Betrayal is something that many can never get over.
As Jesus prayed in the garden for his suffering to be over, his friend Judas was orchestrating for his suffering to increase.
After Christ was arrested, the same people who shouted Hosanna before, we’re now shouting “Crucify him!”.
His own disciples, when asked if they were a friend or follower of Jesus, denied their connection to him out of fear.
Jesus was alone in captivity, alone is his torment, and the only ones calling him a King now were Roman soldiers as they portrayed him as a lunatic with a ragtag sceptre, and a painful crown…
He carried his cross to the place where he would die. He watched as nails were driven into his hands.
As he was lifted up, not on a throne, but on an execution device for criminals, he saw soldiers gambling over his clothes…he heard the mocking of the crowds…he heard the taunts of one of the other criminals on one side, and the confessions of another on the his other side.
Some saw him as a King of the World…some saw him as the scum of the earth.
On that day, the Jesus that rules over the Passionate Kingdom, died.
Before he died, he proclaimed, “IT IS FINISHED!”.
His life, ministry, and death ALL meant something for this world – every Christian will agree to this.
But what did it do that made the world quantitatively different?
Why do we still experience evil, torment, betrayal, and blood-thirsty crowds?
Jesus knew our pain, our sorrow…our hopeless and endless longing for something to change.
He knew the hurt from betrayal.
But He became a King at a Table amongst friends and a King on a cross amongst enemies.
And he died for both audiences.
But what was finished?
In this time of reflection upon the death of Christ, our questions linger inside of a sealed off tomb.
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Christ began the meal with an act of service. He washed the feet of his disciples (something usually done by those in lower classes, or servants). He even washed the feet of Judas Iscariot – the one whom he knew would go off to betray him.
When we break the bread, we are to remember that: His crushed body frees us from the slavery and bondage of our sin, the world, and the powers of evil.
They remembered the plagues that Moses called down from heaven. They remembered the blood of a lamb that had to be put on doorposts in order to save them from the justice of God that was coming for the people in power who kept refusing to release the people of God.
On the other end of the city, the most immediate source of that oppression marched in. Swords, spears, helmets, and shields were glistening in the sun as this ruler made his grand entry in a show of force and power to meet the possible threats of crime and uprising as these rebellious Hebrew people flocked to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.
Lamb Theology 