I close my eyes and I can see the trail left in the dirt. I can hear the shuffling of His feet.

Jesus, making his way to Calvary.

The crowd is angry, unrelenting, murderous even. Shouts of hatred fill the streets.

“Crucify Him!” they say. “Crucify Him!”

Jesus’ innocence had been confirmed by Pilate, the one who held the authority to release Him, as He questioned the crowd earlier that day.

“Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in Him no grounds for the death penalty.…” (Luke 23:22).

But they continued to insist Jesus be crucified and that his fellow cell mate, a murderer, be set free.

“…with loud shouts they insistently demanded that He be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand. He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.” (Luke 23:23).

As I meditated on this scene this morning, I began to take a deeper look at the crowd. They are irrational. Out-of-their-minds-crazy. Their demands to kill Jesus are filled with rage and fury. They’re mad. They’re emotional. They’re not thinking clearly. Their words and actions are intense and fueled by passion, anger and hatred.

What has really  brought them to this place?

What has made them so angry to not only push Jesus away but to want to kill Him?

What has happened to make them so hard and rigid and bitter?

What is the root of their anger?

It’s easy to condemn those who condemned Jesus that day, isn’t it? It’s easy to read these verses and think how dare they . . . how could they. . . I could never . . . ?

But how often have I rejected Jesus? How often have I been so angry and so mad that I pushed Him away? How often have I been so mad and so hurt and so emotional and so confused and so disappointed that I would’ve spit in His face or screamed at the top of my lungs or . . .

Wait, what?

I wonder if some of those in this crowd were disappointed and angry because they felt like Jesus didn’t do what He said He was going to do? There was much expectation that Jesus would set up an earthly kingdom when in fact His plans were for a spiritual kingdom.

I wonder if some of those in this crowd were insulted and offended at Jesus’ message of repentance? Blinded by self-righteousness and pride? Or perhaps they felt judged and misunderstood the reasoning behind His message? Maybe in their own selfishness they were confused and missed His extraordinary sacrifice of love and mercy and grace?

Or I wonder if life had been cruel to some of them? If maybe they had been abused or hurt or devastated by tragedy? Abandoned by family or mistreated by friends or maybe some had even been falsely accused themselves?

Because life can be cruel sometimes, can’t it?

And when faced with the harsh realities we sometimes face here in this imperfect world, we are also faced with a choice. A choice to harden our hearts and turn away from Jesus or a choice to open our hearts and surrender to Jesus.

Hurt and disappointment and even the invitation to deny our sinful, selfish habits can cause us to accept the love and mercy and grace of Jesus or to miss Jesus.

I don’t want to miss Jesus. Even in and especially in the midst of whatever in life might cause me pain and disappointment.

Because when I miss Jesus, I miss mercy. When I miss Jesus, I miss love in its purest form. I miss grace for the hard things. I miss forgiveness of my sins. I miss joy in the midst of sorry. I miss peace when my heart is anxious and in turmoil. I miss redemption. I miss healing. I miss provision. I miss eternity.

The crowd missed Jesus that day.

Jesus was falsely accused. Despised and rejected. Hung on a cross.

And the crazy thing?  He willingly died.

For the crowd.
For me.
For you.

He was mocked, ridiculed, abused, broken, wounded, pierced…

Crucified.

And yet He loved.

“It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit. When He had said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:44-46).

Friends, the good news is the story doesn’t end here. Tomorrow is another day.

And Sunday? Yeah, Sunday’s coming.

Let’s not miss Jesus.

Prayer:

Jesus, I don’t want to miss you, even in – especially in – painful, hurtful, disappointing circumstances. I’m sorry. I’m sorry for the times I was angry and bitter and pushed you away. I’m sorry for misunderstanding the purpose behind the things You’ve asked me to do or asked me to give up or asked me to walk away from. I’m sorry for misunderstanding You and the reason You died on the cross. I don’t want to be blinded by my own selfish desires, by anger, by emotion. I surrender my life to You. I choose to accept Your love, Your forgiveness, and Your grace today. I choose You, Jesus. Help me to understand and to trust You even when I don’t. Thank you for dying on the cross for ME. Thank you for loving me even when I didn’t love You. Amen.