Exploring the Text: The only one who saw differently
As Jesus hung on the cross the crowd around him began to mock him. The soldiers divided up his clothes and gambled for them. The leaders challenged him; after all, he had saved other people, he should be able to save himself. The soldiers challenged him to prove that he really was the king of the Jews by saving himself. One of the criminals challenged Jesus to save himself and them.
All of these, the Jewish leaders, the soldiers, the one thief, and many of the crowd, read the mocking sign over Jesus’ head that read, “The King of the Jews”, and saw him that way. They saw him according to popular public perception. They saw what they wanted to see. They saw the condemned man dying on a cross. They all saw him the same way, except for one.
The second thief saw something different. He wasn't distracted by the mocking words or sign. He wasn’t confused by the crowd, the leaders, or the soldiers. He saw Jesus as he really was. He saw Jesus as the king of heaven. He saw Jesus as the sinless sacrifice for his own sin, and for ours. He saw Jesus as no one else there did, and he put his hope, his faith, and his trust in Jesus.
There are lots of voices around us telling us how to see Jesus. Some tell us he was a great teacher or moral leader. Some tell us he was just a normal man that others made up stories about. Some tell us he might not have even existed. The real question, though, isn’t what others are telling us about Jesus or what others see when they look at him, the real question is how we see Jesus. How do you see him and what are you willing to do about it?
David W. Dalton
As Jesus hung on the cross the crowd around him began to mock him. The soldiers divided up his clothes and gambled for them. The leaders challenged him; after all, he had saved other people, he should be able to save himself. The soldiers challenged him to prove that he really was the king of the Jews by saving himself. One of the criminals challenged Jesus to save himself and them.
All of these, the Jewish leaders, the soldiers, the one thief, and many of the crowd, read the mocking sign over Jesus’ head that read, “The King of the Jews”, and saw him that way. They saw him according to popular public perception. They saw what they wanted to see. They saw the condemned man dying on a cross. They all saw him the same way, except for one.
The second thief saw something different. He wasn't distracted by the mocking words or sign. He wasn’t confused by the crowd, the leaders, or the soldiers. He saw Jesus as he really was. He saw Jesus as the king of heaven. He saw Jesus as the sinless sacrifice for his own sin, and for ours. He saw Jesus as no one else there did, and he put his hope, his faith, and his trust in Jesus.
There are lots of voices around us telling us how to see Jesus. Some tell us he was a great teacher or moral leader. Some tell us he was just a normal man that others made up stories about. Some tell us he might not have even existed. The real question, though, isn’t what others are telling us about Jesus or what others see when they look at him, the real question is how we see Jesus. How do you see him and what are you willing to do about it?
David W. Dalton
Spiritual Practices: Breath Prayer
Overview
Everyone saw Jesus as the phony, powerless, pretend king of the Jews. Everyone saw an imposter now unmasked. Everyone except the one thief being crucified beside him. The thief saw him as he actually is. Sometimes we get distracted by what others are saying about Jesus, or even by our own background and our own mistaken ideas about him. Like the thief, we need to look past the distractions and see and experience as he really is. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, let me see you as you are
Overview
Everyone saw Jesus as the phony, powerless, pretend king of the Jews. Everyone saw an imposter now unmasked. Everyone except the one thief being crucified beside him. The thief saw him as he actually is. Sometimes we get distracted by what others are saying about Jesus, or even by our own background and our own mistaken ideas about him. Like the thief, we need to look past the distractions and see and experience as he really is. That is what this breath prayer is about.
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, let me see you as you are