We Would Not Have......

 

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.(Matt. 23:29-30) There have been times in our lives upon hearing about an event that transpired or of reading about an event that took place, that we said to ourselves "If I would have been there, that would not have happened" or "I would have done this...." or "I would have done that....". Truth is that no one knows what they will do in any given situation until they are faced with that situation. Peter was put in this position, on the night of the last passover of Jesus, in that upper room, in Jerusalem, some two thousands years ago. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written:         "I will strike the Shepherd,         And the sheep will be scattered.' "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter said to him, "Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be." Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times." But he spoke more vehemently, "If I have to die with you, I will not deny you!" And they all said likewise. Peter did not live up to his words but denied Jesus three times, as was predicted. We like to think that if we were in Peter's place, that we would have acted differently. Carrying it even farther, if we would have been participants in the events of that time, we would not have "ran away" or been members of the chief priests and elders and scribes in Caiaphas's court yard, who "spat in his face". We would not have "struck him or slapped him." We would not have "ridiculed him or mocked him" We would not have "laughed as he was beaten" We would not have "Jammed a crown of thorns upon his head" We would not have "beat him with a reed" We would not have joined our voices to the crowds when they yelled "Crucify him, crucify him"

 

No, we would not have done any of those things......if we would have been there. We know it in our hearts. We know it in our minds. We know it in every fiber of our being. But Every time we sin, we Spit in the face of Jesus Every time we let filthy communication proceed out of our mouth, we Slap him in the face Every time we grudge, judge, or condemn one another, we Ridicule him Every time we are angry without righteous cause, we Mock him Every time we render evil for evil or railing for railing, curse and not bless, we Laugh at his beating Every time we Do not follow after whatsoever things that true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseful, we Jam the crown of thorns upon his head When ever we Do not love one another with a pure heart fervently, we Beat him with a reed When ever we Do not do good to all men as opportunity may allow, we stand with the crowd yelling "Crucify him, crucify him" Brothers and sisters, when ever temptation arises, and it will, if the fact that "the wages of sin is death" won't stop you from succumbing to it, remember, you'll be spitting in the face of Jesus.

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Nick Kneffler