A World Full of Mockers

Just recently coming through the Easter season has left me thinking about something regarding the passion of Jesus and what he experienced during his final week.  Jesus was mocked from nearly everyone in some way, shape or form.  Mocking someone entails imitation of some sorts, however, it's imitation in a negative fashion.  Who mocked Jesus and how was he mocked?

He was mocked by the disciples.  At the last supper Peter, as well as the others, emphatically remarked that they would die with him if they had to (Mark 14:31).  Later that same night they all fled, leaving Jesus alone with his captors (Mark 14:50).  They mocked Jesus.  And let us not forget Peter's three denials of Jesus during the trial.

Jesus was mocked by the Sanhedrin.  They knew what he had done, many had seen the miracles and heard him teach openly.  However, they brought raised trumped-up charges against him during his trial (Mark 14:56ff.).  They further condemned him, spit on him and mocked him by hitting him and proclaiming, ""Prophesy!  Tell us who hit you" (Mark 14:63-65).

Pontius Pilate mocked Jesus, too.  Pilate knew Jesus was innocent.  Pilate knew the Jewish leaders were up to something.  He even tried to trade Jesus Barabbas for Jesus the Christ, but the attempt met with failure (Mark 15:6ff.).  Pilate mocked the Lord by giving in to the desire of the crowd against doing what was right (Mark 15:15).

Christ was mocked by Barabbas. Jesus Barabbas, the murdering insurrectionist, was set free while the Christ, Immanuel, God with us, was sentenced to death.  One was a taker of life while the other the true source of life (Mark 15:7).

The Roman soldiers mocked Jesus.  The place a purple robe upon him, placed a crown of thorns upon his head, and cried out to him in mocking fashion, "Hail, king of the Jews!" (Mark 15:16-20).  They again beat him, spit on him, and bowed mockingly before him, giving him homage.

He was mocked by those passing by the place where he hung on the cross.  As the people went by they shook their heads and spoke disparaging words to him.  The chief priest among the crowd further mocked him by saying, "He saved others but he can't save himself.  Let him come down from the cross so we may see and believe" (Mark 15:27-32). 

The Lord was mocked by the cross on which he hung.  Jesus died a death reserved for criminals and slaves.  It was a cursed death (Phil. 2:6-11) in the eyes of both the Romans and the Jews.  He was hung next to two criminals.  The innocent, pure and holy among the sin of the world.

What did Jesus do?  Nothing!  He remained silent—He took whatever they had to give him and he did that for the whole of creation!

We live in a world full of mockers.  It’s easy to point out those who are only too eager to speak out against Jesus Christ and his followers.  But it is not so easy for those who call Jesus “Lord” to stand up and be counted among the mockers of the world—but that, too, is what we are

How do we mock the cross the Christ?  We mock the cross of Christ whenever we…

-          …Continually sin and act like we are doing nothing wrong

-          …Think that we are better than others

-          …Confuse the kingdom of God with the flag of a nation

-          …Live for our own will and desire rather than for God’s will and desire

-          …Make gathering together with the Church (Christ’s Body) an optional thing

-          …Seek after the world more than we seek His kingdom

-          …When we look to our own needs over the needs of our neighbors

-          …Cry on when we think about the cross and empty tomb but then go out and live our lives as if nothing is different, as if nothing has changed, as if nothing significant ever happened

John the Baptist said to the Pharisees right before baptizing Jesus, “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matt. 3:7).  Our lives must change.  We must become more and more Christ-like.  We must allow God to transform us and work in us and through us.  The forgiveness of the Father through the Son is life-changing; life-transforming!

 Thankfully, the cross covers our mockery with the blood of Jesus—that’s part of the beauty of the cross.  Jesus said the following according to Luke 23:34, “Father forgive for they do not know what they are doing.”

 If I'm honest, I must admit that I'm a mocker.  However, that not the final word.  That's not the final piece of the puzzle.  Jesus took all the mockery and nailed it to the cross with him! 

Let us then seek first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matt. 6:33) and seek to be consistent disciples who are fully reliant upon him and reflect his light in this world.  Thankfully he's not finished with any of us just yet (1 Thess. 5:23-24).