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What Do We Do with a Crucified Jesus?
After spending a few days in Italy, especially in some of the big cities there, there's no doubt in my mind that the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was the central event of human history. No matter where you go... you can go into church buildings there; you can go into museums; you can just look around on the piazzas on any random building and see examples of Jesus on the cross in sculptures and paintings and frescoes and tile work and all kinds of other objects all over that country. Not only are there thousands of these works of art, but they're from all different periods of time ranging from around the 4th century in the time of Constantine up until about the 16th century and maybe even some more recent than that. But these works are so prominent that after a few days of walking around and seeing them everywhere, they start to make a strong impression on you.
We're familiar with the story of the cross. We all have pictures in our minds of what it was like for Jesus to be on that cross and what His death was like. And we formed those images based on what we read in His word. And these artists from old have done the same and made these sculptures and paintings and images because that event also obviously had a strong impression on them, and on those who commissioned their work, and on the thousands and millions of people that see them every year as they tour those historical sites. Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
1 Corinthians 15.3-4
Paul said these things were of first importance. That Jesus died. That He was buried. And that He rose on the third day. And we know this all according to the Scriptures. The evidence for Jesus... His life, His death, and His resurrection. It's clear to us in our minds as Christians, especially each week as we come together to partake of the Lord’s Supper and commune together. But just like the human evidence for the faith in these events is scattered all over Italy, and what we see in the artwork and the sculptures, and whatever depiction that someone made from the picture they had in their mind from that event, we're here every first day of the week to remember the death of Jesus. Even so, many people outside of our fellowship acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God. And that He died on the cross. But the question I think for us, as well as any that believe in Jesus and that He died, isn't was Jesus crucified? And it isn't was He buried? And it's not was He risen from the dead? As believers the real question is:
What do we do with the crucified Jesus?
What do we do? What will we do with the crucified Jesus? So many throughout history have gotten this wrong. Right alongside the paintings of Jesus on the cross, you can find a depiction of John the Baptist simply pouring water on Jesus' head to depict His baptism. And next to that, you'll see a depiction of Jesus in Rome handing over a key to the Kingdom to Peter and supposedly anointing him as the first pope of the Catholic Church, a complete misunderstanding of Matthew 16.18-19. And as Bible students, we know that so many of these images don't accurately portray God's word. And yet people who espouse these beliefs also claim to believe in this risen and crucified Savior. Paul had some things to say about this especially in Colossians.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
Colossians 2.8-10
Jesus even said in Mark 7.6b-7:
“‘This people honors me with their lips,
but their heart is far from me;
in vain do they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
And so, we believe that Jesus was crucified. But what do we do with the crucified Jesus? On the most basic level, Jesus Himself said, “If you love me you will keep my commandments” (John 14.15). And if Jesus is our King, on that most fundamental level we will do what He says. We will obey Him and Him alone. We will recognize His supreme authority over the church and over our lives as those who would bear His name: Christian. And so those thoughts led me then to what Paul said to the Colossians when he had heard of their great faith. He wrote:
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Colossians 1.9-14
Paul says if we believe in a crucified Jesus, if we believe in a risen Savior, what should we do? His prayer for those Colossian brethren was first of all to be filled with the knowledge of His will. To know what His will was so that they could obey it. And to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord. To be pleasing to Him. To bear fruit in every good work. To increase in the knowledge of God. To be strengthened with His power so that you can be patient with joy. And ultimately to give thanks to the Father because He's given us this great inheritance in Christ. He’s delivered us from the domain of darkness and into the kingdom of His beloved Son by redeeming us and forgiving us.
And so, if we believe in a crucified Jesus, we have hope. We have hope in the promises of God because of what Christ did for us. We also must believe that Jesus is coming back one day to judge the world. The Lord's Supper is meant not only to remind us, I believe, of the crucified Savior, but for the reason that He died and what impact that it is supposed to have on our lives.
As we strive to be like Him, there is an expectation of obedience and faithful living for which we will be judged. Right alongside all the images of Jesus on the cross, you'll see images of judgment day. And some of the things that are depicted there are terrifying. It’s very impactful to see what images came to mind of some of these artists as they tried to portray what judgment day might be. Needless to say, none of us want to experience what was in those paintings. But let us be diligent to examine our lives. Paul called on the Corinthians when he instructed them on the Lord's Supper to examine themselves as they partook (1 Corinthians 11.28-29).
Let's discipline our lives and discipline our minds in such a way that we can be with the Lord one day. Jesus died. He was buried. And He rose on the third day.
Let's reflect on what we do with the crucified Jesus.
