King of all

Friday March 21st, Matthew 27: -After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they whiled away the time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: "You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days--so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!" This is the ultimate insult, the king of the Jews. Meant as the insult by the powers laughing, the real joke is that it does not go far enough. Instead of king of the Jews, Jesus was at that moment king of all creation, including those who would both laugh and feel relief at his passing. The laughing, the mocking, the jeering and you and I, all recipients of God’s love in spite of those things we are all quite capable of. This is the message, Christ died for you, and did not stay there. The rest of the story is next week.