It is written!
At a friend's funeral a few weeks ago I was asked to say something. This friend and I had different points and understanding on a few issues but he was still a good friend. We loved to debate and it was not hard or difficult to say something at his funeral. He was a man of conviction and stood for what he believed. At the funeral I was reminded of a poem that Linda Ellis wrote called “The dash.” You can see it on her page. It basically talks about life between your birth date and the date you die. I respected my friend’s convictions and as I was sitting listening to all the people talking about his life, this scripture was brought to my memory.
John 19:18-22 Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, what I have written I have written.
We have all said things we wish we never said. We have all done things we wish we never did. There are things I wish I could undo or even redo to make it better. We all will never be able to go back in time and fix the wrongs. We can’t even go back and change the good. What a blessing and a frustration.
Living in the present and doing it better after making mistakes is some consolation. At least we have learned from our mistakes. Knowing that we have tomorrow to do it better is rewarding, but what about the past? Your life is not over yet and your inscription is not finalized. How will you change the current way you live to have a testimony in the future?
What will be written over you when you are at your last few breaths? What will be the testimony or the accusation that will be against or for you? What will sum up your life? Jesus was the man that did more good than any man alive. He healed the sick, opened the blind eyes, and raised the dead. He fed the multitudes and opened the deaf ears and yet He was rejected. What else could He have done that would make them like him?
The very thing that Pilate wrote above Jesus’ head was not a summary of His life. He never intended to prove that Jesus was the king of the Jews. When the Jews requested that he change the inscription they were offended that Pilate would identify him as their king. In their eyes He said He was a king, but to them He was not a king. Pilate wrote it as an accusation and to joke with the Jews about their king. This was to prove to them that He was no king but only someone they accused of breaking the law. Pilate didn’t know Jesus well enough to even write it with certainty.
People who don’t know you that well will have things to say about you one day. Most of it will be hearsay. Some of it will be what they saw and experienced. Your friends will have something to say one day. Their account and opinion may be vastly different than those that didn’t know you. The question remains.
If you had to write something about yourself at the end of your life, what would it be? The only thing written that will be real and true will be the one you will write for yourself. It doesn’t matter what others say or think! What will you say?
If Jesus had to write His own inscription, it would be “………..” If you had to write it for Him, it would be “………..” You can fill in the blanks because He is something to you. What do you see when you look at that cross? Is He still the son of man or is He the resurrected Christ? Is He your slave or is He your King? Is He somewhere in the sweet by and by or is He a very present help in time of need? Is He your savior or is He just a crutch? What is written is written. How does what you will write compare to what He will write about Himself? What would He write if He had to write about you?
Think about what I am trying to say. It is not complicated. His blood deals with our sin and our past. Surrender to Him and your inscription will change!
Sinner to saint!
Orphan to son!
Unforgiven to forgiven!
Slave to free!
Old man to new man!
Lost to redeemed!
Unrighteous to His righteousness!