Jeremiah is writing of his own experience but clearly, here
on Good Friday, we are meant to think of Jesus' suffering for our sins. Jeremiah was a prophet who deeply identified
with the people to whom he prophesied in spite of their mistreatment of
him. He did not stand aloof or apart
from them in any way in spite of his warning of the coming wrath of God against
their sin. His job was to warn them
clearly and yet he did so not as a self-righteous man but as one who deeply
wanted them to repent and avert this calamity.
Now, he shares fully in their pain as well, not saying, "I told you
so", and glorying in being right. It
seems quite possible that Jeremiah's pain may be greater than anyone else's because
the word of the Lord was so powerful in him.
His identification was with both God and the people at once and this,
then, was his great pain. We are called
to be as Jeremiah, upholding the righteousness of God and the glory of His Name
while at the same time loving our neighbors such that their lives are important
enough for us to grieve over as they are outside the kingdom.
Peter wants to be identified with Jesus such that he is
willing to give his life for Him rather than let Jesus suffer alone. He will indeed do that but Peter isn't
prepared to do so just yet and the reality is that Jesus must undergo this
suffering alone. In addition to all the
physical pain and the spiritual torment He will undergo, He will also deal with
Peter's denial and betrayal, one of the closest of the disciples will fail
Him. Peter's love will find its
limit. Until he receives the Holy Spirit
he is not willing to fully identify with Jesus and suffer with or for Him. This day, he will fail both Jesus and
himself.
Peter's redemption was the most important thing to him and
he knew that the ransom for his soul was bought with the precious blood of
Christ, nothing else, nothing of his own contributed to his salvation. Peter wanted to have it all within himself,
believe that he was complete but what he found on Good Friday was that his life
meant more to him than anything else, the one he loved most was himself. He knew that Jesus died for his sins, just
like everyone else's, he was not the man he wanted to be or believed himself to
be. Everyone needs the cross.
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