The man in the Middle...the Wayfarer 12/17/13

The Man in the Middle

12/17/13

“And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary,

there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.”

(Luke 23:32 & 33)

Today we take a look at our Savior through the eyes of those who were there at the crucifixion, and beyond.

I call specific attention to the placement of the three crosses that were used on that day, and how it relates to us now, with Christ himself  placed in the middle of two others deemed worthy of death for their misdeeds.

There is an old song, and joke,  about the man in the middle seat of the pickup truck on the way to do ranching work that shows a lot about how we often view the man in the middle.

It says that the guy driving has to drive, that’s work, the guy that sits at the outside on the passenger side is the one that has to get out and open and close the gates,that too is work, and that the man in the middle only has to enjoy the ride to work.

This pretty much sums up the attitude of most of the folks I have met in life who look for ways not to do anything more than what is absolutely necessary to get by. They would rather enjoy the ride than contribute any effort not absolutely required of them and depend on others to make their life easier.

This concept is exactly the opposite of the man in the middle that I choose to speak about today. He chose to do more than could ever be expected of any man, to make the lives of all men, not only more bearable, while here on this earth, but to assure the ability of all men to have life more abundantly, now, and in the eons of forever!

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.

And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,

And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

But the other answering rebuked him, saying, dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

(Luke 23:34-43)

The man in the middle had already, long since, given up all claim to anything of value on this earth, though he owned it all.

He had already spent his entire ministry teaching the simple premise of redemption through repentance that promises eternal life to those who simply choose to believe.

He had already endured the ridicule and defamation of those who claimed to be the ones through which God might be reached and appeased.

 He had already shown, time, and time again, through miracles, parables, and teachings, his own love for the downtrodden and castaways of a self-righteous, covetous, and stubborn society.

 He had known every temptation that could befall humankind, and overcome that temptation.

Now, after having been tried, beaten, betrayed by those he loved the most, he came to face the very purpose for which he had been sent, only to face and endure even more of the same spiteful derision, not only from those who feared him because of their own greed and apathy toward their fellow men, but by the very rulers of the society he preached to, the people to whom he had so ardently attempted to bring to God through his teachings, the soldiers charged only with, and interest in, his execution, and even one of the two true malefactors chosen to die alongside him.

One of the two chose to believe instead of scoffing at the reason for His being there. That one's statement that they were both there to face the just rewards for their own deeds shows repentance for those deeds. His further statement to Jesus shows his acceptance of Him as the son of God and the only way to achieve the kingdom preached about by this man in the middle.

The 34^th verse shows the resoluteness of our Lord to turn the anger of His Father from those who were carrying out this sacrifice, one not only of Jesus own blood, but the sacrifice given by God himself in allowing his Son to finish the mission he had been given; not just a mission of faith, such as that of Abraham, who unwillingly would have sacrificed his son to please God to show that faith; but a mission of LOVE,  given by both Father and Son, for a creature intended only to live forever in happiness and delight in that very love.

This, “man in the middle,” had no hidden agenda to avoid contributing toward the good of his fellow men. He did not shirk the responsibility that comes with living a human life, having human wants and needs, human joys and human sorrows or any part of humanity that any of us may ever face. He chose instead to experience all of those, and more, in order to be what he still is, a man in the middle between us and His Father, and far more, God Himself, with the understanding and comprehension of just what humanity is and why we are so imperfect.

Paul said it much better than this poor preacher ever could:

“For we have not an high priest, which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”

(Hebrews 4:15 &16)

One of those chosen to die beside Him, chose the path of disbelief and derision; the path of selfishness, and the way of this world.

 The other chose to come boldly before our Lord with a simple request for mercy and forgiveness, the path through which he knew he could become a part of the promised kingdom, and face God with the innocence needed, having been purified through Jesus.

The man in the middle is still there, in the middle, where he is needed to help us reach God, and that promised kingdom, with the innocence demanded by that Father, through repentance to Him.

The choices available to those on his left and right to accept or deny are the same choices that must be reached by every human being since that sacrifice took place.

Which path of the two shown us by these crucified with Him have you taken, and are you taking each day?

I close once more in the same manner I always do, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection, promised by that sacrifice, made for me, knowing that, I too, have already had the audacity  and boldness to accept the fact that I am nothing more, nor less, than one of those two crucified beside Him that day so long ago.

My very humanity makes me a malefactor in God’s sight, undeserving of any reward to be given because of my faults and failures that are simply other words expressing sinfulness.

I am no more than a simple sinner, SAVED BY HIS GRACE, through the same bold faith in my Lord, that same Son of God, Jesus, and may therefore go boldly before that throne, trusting in the man in the middle to be the intercessor for my failures only after being convinced of the need to ASK for that intercession.

 I need no other advocate, and could find none other that would be acceptable as I stand at that throne as must each of YOU as well.

2 Timothy 1:12
¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Amen and Amen  
the Wayfarer