MPC, 18th April 2003.April 18 - Luke 23 - "Living in Denial?"
Maurie Cropper MPC, 18th April 2003.
August the 5th, 2002... seems a long time ago, but it remains fixed in my memory.
Some of you will not know that on that day I was a few kilometers away from the Murree Christian School in northern Pakistan, when it was attacked by gunmen who killed six staff members.
The school had 145 students mainly from missionary families working through East Asia.
Even before the attack, it had been a bit tense around Murree. Following the bombing of a church a few months before, people had been very nervy.
Now it was sort of scary.
The attackers hadn't been caught or identified... and Westerners were warned to keep a low profile, which wasn't easy for a six foot bearded Westerner in Levis.
Over the next few days there were a number of reports of non-locals asking after foreigners and if they were Christians and where they lived.
A number of times the thought crossed my mind: If I'm stopped by someone in a threatening manner what would I do if asked why I was in Pakistan? What would I say if someone pointed a gun at me and asked if I was a Christian? I'll tell you now... I had a couple of responses worked out... just in case.
Which raises an interesting issue. Would you deny the truth about something if your life depended on the answer you gave?
In a minute we're going to see a dramatization of how a couple of people responded to their friendship with Jesus. It's a recording from Luke's Gospel... and it begins with Judas identifying Jesus with a kiss on his cheek... to those who want to kill him.
Judas and Peter, along with the other disciples, had followed Jesus through thick and thin. As friends they've been living out of each other's pockets for three years.
Yet given the opportunity to line his pockets Judas betrayed Jesus. And as for Peter, when someone says to him, "You know Jesus"... he says he doesn't. Not once, but three times.
Both of them turn their backs on Jesus.
And whether you turn your back on your friendship with Jesus or you turn your back on the truth about him, it amounts to the same thing.
Denying Jesus!!
So... are you living in denial?
Because as the story unfolds, it's littered with people who deny the truth about Jesus.
The Jewish council of elders; the chief priests, and teachers of the law are a classic example. They're all very determined to get rid of Jesus. But they don't have the authority to execute him. So they call on Pilate. Who as the Roman Governor of Jerusalem had all the power in the world to execute anyone.
Let's see how it unfolds.
Pilate thinks he can pass the decision of what to do with Jesus off onto Herod. But Herod, denying Jesus, simply sends him back to Pilate. And it's back to square 1. Pilate has to decide what to do with Jesus.
He sees Jesus as innocent of any crime... and so he summons the Jewish rulers and chief priests to another meeting.
Let's pick it up in our dramatized bible reading.
The list of those who denied Jesus is growing!
Judas, Peter, the Jewish rulers, their high priests, and the teachers of their law. Now... even non-Jews joined in the chorus of denying Jesus. Two Roman Governors, Herod and Pilate.
And it didn't stop there.
As they led Jesus away to be executed by crucifixion... the crowd sneered and jeered and mocked him. So did the Roman soldiers in charge of the execution. So many people made their decision to deny Jesus.
But not everyone.
Not everyone denied Jesus.
Firstly, there was the criminal who considered his punishment as just, and yet declared Jesus to be innocent. He didn't deny Jesus. Instead, he accepted Jesus as King.
Let me read that bit again. Beginning with what he had to say to the other criminal.
V. 40 "Don't you fear God... since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said to Jesus: "...remember me when you come into your kingdom."
Jesus answered: "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
That was it.
In a few simple sentences... this guy confesses his guilt, acknowledges that Jesus can save him and that he wants to be part of Jesus' kingdom.
And there's no hesitation in Jesus' reply. Responding to the man's faith and trust in him, Jesus assures the man that he would be... that day with Jesus in paradise.
And did you notice who else acknowledged Jesus? It was the dark scene at the end. When the [v.47] "The Roman soldier, a Centurion, seeing what had happened... praised God and said: 'Surely this was a righteous man.'"
When it comes to making the decision about whether or not you accept Jesus as the Saviour King of the universe, and Lord of your life, there's no fence sitting. You either accept him or deny him!
There's no neutral position.
There's no such thing as being half-hearted.
There's no maybees.
The matter of deciding about Jesus has no grey area.
It's a black or white decision.
You either accept Jesus, or you deny him.
And if like the criminal and Centurion you've accepted him to be Lord: if you are already a Christian... consider the ways in which you deny Christ in your life.
In the choices you make. In the actions you take.
In the recent inquiry into the Waterfall train disaster, witnesses said that they knew something was wrong when things seemed out of control... just before the derailment of the train.
As Christians, we know when we're denying how Jesus wants us to live... because life in general and certain relationships in particular... seem out of control.
So before a derailment takes place... spend some time looking at whether you are in step with how Jesus wants you to be living.
And if you're still on the same side as those who mocked and heckled Jesus on the way to his execution and upon the cross, if you are still denying that Jesus is the only one who can make your relationship with God right... then please think again.
Think again of the man on the cross beside Jesus.
Think again of what he said.
Think again of Jesus' response.
Think again of the irony... the irony that the... only innocent person who has ever lived... had to die.... so that people like the criminal, the Centurion... and you and me... can be in paradise with him... for ever!
So again... are you living in denial of Jesus?
Because it isn't a nice way to die!