Mar 31 - "Fading Away"

Mark 11:27-33
Again Jesus and the disciples came to Jerusalem. As he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders came to him and said, “By what authority are you doing these things? Who gave you this authority to do them?” Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin? Answer me.” They argued with one another, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But shall we say, ‘Of human origin’?” – they were afraid of the crowd, for all regarded John as truly a prophet. So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I am doing these things.”
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Imagine living near Jerusalem during Jesus' earthly We have seen miracles of healing and of power. Christ has fed thousands, walked on water, healed dozens and dozens of people. He has done all of these things in a servant-like manner. At no point has He come out and said to the crowds or priests, "I am the Son of God. Worship Me. I am the One you have been praying for over the centuries. I am Messiah."

Wouldn't it have been so much more simple if He had just come out and said who He was? Jesus has been building a case, compiling proof after proof that He is the Son of God, the Mighty Redeemer, Messiah. He has set everything up, so why doesn't He close the deal?

Of course, the answer is obvious. If He had stated these things, He may have been worshiped during all of His earthly life. He would have been marked among the great Prophets and compared to Abraham or Moses...Gandhi or Mother Theresa...Martin Luther King. But unless He continued to perform miracles time and time again, the memory of the three years of His ministry on earth would likely have faded over time.

During my teens years, I went to "church camp" every summer. I remember these times being not only a week of fun with friends, but a time when I felt very close to God. Some of my dearest and longest-lasting friendships came from those times at camp. Close to the end of each of these weeks, summer after summer, there would be a gathering one evening during which we would attend a worship service. During this service, each of us was asked to make a covenant with God. There was no pressure to promise any certain thing. Each of us were simply encouraged to pray, to talk to God and determine what He might be calling us to do.

I remember these worship services at the end of camp to be incredibly spiritual and emotional events. There was hardly ever a dry eye in the house, as each of us came to terms with our relationship with God.

But, the other thing I remember just as vividly, is how the feelings from that worship service faded in the weeks following camp. As each of us came back out into the world and the daily grind of our lives took over once again, the power of that moment, that evening seem to grow dim. The way we campers were able to keep that memory alive was to spend time with each other, encouraging each other in our faith as the months, the years passed along. However, even with this fellowship, the sharpness and clarity of that evening never quite regained its luster.

Why did Christ not proclaim Himself as God incarnate? Because He did not have to use words for this to be true. He put Himself below all, allowing Himself to be sacrificed for each of us. His death and resurrection spoke more than any words could tell. The ministry of the Apostles after He left this world showed more to us than Christ's attestation of His being could ever have done.

So, as we enter into the crescendo that is the last part of Holy Week, do not let the memories of the Last Supper, the Garden at Gethsemane, Golgotha or the Tomb fade as you continue with your lives after this season. Remember the sheer humility of washing the feet of a friend; remember the tears shed on Good Friday; remember the emptiness of the time when all hope seems lost. But most importantly, remember and rejoice in the power of the Resurrection! Recognize that the finality of His sacrifice is far greater than mere words could ever profess and that His conquering of Death will continue forever and never fade away.