Monday, April 1

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Monday, April 1

John 19:28-30

Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the scriptures would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Well, it’s the time of year called “March madness” and, this  year, there are two reasons for the madness. First, along with most everyone living in the Midwest, I’m mad that March feels a lot more like January. I mean, where’s “global warming” when you need it? Second, “March madness” refers, of course, to the annual NCAA college basketball tournament.

It’s the time of year when people who don’t even particularly like basketball fill out tournament brackets like they’re lottery tickets. We find ourselves following with feverish interest the fate of teams from schools we’ve never heard of before; Florida Gulf Coast University anyone? 

And every year March madness reveals a few things about those of us who watch the tournament. First, most of us tend to love underdogs (unless the underdog is playing against our favorite team!). We find ourselves rooting for the small no-name school to rise up and defeat the high profile university with the famous coach and unlimited recruiting budget. 

Second, most of us also love the come-from-behind victory (again, unless the comeback is against our favorite team!). We are thrilled when a team that was seemingly dead in the water rallies from a huge deficit to pull off a dramatic buzzer-beating victory.

It seems to me that so many of the stories that we love; from “Rocky” to “Hoosiers” to “The Lion King”; all follow a similar pattern. There is a central figure; a perilous crisis; a seemingly tragic defeat; then a great reversal where the hero overcomes all obstacles to win the day. 

And, it seems to me, in a way, that many of those stories we love are a kind of reflection of the central story of the gospel; the story of the cross!

John tells us that as Jesus’ earthly life ebbed away on a Roman cross, all seemed lost.

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

If the story of Jesus ended here, it would, indeed, be a tragedy. After a whirlwind public ministry of three years where he preached to great crowds, healed the sick and performed never-before-seen miracles; just days after being celebrated as “the Son of David” as he rode into Jerusalem on a donkey; this same Jesus dies the death of a common criminal. He is crucified by the pagan Romans; fade to black, all is lost.

But just as in a good movie, even in the darkest moment, there is a glimmer of hope for the great surprise to come. Notice how Jesus’ death is phrased:

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Even if you didn’t know the end of the story, these two sentences tell you this is not a run-of-the mill crucifixion. Jesus says, “It is finished”; like a runner finishing a marathon; like a writer finishing a magnum opus; like a composer finishing the score of a beautiful symphony. Jesus doesn’t sound like a man who has had his life take from him in brutal and barbaric fashion; Jesus sounds like a man who has finished that which he intentionally set out to accomplish. 

Then this: 

With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Jesus didn’t die fighting for his last breath and clinging to life as most men do; Jesus died voluntarily. He died when and how he wanted to. He gave up his spirit when it was time.

What kind of death is this?

This is a death that hints that death is not the final word. This is a death that speaks of life. 

This is a death that is not the end; but rather just the beginning.