the rest of the story

Friday April 18^th, Matthew 27: ^-After they had finished nailing him to the cross and were waiting for him to die, they whiled away the time by throwing dice for his clothes. Above his head they had posted the criminal charge against him: THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Along with him, they also crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left. People passing along the road jeered, shaking their heads in mock lament: "You bragged that you could tear down the Temple and then rebuild it in three days--so show us your stuff! Save yourself! If you're really God's Son, come down from that cross!"  This was meant to be the ultimate insult, the king of the Jews, hanging there on the cross dying a slow and agonizing death.  It was meant as the insult to the marginalized and controlled people in the occupied lands by the powers who are laughing.  The real joke is that it does not go far enough.  Instead of king of the Jews, Jesus was at that moment was not only King of the Jews, but King of all creation, including those who would both laugh and mourn at his passing.  Those who are laughing, mocking, jeering as well as you and I, are all recipients of God’s love in spite of the laughing, mocking and jeering.  This is the message; Christ died for you, and did not stay on the cross or in the tomb.  The rest of the story is next week.