Sunday 13th April
Read Mark 15:27-32
“They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. 29 Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, ‘So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, 30 come down from the cross and save yourself!’ 31 In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘but he can’t save himself! 32 Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.’ Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.” (NIVUK)
Does anyone think that if Jesus came down from the cross people would believe in Him? The world constantly asks for signs that they can see and then believe. ‘Seeing is believing’ is the saying. Yet there is no doubt that some other reason not to believe would be rolled out.
The scriptures argue that the order we so often seek, seeing and believing, is the wrong way around. It is those who live by faith, not by sight, who inherit the kingdom. The writer to the Hebrews explains this principle at length. “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. 2 This is what the ancients were commended for.” (Hebrews 11:1) (NIVUK). He then provides example after example outlining just that truth.
Faith is not unreasonable though. It has reason at its heart. Faith hears the words of the mockers and knows them to all be true. To save others Jesus could not save Himself.
