Luke records Jesus’ post-resurrection appearance to the disciples (emphases mine):

Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.

Immediately after Jesus greeted them with shalom — peace — they exhibited the exact opposite.  Jesus went on to ask them why they doubted.  Being God, He knew the answer already; the question was really for their benefit.

Likewise, it is for our benefit when He has to ask us the same question.  Because sometimes we’re just as stupid as those guys were.  But our God is a patient God.  He doesn’t say, “Do I stutter?”, though He’d certainly be justified if He did.

Let us be thankful for His patience.  But let us also see what we can do about not trying it in the first place.

Tim Challies has a great post (what’s new?) about Stuart Townend’s hymn “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us.”  I love this hymn, and am tickled that it’s in heavy rotation whenever my church observes the Lord’s Supper.

Tim observes the recorded occasions in the Gospels when Jesus successfully evaded death at the hands of His enemies, as it wasn’t His appointed time yet.  An angry mob with rocks or people ready to push Him off a cliff did not suffice to murder Christ before His time.  In fact, no one could actually do it, in and of themselves.  Jesus said that He laid down His life and that no man could take it from Him.

And so it was, even with the cross.  Tim (rightly) comes to the conclusion that “it was not the nails that held Jesus to the cross.”  But, contrary to Townend’s lyric, it was not “my sin that held Him there”, either.  My sin has no more power over Jesus than the mob’s stones or the arms of those who sought to push Him off a cliff.

Now, I understand that Christ chose to die on the cross because of my sin.  And I understand the emphasis on my sin, particularly in a time when there seems to be no personal responsibility for one’s own actions.  But to say that my sin held Him on the cross swings the pendulum from “no responsibility” to “too much credit” (even if it’s “credit” for a bad thing).

It was not my sin that held him there.

It was His love that held him there.

Semantics?  No.  It’s the heart of the gospel.

WASHINGTON, DC — April 1, 2009 — In an announcement that stunned the nation, Barack Obama called a press conference today to state that he is stepping down as President of the United States. Effective immediately, Hugh Beaumont will assume the role. Mr Obama also said that Joe Biden is being replaced by Ozzie Nelson. Similar replacements are taking place throughout Congress, although it is reported that Nancy Pelosi has locked herself in her office.

Given their obvious recent distaste for trusting in God, Christians can now resume trusting in their government and the renewed inherent and absolute morality of their country.

In unrelated stories, Steven Spielberg was kicked out of his country club and Michael Jordan was lynched in North Carolina today.