Lifting Up Jesus In The Public Square

Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Reading: John 19:17-27 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%2019&version=NIV Reflection: It's easy to overlook just how cosmopolitan the death of Jesus actually was. This historic incident didn't take place in a small, private backwoods village where everyone spoke the same language, lived the same way, followed the same customs, or for that matter worshipped the same God. Jesus is crucified in a place so mixed with culture and customs that they had to record His title in 3 different languages so that everyone who passed by could read it. We are told that the title was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. It was written that way so that all who passed by could read it and understand, thus this was a public place. It was also a place where people talked smut and where soldiers gambled. In addition, it took place within a city where some worshipped Yahweh, some the Greek gods, and some no gods at all. So, it seems, that Jesus died right in the midst of those He came to save...people who are lost and come from a variety of cultural groups. This is not unlike our own world. Our world is increasingly seeing signs and labels written in a wide variety of languages. Ours is a world of multiple religions and multiple cultures pressing in on each other. It seems to me that our role is not to try to save people from all thes different backgrounds, because the truth of the matter is that we can't save anyone. Rather, our role is to ensure that the cross of Christ and the work of Jesus takes center stage, just as it did on that day many years ago. As we lift up the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God draws people to himself. So, as we do our work today, let's do it in the public sector in a way that people from every religion and language can clearly see that Jesus is in their midst. Let's lift Him up, and let's just see if God will draw people to himself as a result.