Title: You must face it (March 20 dawn)
Content span id="writeContents">“When Pilate saw that Pilate had no effect and was on the verge of rioting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves. (Matthew 27:24)”
“I look at the cross of the Lord at this time in the morning when the week of suffering begins. Let this cross touch my heart, and help me to make it a week of deep emotion for the beloved saints who participate in the sufferings of the Lord during this week. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen."
Passion Week is the culmination of the season of Lent. This is the most important week for those who believe in Jesus. So, during this Holy Week, the early church members wrote and pasted their year's errors on the cross. It is also a week in which they confess what they lacked during the year. There are traces of the early church, but in the Philippines people are still crucified. However, it has become a means of earning money rather than nailing it to the cross because of faith. So now I blame that person for my sins. Then that person gets paid and nailed it to the cross every year. If only the form of faith remains in this way, there will be no emotion or grace. The life of faith is not a form. The life of faith must resemble the Lord, and the heart of the Lord must resemble in my heart.
Today, in the midst of this Holy Week, is called Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is the day when Jesus rode a donkey and entered Jerusalem to carry the cross. The Lord sends his disciples to bring another man's donkey, which he has never ridden on. Now, what did the Lord say to the disciples when they asked, “Why is the owner taking someone else’s donkey?” You need Jesus.... Jesus will use it.... You say so. So, when we say what is important in our prayer topics during Holy Week, “If the Lord says he will use me, I want to be used by you.” This should be our prayer during this Holy Week.
Now riding on a donkey, he goes to Jerusalem to carry the cross. Many people sing hosannas, hosannas, and hymns while plucking palm trees, putting their cloaks on the ground, and waving palm trees completely contrary to Jesus' heart. At that time, shouting the hosanna, waving palm trees, and spreading one's cloak was, to say the least, an act of welcome to the general returning victorious from the war. This war is not just about winning and losing, but if you lose in a war, all the people become slaves. There is so much to gain from winning a war.
The act of winning victory over the matter of life or death and welcoming all the generals is the same as Jesus enters into Jerusalem today. People are now welcoming Hosanna, Hosanna, and Jesus to welcome the political Jesus who comes in to seek the sovereignty of the lost nation, Israel, which had become subject to Rome.
There are two kinds of church members among the church members today. There are church members who want to be well because of Jesus. There are people who live such a life of faith that Jesus must exist for me and that God must exist for me. But a true Christian is not God for me. I must exist for God. This is right faith.
Today, as I am entering Jerusalem, I am going to try to illuminate Pilate at this time of the morning. Pilate is a judge. The truth is revealed by Pilate, and the truth must be revealed. When Pilate saw Jesus, he was arrested, but he could not find any guilt. Pilate, the judge, knew more than anyone that Jesus was innocent. Seriously, what did Pilate say? “You are innocent, and I know that you are such an unfair person, so how can you not say anything even though you have been subjected to such an injustice?” Even if the people of the world are just a little injustice, they just raise the bar and say it’s unfair, even if they are violated a little, even if they suffer a little bit, even if they do something bad, they throw away Jesus, who they have believed in for decades. It is about whether or not And that's why we do events like this when we have a time of silence during this Holy Week.
We live in an age where we talk a lot. But you need someone who doesn't speak even if you have something to say once in a while. Those who do not speak because they cannot speak, those who do not speak because they are not proud, and those who do not speak even though they have something to say can only be done by very great people. “I have so much to say to you, so why don’t you say anything?” Pilate's question. According to the Bible, what Pilate's wife says... Looking at the old history like this, women's power is amazing. When his wife told Pilate, the judge, he said, “That man is not guilty. If you judge an innocent person and put the blame on them, the most unfortunate thing will happen to our family and our lives, so you should never blame that person.” Looking at it like this, I should have listened to women. Today, men don't say Amen, they just... Are there people in our church who don't listen to women?
He knows it, his wife knows it, everyone knows it. Now, as a judge, you must judge the truth. But I was afraid of people's stories. Because of the stories of those screaming, Pilate has political intentions to crucify Jesus even though he knows that he is innocent in the center of his heart and that no one sees him as innocent. And what did this Pilate do? I brought water and washed my hands. At that time, if the judge at that time said about bringing water and washing his hands, I would never be held responsible for this judgment because it was a completely different trial than I intended. How irresponsible are you guys? The judge would have to judge on the basis of facts, on the basis of the truth… “I see this person as innocent. But even though you guys do crucify this man, I have absolutely nothing to do with this trial. If God rebukes this judgment, angers him, and punishes him, I don't care if you get punished.” You can see such irresponsible behavior.
Gentlemen, Christians are people who live responsibly to others. It's not just my responsibility. Why did Jesus carry the cross? He died on the cross to atone for our sins. What is this? Christians live responsibly for others. Knowing how to take responsibility is the attitude we should have during this difficult week. The thing you hate the most in the morning is confession. right? But you have to do the thing you hate the most today. Most people come without washing their face in the morning, so let's hold hands and confess without looking at our faces. “I will take care of you for a year.”
As this Holy Week begins today, let's consider our responsibility to each other. I hope I didn't become like Pilate during this troubled week... I didn't take responsibility for anything and became a bystander. This is not our image, but in spite of having no sin, he carried the cross and put this cross on me because they did not know it. I hope it will be a week that can be carried away in a difficult week. We will pray together.
“Grateful God, this time of the dawn of the Holy Week to share in your suffering. During this week, let us also carry the cross of the Lord and live this week. Help me to carry the cross of silence. Help me to take up the cross of responsibility towards others. Hopefully, like Pilate, look at yourself to see if you have not led an irresponsible life in your life. I earnestly pray in the name of Jesus. Amen."