The Verge of Heaven: July 2024

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

I’ve been told that churches have sometimes had disagreements over whether to use name tags or not. My own experience has been that I like to know whom I’m shaking hands with in my own little neighborhood of pews, and I like them to know who I am too. A church we have attended for some years now, gives professionally made magnetic badges to all members and regular attenders.

Once a year they have a real “walk-up-to-the-front” communion service, on Maundy Thursday. On all other occasions, we remain quietly and passively in our seats. On this special Remembrance Sunday, communion is by “intinction”. Yes, I had never heard that word before. The entire congregation lines up in the center aisle, proceeds to the communion table, and is offered real bread. They tear off a piece, dip it in a large chalice of wine, and consume both together.

My point is that as I broke the bread, the pastor holding it said, “The Body of Christ broken for you because He loves you, Glenn!” A crowd of 150 fellow Christians, and he knows my name! How personal that made it, and how true. Jesus does love me, and the use of my name tag brought it home to me in great power.

[How the interviews should have gone on Good Friday!]

In Gethsemane with Judas and the temple police:

When Judas and a detachment of soldiers reached Gethsemane, Jesus went out and asked them, “Who is it you want?” When they said “Jesus of Nazareth”, He assured them, “I am he.” They all drew back in amazement and fell to the ground. Then the soldiers with their commander and the Jewish officials accompanied Him back into Jerusalem, to the courtyard of the former high priest, Annas.

With Annas, in his courtyard in Jerusalem:

Annas asked Jesus more questions, about things He had already discussed in many public places, and even about Annas’s unusual mention of the need for one man to die for the people. Why was that?

With Caiaphas, in his house in Jerusalem:

As the group continued to swell, they all moved on to Caiaphas’s house. Now someone raised the question of what Jesus had meant when He overturned the tables in the temple then said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He left this as a puzzle to them but when Caiaphas asked Him if He was “the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One”, He left them in no doubt:—“I AM!”

In Caiaphas’s courtyard:

In the growing crowd, Peter got separated from Jesus. He was approached by at least three different people, who asked him, “Aren’t you one of Jesus’ disciples?” He quickly assured them, “I am.”

With the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem:

The crowd moved on again, to the meeting place of the Sanhedrin. Once more, He was asked if He was “the Son of God.” Again, He confirmed with, “I AM!”

With Pilate, at the Praetorium in Jerusalem:

Now Jesus and his torrent of followers moved on to meet the Romans. Pontius Pilate, the governor, was curious as to why they had come but when he found out that Jesus was “the king of the Jews”, he recognized the truth and listened to it.

With Herod Antipas, in Jerusalem:

There was only one more man left to see, the current “king of the Jews”, Herod Antipas. When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He was overwhelmed with all the questions he had in mind, and even offered Jesus an elegant robe.

With Pilate again:

Jesus and the immense crowd with him then went back to Pilate to wrap up the morning, with some final clarifications. On the Pavement of Gabbatha, Pilate faced Jesus and proclaimed to everyone, “Hail, king of the Jews!”

With all the Jews:

As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw Him, they too shouted, “He is the Son of God!”

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