“I am innocent, I did nothing wrong.” splashed across all the tabloids and newspapers in the USA and abroad. No one was surprised at the predicament that the defendant faced in the coming indictment and arraignment, except his base and supporters. Why? You would ask. There were smoking guns evidences of boxes that were found stacked around the properties of the alleged accused. These boxes were not boxes of pizza or Newspapers’ clips that were strewn across the room. The misplaced boxes of classified sensitive documents were properties of the National Archive marked as “Top Secret” on most files. Yet, the defendant pleaded innocent.
However, there was a man who was prosecuted 2,000 years ago and sentenced to be hung on the cross by a Roman governor. HE did not retaliate nor did HE protest vehemently as HE trudged the route of Via Dolorosa. It was recorded vividly in both old and new testaments that Jesus, our Lamb of God did not cry out or raise HIS voice, nor was His voice heard in the street that led to HIS death. Isaiah 42:2 parallels the verse in Matthew 12:19 stating that HE was silent on HIS way to Calvary. Such was our Saviour, our praus King, who saw our needs to be saved eternally. HE was without sin. In 2 Corinthians 5:21, For God had made HIM to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ. Clearly, Jesus has all the rights to make claims that HE is innocent and that HE did nothing wrong. But did HE? After all, didn’t HE say that HE came to follow HIS father’s will? And so, HE did. Neither a word, nor a murmur was heard as HE faced the unreasonable mob that demanded HIS death. HE was accused of various crimes which HE did not do. But one thing for sure, HE too left smoking gun evidences strewn across the land of Palestine; the miracles that HE did, the numerous people who were healed, the dead who were raised from death and thousands fed with a morsel of food. The modus operandi of both criminals, one alleged until proven guilty, while the other, was condemned immediately without a proper trial, were different. The former sought to play hide and seek with the stolen classified Top-Secret documents, whereas, the other did not such thing. All of HIS blatant “crimes” were not about shifting, obstruction or unlawful retention of sensitive classified materials. HE did no such thing to avoid detection. Every miracle that HE did was done in the public places, the result of HIS” crimes” inadvertently, led people to God. Therefore, there was no need for the obstruction of the rule of laws, or the operation of salvation through Grace.
Submissively as a lamb, HE was led to the slaughter, like a lamb before its shearer, HE was silent and HE did not open HIS mouth. Why?
When the first man fell at the Garden of Eden, God knew then that there will be ramification. The ramification would be that HIS only begotten son will have to die for the salvation of HIS own creation. To understand how much God love us is to comprehend how gross the punishments that were inflicted on HIS beloved son. HE died that we might live; HE bore the wounds on HIS body so that we can have a healthy body. HIS precious blood, crimson and red was poured out as an offering, atonement for the sins of many, including you and me. Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice and redemptive works on Calvary.
Another vast difference between the two “criminals” was their believers and supporters. On the announcement of the impending arrest of both men, one’s supporters rally in close rank to denounce it as witch hunt. The supporters of the other man fled in eleven different directions, leaving HIM to face the whole Sanhedrin, then the Roman Governor alone. Such was the plight of our Saviour, the Creator of the Universe. HE could if HE wants, summon HIS trustworthy angelic followers, legions upon legions of angelic followers would swarm around the Creator of the Universe. Again, did HE? No! Such was the man who knew HIS purpose for being the Lamb of God. Jesus stayed the course despite the dejection of being falsely accused by HIS own people. The painful realization of the fact that HE was their God all the while and the very purpose on HIS visitation was to save them spiritually. But HE came to HIS own, yet HIS own knew HIM not as vividly recorded by John in the first chapter of his gospel.
Given to the other man, the rejection by your own people, a people in who was set apart as special people would turn the rejected one into rage and fury. That was what happened to the one that cried incessantly of his own perceived innocence and who swore that he did no wrong. In the aftermath of his defeat in the presidential election, he sent his army of supporters into the most sacred place of democracy to destroy it.
The other notable difference between the two men was in their response and reaction towards impending adversity. Jesus is God, but as a human, would have been subjected to the feeling of fear, loneliness, desertion and desperation in the face of adversity. Therefore, we would expect the same reaction for the man who was federally charged with 37 counts of criminality. Instead, the alleged criminal defiantly went into a rampage of verbal retaliations and attacks. His followers and supporters, blinded and influenced by his falsehood and duplicity, turned on the accusers of the cult leader and the very system that he vouched to uphold while he was in office. What a tragedy!
Jesus is calling out today, as a gentle and good shepherd recorded by John in his gospel. A good shepherd as described by the Lord is one who would lay down HIS life in defence of HIS sheep. Here, HE made a comparison of himself with a hireling, who in the sight of trouble abandons and flees first for his own safety. But a good shepherd without hesitation will lay down HIS life if needed to ensure the safety of the flock first. A good shepherd is also a good leader that would never compromise the lives of others, HIS own flock of sheep, followers or supporters for HIS own benefit. These were the vast differences between Jesus and the man who cried often of political persecution. A rogue and bad leader will always manipulate his supporters and followers to incite them to act on his behalf. Cowardly, he will always be seen distance away in any instigated confrontation with the law.
Jesus the good shepherd is calling us today to come to HIM. HE is the only way, truth and life. No man can come to the Father, except through HIM. Do not be distracted by voices of deceit and falsehood. Hear only the voice of the good shepherd as HE beckons us to HIM for our salvation. Do not be like the children of Israel, who hardened their hearts and blocked out all sense of reception to hearing the voice of God. The consequence of their disobedience led them to wander through the desert for a wasted generation.
Salvation of our soul and eternity matters.