A husband and wife were on the way home from worship one Sunday morning. As they rode along, the wife asked her husband, “Did you see that woman in the front row showing off her Liz Claiborne suit?”
He said, “No.”
Well, “Did you see that man on our left–the one wearing that gaudy sport jacket that clashed with his slacks?”
“No, I didn’t” her husband replied.
Then she asked, “Well, surely you noticed that young man to our right with the tattoo, wearing an ear-ring?”
Her husband looked up and in a quiet tone, with an embarrassed expression of what he was about to confess and said, “Honey, to be honest with you, I dozed off during worship this morning.
His wife, in a huffy tone, then rebuked him saying, Well!! A lot of good worship does you!”
On the Friday Jesus was crucified, how many really saw the Savior?
The politically minded High Priest saw a chance to eliminate one who they perceived to be a threat to their position and power
The greedy Judas saw 30 pieces of silver.
The self-righteous Pharisees saw the termination of a teacher who tread on their traditions.
The hedonistic Herod saw an opportunity for entertainment from a man who was rumored to perform miracles.
The cowardly Pilate saw an innocent man but lacked the courage to set him free.
The fearful disciples saw their lives were endangered and ran to save their own skin.
The calloused, hardened soldiers saw just another Jew condemned to die on a cross.
The railing robber saw only his hurt as he blasphemed a fellow sufferer.
The curious crowds saw an object of scorn only to be abused, mocked and insulted.
On the most famous Friday in all of history, they missed it! They missed its prophetic fulfillment. its significance. Its meaning. Its purpose in God’s plan.
They missed really seeing who Jesus was.
Oh, some got a glimpse of the Divine. His mother Mary who for 33 years had treasured memories stored in her heart.
Mary Magdalene, faithful follower, freed from the demons the plagued her.
John, the apostle whom Jesus loved, who returned to Golgotha’s hill.
Simeon of Cyrene who carried the cross and saw Jesus up close.
The Centurion Solider who exclaimed, “Truly this was the Son of God”
Secret disciples like Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews, who loving prepared the body of Jesus for burial.
That was Friday. But what none knew. Or understood. Or expected. Was that Sunday was coming!
On Sunday they saw Him who defied death. Rolled away the massive stone. And left the tomb eerily empty. The saw the resurrected Redeemer. The risen Savior. The triumphant Lord.
What do you see?
What will you see on Sunday?
Don’t lose sight of Him we are to worship. Honor. And remember. Let’s not reduce worship to the trite. The trivial. Or the traditional.
If worship is to affect us for good, it must be God-honoring. Jesus focused. And led by the Spirit inspired Word.
It may be Friday. But Sunday’s coming!
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
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