Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, ‘He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!’”
NL Daily Devotion for Friday, April 2, 2021
by Dr. Kimberly Leetch, Clergy Stuff
Main Idea: Jesus’ words, actions, and life were divisive, even until the moment of his death.
Even up until the moment of Jesus’ death, his words, his actions, and his life were divisive. His message was so radical, many clung to his words of hope, peace, justice, and love. But others were threatened by his upheaval, impropriety, and seeming disdain for their rites and rituals. Families, neighbors, and communities were divided, each believing they were right.
On the cross, Jesus died between two who were divided. One mocked Jesus for dying instead of calling upon angels to rescue him. The other rebuked the first for failing to see the greater truth. Even the centurions failed to agree. Many soldiers mocked Jesus as he died, yet one discovered the truth upon his death.
We are living in a divisive time as well. Politically, socially, economically, religiously, we all cling to our opinions and beliefs, thinking that we are right. We refuse to listen to others. We rant on about our opinions in cyberspace where we need not be accountable for our words. We shun family members who disagree. We talk about the weather to avoid conflict, but avoidance gets us no closer to the truth.
On this night of Jesus’ crucifixion, we can feel the sting of the truth—we have not only failed God with our sin, we have failed one another. We clamor to rise above others so that our truth may be heard, even to the detriment of our relationships.
There will be a day that we come together. Jesus’ resurrection has brought hope that we may set aside our disagreements, listen, learn, and rise to better our communities. But for tonight, we feel the pain of our separateness. We pound nails into one another as if our words and actions are meaningless. Tonight, we grieve.
