Thank God Jesus Was Arrested!

It’s happened again! James Woodard was released from prison last week after being incarcerated for 27 years for a crime he did not commit. The DNA evidence showed that he did not sexually assault nor kill a woman back in 1980. James sat in a courtroom years ago while two witnesses fingered him out as the man they saw committing the crime. Since then, one witness has gone on record to say they lied about it, and the other witness is just not believable because of the distance they were from the crime seen at 3:30am. Mr. Woodard claimed innocence from the beginning, even writing so many letters of appeal that they finally just got tired of hearing from him.

There are countries that I have traveled to where when people are arrested; they are guilty until proven innocent. It is hard for us to fathom that with our system of innocent until proven guilty. Our system however, certainly did not work for Mr. Woodard who is now fifty-five years old. Can you imagine the feelings of being accused and convicted for something that you have never done?

In some ways James Woodard has something in common with Jesus our Lord. A court that was filled with prejudice, distortions, and lies convicted them both. A court that had already made up its mind before it was even concluded convicted them. There is something that they do not share in common though. James Woodard denied the accusations against him. He claimed his innocence from the beginning and stood by that story up until his release from prison last week. On the other hand, Jesus affirmed the accusation that was leveled against Him.

Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,”” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62) Jesus not only agreed with the accusation but He clarified it. After years of keeping His identity quiet, and not publicly claiming His “messiahship” Jesus clearly answers the question, “Yes, I am the Messiah!”

Maybe his disciples were thinking, “OK, now we are getting somewhere. Lets see what He does now, like call down thousands of angels to take over the Roman army.” However Jesus did nothing except make the claim that He was the long awaited Messiah coming from the very presence of God. James Woodard was condemned by a lie; Jesus was condemned by the truth!

As we begin to read Mark’s account of Christ’s Passion as told to him by Peter, the theme that stands out above all others to me is Amazing Love! There are interesting historical and prophetic facts in the next two chapters, but it is the love of God for us that captures my attention. Now that we find Jesus being abused and ridiculed just as He said would happen, we ponder how He could endure this. Even now in these early “fly by night” trials Jesus was being physically abused. Mark 14:65 says, “Then some began to spit at him with their fists, and said, ‘Prophesy!’ And the guards took him and beat him.”

Peter, as an eyewitness tells us that Jesus never retaliated, never fought back, and never made hateful comments. It is so hard for me to understand love that sacrificed in this way for me and for you. God’s love is always a self-giving love. God continually gives because that is essentially what love does. God gives even the tough stuff of life, as He knows it will bring eternal benefits to our soul. Now as the horrific pain begins, Jesus endures so that He can give to us the gift of redemption! As the blood of Jesus begins to flow so does the gift of life’s meaning for all us. Once alienated from God, through the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, we now can see the big picture. We have come out of the fog.

Dr. Kreeft has put it this way on the meaning of life without God. “If there is no God, there is no ultimate meaning of life. If we came ultimately from nothing and die ultimately into nothing, we are ultimately nothing. If we are made in the image of God, we are the children of the King of Kings. But if we are made only in the image of King Kong, we are only clever apes.”

When Jesus was arrested one can almost imagine that all of heaven stopped to watch. This was the beginning of end for the devil and pain of alienation that he brought to mankind. The arrest of Jesus started the chain of events that would forever change the eternal destiny of mankind. Human souls would now be in harmony with their Creator and understand that they were on a journey home.

Professor Kreeft goes on about the human’s realization that something is missing in life. “Our desire for joy, for a joy we can ever find in this world, even from other people, points to another world (heaven) and another Person (God); for every natural, innate and universal desire corresponds to a reality that can satisfy it. The reality of hunger shows the reality of food; the same is true of the hunger for God and heaven.”

Besides heaven and the eternal presence of God, I would say the greatest gift I have on this earth is the gift of meaning. I wrote about this not long ago. To understand God’s work in history allows me to enjoy this blue planet so much more. Not that I have all the answers to all of my questions, but I know where I came from; I know what I am doing here; and I know where I am going as I journey along.

My heart is so sad for Mr. Woodard and for the 27 years he lost behind bars for a crime he never committed. I can only pray that while in prison the Lord of prisons came into his life bringing him eternal freedom. My heart is also sad for those who have lived a lifetime and never knew why!

In The Name of Jesus,

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries