate on everything that He went through. But we should not miss this very important lesson, that should be a great lesson for us all for as long as breath remains in our lungs. The day when our Lamb was slaughtered by people that were leaders in the church.
It’s no secret that the people were greatly attracted to Jesus and the way he presented scripture. But many of them also had respect for the priests and rabbis, for their intelligence and I’m sure they were half decent humans for the most part, while the people didn’t question them. So plain and simple were the teachings of Jesus and the people marveled but how perplexed they must have been when the religious teachers rejected and despised everything that Jesus taught? Jesus knew there were many that loved his teachings and were drawn to him but He also knew that many of the people were afraid to follow him because they feared that they might be cast out of the synagogue.
John 3:10
Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?
Nicodemus was a religious teacher and not even he felt like he had the freedom to come talk to Jesus, so he comes to him when it’s dark so the others won’t see him. When he comes to Jesus, Jesus, knowing what the heart of Nicodemus desperately wanted, He wastes no time and he assures him that no one will enter the kingdom of God, unless they are born again. Nicodemus was well learned but how unfortunate that he missed the most important part, that he must be born again? Jesus tells him, are you a teacher of Isreal and you do not know these things? How pointless that he was teaching the people but missed the most important step, to teach them that they must be born again.
Now imagine being Mary, going to the synagogue to hear them speak for many years but the day comes when they come for your Son that is Holy and perfect and they hunger to end his existence? Imagine the betrayal and horror she must have experienced? One thing is for certain, it was a time when she saw with crystal clear eyes just how much they had deceived the people. When they without a single ounce of human compassion slaughtered her Son, her Redeemer. We might wonder how can a heart be this cold and heartless? But we have to realize that the heart without the presence of the Holy Spirit can do the unthinkable, especially a heart that has continually grieved and rejected the Holy Spirit.
Acts 8
26 And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.
27 And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem for to worship,
28 Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.
29 Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot.
30 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
31 And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
A heavenly messenger was sent to Philip to show him his work for this Ethiopian. He was directed “Arise, and go toward the south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.”
Today, just as much as then, the angels are leading and guiding those who will allow themselves to be guided and led. This man of high authority was being drawn to the Savior, and he did not resist the drawing. He did not make his high religious position an excuse why he could not accept the words of someone he did not even know. Philip asked him, “Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him” and explain to him the Word of God.
Philip didn’t ask why he was being sent to the middle of nowhere, he just went. On the road, in a chariot, was the Ethiopian eunuch.
The Spirit of the Lord told Philip to go over to the chariot, and when Philip drew close and heard the eunuch reading from Isaiah out loud on how Jesus would be led to the slaughter as a sheep, Philip asked the Ethiopian whether or not he understood what he was reading. The eunuch replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” He then invited Philip to come sit with him in the chariot.
You know, there’s only one way that leads to this kingdom and He tells us that this way that leads to him is narrow, in fact so narrow that few want to place their feet on it. We live in a world that’s getting more and more confused and troubled over what’s true and what’s false and if we truly love our Lord then we will hunger and allow ourselves to be led by his Spirit. Here is an example of how our God is more then a million steps before us and he will make a way as he did for this Ethiopian.
He used Philip to go to the middle of nowhere to a man that he knew was in need of guidance. This man sits there with scripture in his hand and desired to understand it and God sent someone to give him understanding. This man could have refused Phillip’s teaching, he could have thought about his high authority and how he will face trouble from men that thought that they were the only ones that were qualified to explain scripture. But yet he was so overjoyed that he couldn’t get to the water fast enough to be baptized, right there in the desert.
26 “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
John 14:17
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
The world cannot receive the Spirit of truth for they are not ready to accept the leading of his Spirit. But for those who know him, know that he will lead us as he promised he will.
Isaiah 42:16
I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, And crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, And not forsake them.
When we don’t know the way because the path is unfamiliar, we must remember that Jesus is the Way. And as long as He is guiding us, we are safe and secure and we will ultimately reach the intended destination He has set before us. Remember, inasmuch as our paths are unfamiliar to us, they are not unfamiliar to Him. He has walked all of them before us, and now He has promised to walk all of them with us as our Guide.
So regardless of where this finds you today, unfamiliar paths are the best way to travel through life because God is the One who is leading us along them. Keep looking to Him, and praise Him for the unfamiliar paths, because eventually what was once unfamiliar and uncomfortable will become familiar and comfortable.
God’s everlasting arms encircles the soul that turns to Him for guidance, however feeble that soul may be. The precious things of the hills shall perish, but the soul that lives for God shall abide with Him. “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.” 1 John 2:17. The city of God will open its golden gates to receive him who learned while on earth to lean on God for guidance and wisdom, for comfort and hope. The songs of the angels will welcome him there, and for him the tree of life shall yield its fruit. “The mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but My kindness shall not depart from thee.
I find great comfort in this story of how God showed this man that desired truth all the way out in the desert. It shows how involved He is with our daily walk and how his resources really know no limit. It shows that it don’t matter under which rock we live, there He will find us also. But we also have to do our part, he’s looking for desperate hearts, that have a desire deep within to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. No matter how many wrong turns the enemy tries to show us, our Shepherd will surely prevail over him and he will lead us to the road that brings great peace and joy.