God Loves Our Skinned Knees

Easter has come and gone once again this year. Jesus has gone to the cross, suffered, died, and has been resurrected. But what happened after that?
I love the story told in the 21st chapter of the gospel of John. The disciples go out fishing and as the sun rises they see a man on the beach. The man is Jesus. He tells them to let down their nets and they will catch fish. The follow instructions and catch 153 fish. Jesus tells them to come ashore because He has breakfast for them. When Peter sees Jesus he puts on his clothes and jumps into the water to go to shore. When Peter gets to shore, Jesus calls Peter over and sits him down.
At this point, Jesus could have easily scolded or belittled Peter for his previous actions. Peter had been a zealous follower in so many instances, but when Jesus is arrested and taken away to be beaten and eventually hung on the cross, Peter denied being one of Jesus’ followers at least three times.
So, here is Jesus, back from the dead, having a sit down with Peter. What would you say to someone you loved who had abandoned you in your time of need? What would you want to say to someone who denied even being your friend? Wouldn’t you be hurt… angry… mad… even possibly want some revenge? In our world today we often see people who have been forsaken and we identify with them. Recent headlines are an indication of that. I was in the doctors’ office the other day and a woman was reading People magazine. She said aloud, “Poor Sandra Bullock, she finally gets an Oscar and she can’t enjoy it because of her cheatin’ husband.” Didn’t you feel bad for Elin Woods or Jenny Sanford or Elizabeth Edwards who has cancer? All abandoned by their husbands for other women. America’s news and entertainment channels have had a ball with all that stuff and we are watching it (at least a little!). Who could have blamed Jesus if He had wanted to verbally whip-up on Peter? And, why stop there? Jesus could have looked at all the disciples and told them all how wrong they were and how little faith they had and, oh my, how He could have blinded a couple and maimed a few and cursed some. But He DID NOT!
Instead, Jesus simply loved them. Even though they had not done what was right or faithful or even died with Him. Jesus simply went to them and forgave them and served them. He cooked them breakfast on the beach and asked Peter, “Do you love me?”
The English version does not help us understand the question, but the Greek does. Jesus asks Peter if he agapes Jesus. Agape is a word that means a self sacrificial love. Willing to serve or even die for another kind of love. Peter responds with a truthful heart by saying, “I philios you.” Peter loves Jesus like a brother and he is not willing to die for Him.
We can believe Peter to be a failure, but we can also identify with Peter as well. Peter did abandon Jesus, but over time, Peter came back to Jesus. Peter wasn’t quite ready to give his life… yet. But in time, as he followed Jesus, Peter’s love grew into an agape love. So much so, that he died for the message of Jesus.
In life we try to follow Jesus, but most of time we find ourselves failing in one way or another. Like a child who skins his or her knees over and over as they learn to walk. God loves skinned knees on us all; because it shows that we are willing to try to follow… try to walk the walk not just talk the talk. God even gave us scabs to heal the wounds on our knees just as He has given us grace for all the times we fall. God loves you and I pray, no matter how old you become, you will be His child with skinned knees.

A Lesson on the Cross of Jesus

I recently read about a man who said he didn’t believe in Christianity because he couldn’t understand why a nice guy like Jesus had to die and there was no way that one man, even Jesus, could do such a thing as take away the sins of other people, much less the entire world. Having heard this, I want to talk with you about why Jesus suffered and died.
There are three words I believe we must consider when we attempt to understand the cross and the meaning of Jesus being crucified.
The first part of answering such a question forces us to look closely at the Trinity. The Trinity, a word not actually found in scripture, is a term and concept used by the historical church to describe God as one God, three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It is vital, and I mean “super” important, to know that God, the Creator of all, was from the beginning of time never alone. God is a being that is made up of three persons who are inseparable. It is also key to know that Jesus was always with God, even when the world was created as scripture clearly teaches in John 1. In other words, Jesus is not made in the image of human beings, we are made in His!
The second aspect of understanding Jesus’ suffering is found in the term ascension. As theologian Baxter Kruger states, “There is no more stunning news in the universe than the news that a human being now exists inside the Trinitarian life of God.” Jesus, fully God and fully human (after Jesus’ life on earth), went to heaven and exists with God. Jesus’ humanity is with God each and every day.
Was this some kind of accident on God’s part? Was this some kind of planning on the fly by God? No! Jesus was the secret plan of the Trinity from all of eternity. The life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ was planned from the beginning of time. God is, in a way, human like us.
The third and final aspect is to understand sin. Sin is missing the mark when it comes to following God. It is not so much about rules, but about the entire quagmire of our brokenness, alienation, and estrangement that exists between God, us, and each other. Sin is something that humanity brought on itself, not imposed by God. On the cross our brokenness and alienation is overcome. Thus, to understand Jesus’ suffering, we must know that God is, at the core of God’s being, about relationships. God’s love for us is so strong that God knew sin would be a barrier that would have to be overcome. Out of amazing love, Jesus came to us to offer Himself as the solution to the problem of sin.
Thus, it is not Jesus who dies to appease the Father; it is the death of Jesus that proves just how much the triune God loves us. Contrary to the whispers of Satan, God does love us and we are worthy of that love, no matter who we are or what we’ve done. We even find ourselves taking sides with Satan, just like the crowds who shouted “crucify.” Yes, we too get fooled by Satan to believe lies. But Jesus says to us again and again, “forgive them…” and “it is finished.” Is that shocking? It should be. It is not about our work, but our love for a God who first (and always) loved us. The empty tomb continues to prove that Satan cannot win this war for human lives. God wants us to be with Him and has chosen to bring us home… not ask us to find our own way. Now that you know how much God loves you, isn’t it easier to love God for such an awesome gift? If so, that’s called salvation and it’s free. Until next time, Blessings!