I find Mark's account of the events surrounding the death of Jesus so disturbing. Perhaps it's a Grace Group thing, but as I read it I am stunned at the apparent unstoppable wave of injustice that permeates pretty much every verse. I'm unnerved by the glaring absence of logic, reason, sanity. It seems no one is listening to anyone. There is just a vindictive agenda spewing forth from angry, fearful, religious people. It turns my stomach. And then....somehow, when Jesus cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last -- the apparent victory of injustice-- the Roman soldier who had witnessed all of this and was standing there at the foot of the cross said, "This has to be the Son of God!" Huh??
Most people --including the disciples -- weren't convinced about Jesus being the Messiah until He appeared to them after his resurrection. But this soldier who watched Jesus face horrific physical, verbal, and emotional abuse; watched him decline to defend himself, refuse to lash out in anger, saw something far exceeding human explanation. He didn't see someone who had just lost the battle against his enemies, his abusers. He saw one who had fought the battle againse injustice and WON!
This is the epitome of Romans 12:21, "Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good." Makes me think I have soooo very much to learn about the power of God's love.
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