So, one morning, I came into the living room and sat down with my three kids that were already up. We were just sitting there, enjoying each other’s company, listening to a crazy story one of my kids was making up on the spot.
After a while, the fourth child came in and made a startling announcement. She told us that my wife had put a note on the bathroom mirror for all of us to read. I checked it out. It said something to the affect that “Would whoever left boogers on the shower wall, please, clean it up?”
When I read that, I was upset with my kids. I came back into the living room and looked at all of “the usual suspects,” (one of whom was currently picking his nose), wondering which one of those “nose pirates” was the guilty party. Of course, when I asked them about it, each of them denied that it was them (even the one with his finger still up his nose). I was very disappointed because I knew that one of my children was lying to me about the situation. But, since I had no definitive evidence, my hands were tied. I said that I was disappointed with them. I even tried to make my kids feel guilty by telling them that their hard-working daddy would, once again, have to clean up a mess that one of them, not me, had made.
Well, I went into the bathroom, pulled back the shower curtain, and noticed the location of the renegade mucus. I was horrified. I was not horrified because it was a gross sight; I’ve been a father for over fourteen years now; stuff like this doesn’t bother me anymore. Regardless, what horrified me was a sudden realization. Now, some of you eagle-eyed readers might have noticed the title of this article and might have already done the math on this one. Yeah, when I pulled back the shower curtain, I realized that it was me. You see, the previous night, I took shower, got soap up my nose and violently sneezed as a result of it. Of course, I hadn’t realized what I had done; if I had, I would have cleaned it up immediately. But, since I hadn’t, I didn’t and, thus, the situation that morning.
Anyway, after I cleaned up the/my mess, I returned to the living room, confessed to my children, and apologized to them for the “Spanish Inquisition” I put them through a bit earlier. Thankfully, my kids have only brought it up only several times a day since this happened.
Now, why did I tell you that story? Obviously, it was not just to tell a silly story. No, it was to illustrate something rather important.
When we open our Bibles to Matthew 26-27, Mark 14-15, Luke 22-23, and John 18-19, we read about the death of Jesus Christ. We read His physically and emotionally exhausting night, a night in which He was unjustly arrested, tried, and found guilty of telling the truth, a night on which He was betrayed, forsaken, and denied by His closest friends, a night in which He was beaten, mocked, and spat upon for no good reason. We read about His appearance before Pontius Pilate where He was found innocent. We read about how Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but ended up releasing the murderous rebel, Barabbas, instead to appease the bloodthirsty mob. We read about how He was scourged and beaten some more and mocked yet again. We read how He carried His own cross to Golgotha, the place of the skull. We read about how He had nails driven through His hands and feet to fasten Him to that old rugged cross. We read how, as He hung between two thieves and between Heaven and Earth, the people (even the two thieves!) scoffed at Him and mocked Him while the soldiers cast lots for His garments. We read how He hung there in agony for six long hours. We read how He prayed for God to forgive them. We read how He cried, “I thirst!” We read how, finally, He declared that it was finished and yielded up His spirit. We read how His side was pierced with a soldiers spear to make sure He was dead. And, we read how He was buried in a borrowed (new) tomb.
As we read all of that, we may be tempted to be filled with “righteous indignation” at the injustice of it all. We may be tempted to look at those Jews and ponder with rage, “How could anyone do those things to another person, especially to Jesus?!” We may even proudly declare that we would never do that, that we would never treat the Lord like that.
Folks, why did Jesus allow Himself to suffer all of those indignities and pains? Why did He allow Himself to die on the cross? He did it to save sinners. He was born for this purpose (Matthew 1:21). He came and lived here for this purpose (Luke 19:10). He died for this purpose (Mark 10:45; 1 John 2:2; 4:10). Yes, Jesus came to save sinners (Romans 3:21-26). He came to save them. He came to save me.
My friends, there needs to come to a point in every person’s life where he or she humbly recognizes that “it was me,” where they realize that “I” was reason Jesus left Heaven for this ball of dirt, that “I” was the reason Jesus left the Throne for the cross, that “it was me.”
How unworthy I am of such love! How unworthy I am of such a sacrifice! How unworthy I am of the blessings of forgiveness, of redemption, of justification, of reconciliation, of sanctification, of fellowship, of belonging, and of the hope of eternal life with Him in Heaven!
How unworthy all of us are!
Dear friends, if you have not yet come to the point yet where you humbly recognize that Jesus came and died for you, then I pray that you get to that point soon. But, if you have, have you done anything about it yet? Have you confessed your faith in Jesus the Savior (Romans 10:9-10)? Have you repented from your sins and have you been baptized in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of those sins (Acts 2:38)? If not, then please obey His saving Gospel (Romans 1:16-17; 6:17) before it is too late (2 Thessalonians 1:7-9)! But, if you have obeyed His Gospel, then would you please keep living by faith in the One who suffered and sacrificed Himself on the cross for you (Revelation 2:10)? I pray that you/we will.
May God continue to graciously bless us in this endeavor to His glory!
–Curtis
If you would like to talk about any of these things further or if would like to consider some other Bible topic, then please contact us at the Northwest church of Christ. Any one of our members will be happy to assist you with your spiritual journey. We look forward to hearing from you soon!