If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you – John 15:18 (NASB).

My mind this week has been contemplating the final week of Jesus’ life, closely following the events that unfolded from what we call Palm Sunday all the through Resurrection Sunday.  I’m carefully reading the gospel account in Matthew of Jesus’ final week before His crucifixion and subsequent resurrection, remaining in joyful awe that He died for me, a sinner.

I’m also mindful of a certain reality regarding Jesus’ death: inasmuch as people were willing to praise Him, they also quickly turned and showed their hatred for Him. Riding on a donkey He willingly received their praise, but just days later most turned against Him, cursing and mocking Jesus, who willingly allowed Himself to be mistreated, tortured and killed for mankind.

I see a lot of parallels between the days of Jesus’ passion and how the world is today. One moment people adore you, the next moment they’ll turn their backs on you, even betray you if given the chance. Mention to anyone that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life,” and they know that you’re offering to them only one way to be saved.

We’re called narrow-minded, bigoted, homophobic, intolerant, racist and a host of other terms that are quite frankly the opposite of who we are in God’s eyes: truth telling followers of the King who only want to share the good news of Jesus Christ with those who will listen and take action (repent).

But, deep down we know that this is the price we pay for following the Hope of the World: Jesus, our Magnificent Savior and soon coming Redeemer, who warned us that the world would hate us as they hated Him.

Jesus knew the heart of man, but also understood that He had to go to the cross in order to provide a way to heaven for mankind where no other way was possible. The old blood sacrifices never removed sin, rather they pointed to Him again and again — the Lamb slain from the foundation of the earth — as being the perfect, acceptable sacrifice offered to Father God.

From Thursday onward, events unfolded quickly for our Lord beginning with the last supper with His disciples to His betrayal, beatings and death that Friday afternoon. Always in control, Jesus raised Himself from the dead (John 2:19) three days later (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) breaking the bonds of sin while rebuilding the bridge of fellowship between God and mankind.

I don’t know if everyone who reads WordJourney has made their peace with God, but if you haven’t done so yet then now is a perfect time to cry out to Him in recognition of your own sinfulness and need for a Savior. Our lives are brief and will soon be over with nothing that we can bring to God except our own surrender.

God has your best interests at heart and has proven that He’ll take extraordinary measures to save you, but only if you are willing to be rescued.

What will your decision be?

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