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MOÙN QUAØ THÖÔÏNG ÑEÁ BAN CHO BAÏN
Thaäp Töï Giaù. Baïn coù theå nhìn quanh baát cöù phöông höôùng naøo maø khoâng thaáy moät thaäp giaù? Choùt voùt treân ñænh moät thaùnh ñöôøng. Taïc khaéc trong moät bia moä. Chaïm troå vaøo moät chieác nhaãn, hay luûng laúng döôùi moät daây chuyeàn. Thaäp giaù laø moät bieåu hieäu phoå thoâng Cöùu theá giaùo. Moät löïa choïn laï luøng, Baïn coù nghó theá chaêng? Laï luøng vì moät duïng cuï haønh hình coù theå trôû thaønh tieâu bieåu cho moät traøo löu hy voïng. Nhöõng bieåu hieäu cuûa caùc nieàm tin khaùc thì laïc quan hôn: ngoâi sao coù saùu goùc nhoïn cuûa Jerusalem, maët traêng löôõi lieàm cuûa Islam, moät hoa sen nôû cuûa Phaät giaùo. Nhöng, moät thaäp giaù cho Cöùu theá giaùo! Moät duïng cuï töû hình!
Baïn coù muoán ñeo moät caùi gheá ñieän nhoû quanh coå Baïn chaêng? Hay treo treân töôøng moät daây thaét coå maï vaøng? Baïn coù muoán in hình moät ñoäi xöû baén treân taám danh thieáp? Vaäy maø chuùng ta laøm theá vôùi thaäp giaù. Thaäm chí, nhieàu ngöôøi laøm daáu hieäu thaäp giaù khi hoï caàu nguyeän. Chuùng ta coù muoán laøm daáu hieäu… nhö… moät maùy cheùm? hay moät nhaùt chaët karateâ treân loøng baøn tay, thay vì laøm daáu tam giaùc treân traùn vaø hai beân vai? Caùch ñoù khoâng mang laïi cho chuùng ta cuøng moät caûm giaùc, phaûi khoâng?
Taïi sao thaäp gía tieâu bieåu cho nieàm tin cuûa chuùng ta? Ñeå
traû lôøi, khoâng caàn tìm ñaâu xa hôn chính thaäp giaù. Khoâng gì ñôn sô hôn kieåu hình thaäp töï. Moät caây ñaø ngang, caây kia thaúng ñöùng. Moät caây dang ra nhö tình yeâu cuûa Thöôïng Ñeá. Caây kia vöôn leân nhö söï thaùnh thieän cuûa Ngaøi. Moät caây töôïng tröng chieàu roäng tình yeâu cuûa Ngaøi, caây kia phaûn aûnh beà cao thaùnh thieän cuûa Ngaøi. Thaäp giaù laø ngoû gaëp nhau cuûa Tình yeâu vaø Thaùnh thieän. Thaäp giaù laø nôi Thöôïng Ñeá tha thöù con caùi Ngaøi maø khoâng haï giaûm tieâu chuaån Ngaøi.
Sao Ngaøi coù theå laøm ñieàu naày? Toùm goïn moät caâu: Thöôïng Ñeá chaát toäi loãi chuùng ta treân Con Ngaøi vaø tröøng phaït toäi loãi treân ñoù.
"Thöôïng Ñeá ñaët nhöõng sai traùi treân Con Ngaøi laø Ñaáng khoâng heà laøm ñieàu sai traùi, haàu cho chuùng ta coù theå ñöôïc xöng coâng chính cuøng Thöôïng Ñeá" (II Cor. 5:21 - MSG).
Hoaëc, trong moät baûn dòch khaùc: "Ñaáng Christ chaúng heà phaïm toäi! Song Thöôïng Ñeá ñaõi Ngaøi nhö moät toäi nhaân, haàu cho Ñaáng Christ coù theå giuùp chuùng ta ñöôïc Thöôïng Ñeá chaáp nhaän" (II Cor. 5:21 - CEV).
Haõy töôûng töôïng giaây phuùt. Thöôïng Ñeá treân ngoâi Ngaøi. Coøn Baïn ôû döôùi ñaát. Vaø giöõa Baïn vaø Thöôïng Ñeá, lô löûng giöõa Baïn vaø thieân giôùi, Ñaáng Christ bò treo treân thaäp giaù Ngaøi. Nhöõng toäi loãi cuûa Baïn ñaõ ñöôïc chaát treân Chuùa Jesus. Thöôïng Ñeá, Ñaáng tröøng phaït toäi loãi, truùt côn thònh noä coâng chính cuûa Ngaøi treân nhöõng sai laàm cuûa Baïn, Chuùa Jesus nhaän chòu côn thònh noä ñoù. Bôûi Ñaáng Christ bò treo giöõa Baïn vaø Thöôïng Ñeá, coøn Baïn thì khoâng. Toäi loãi bò tröøng phaït, song Baïn ñöôïc an toaøn, an toaøn trong boùng che cuûa thaäp giaù.
Ñaây laø ñieàu Thöôïng Ñeá ñaõ laøm, nhöng taïi sao, taïi sao Ngaøi muoán laøm nhö vaäy? Traùch nhieäm ñaïo ñöùc? Moùn nôï thieân thöôïng? Ñieàu kieän trong tình phuï töû? Thöa khoâng, Thöôïng Ñeá khoâng bò ñoøi hoûi phaûi laøm gì caû.
Hôn nöõa, haõy chuù yù vieäc Ngaøi ñaõ laøm. Ngaøi ban chính Con Ngaøi. Ngöôøi Con duy nhaát cuûa Ngaøi. Baïn coù muoán laøm theá khoâng? Baïn coù theå hieán maïng soáng con Baïn cho moät ngöôøi khaùc chaêng? Toâi thì khoâng. Toâi coù theå hieán maïng soáng toâi cho moät soá ngöôøi. Song thöû ñoøi hoûi toâi laøm moät danh saùch nhöõng ngöôøi maø toâi coù theå gieát con gaùi toâi vì ho. Tôø giaáy seõ troáng khoâng. Toâi khoâng caàn moät caây buùt chì. Danh saùch seõ khoâng coù teân naøo caû.
Nhöng danh saùch cuûa Thöôïng Ñeá goàm coù teân cuûa moïi ngöôøi ñaõ töøng soáng. Bôûi ñaây laø tieâu ñieåm tình yeâu cuûa Ngaøi. Vaø ñaây laø lyù do cuûa thaäp giaù. Ngaøi yeâu thöông theá gian.
"Vì Thöôïng Ñeá quaù yeâu theá gian ñeán ñoä Ngaøi ban Con duy nhaát cuûa Ngaøi …" (John 3:16 - NLT)
Caây ñaø thaäp giaù baøy toû tình yeâu cuûa Thöôïng Ñeá vöõng chaéc nhö caây ñaø truï coát thaùnh thieän cuûa Ngaøi. OÂi, tình yeâu cuûa Ngaøi dang ra roäng lôùn döôøng bao.
Phaûi chaêng Baïn khoâng vui vì caâu Kinh Thaùnh khoâng noùi raèng: "Vì Thöôïng Ñeá quaù yeâu nhöõng keû giaøu…?" Hoaëc "Vì Thöôïng Ñeá quaù yeâu nhöõng ngöôøi danh tieáng…?" Hoaëc "Vì Thöôïng Ñeá quaù yeâu nhöõng ngöôøi oám yeáu…?"
Khoâng phaûi theá. Maø cuõng khoâng noùi raèng: "Vì Thöôïng Ñeá quaù yeâu nhöõng ngöôøi AÂu chaâu hay Phi chaâu…" "…ngöôøi ñöùng ñaén hay ngöôøi thaønh coâng…" "…ngöôøi treû hay ngöôøi giaø…"
Thöa khoâng. Khi chuùng ta ñoïc John 3:16, chuùng ta ñôn sô (vaø vui möøng) ñoïc raèng: "Vì Thöôïng Ñeá quaù yeâu theá gian…"
Tình yeâu cuûa Thöôïng Ñeá roäng lôùn theá naøo? Ñuû roäng cho caû theá gian. Baïn coù ñöôïc keå trong theá gian chaêng? Vaäy Baïn ñöôïc keå trong tình yeâu cuûa Thöôïng Ñeá.
Thaät toát ñeïp khi ñöôïc keå vaøo. Baïn khoâng bò loaïi tröø. Caùc tröôøng ñaïi hoïc loaïi tröø Baïn neáu Baïn khoâng ñuû thoâng minh. Caùc doanh nghieäp loaïi tröø Baïn neáu Baïn khoâng ñuû ñieàu kieän, vaø buoàn thay, moät soá hoäi thaùnh loaïi tröø Baïn neáu Baïn khoâng ñuû toát.
Nhöng duø hoï coù theå loaïi tröø Baïn, Ñaáng Christ keå Baïn vaøo. Khi ñöôïc hoûi phaûi moâ taû chieàu roäng tình yeâu cuûa Ngaøi, thì Ngaøi dang moät tay veà beân phaûi vaø tay kia veà beân traùi, roài ñeå chuùng bò ñoùng ñinh taïi vò trí ñoù, haàu cho Baïn coù theå bieát raèng Ngaøi ñaõ cheát vì yeâu thöông Baïn.
ÑIEÀU GÌ ÑAÕ GIÖÕ CHUÙA JESUS TREÂN THAÄP GÍA?
- NHÖÕNG CAÂY ÑINH VOÂ HÌNH!
Chuùa Jesus laøm vieäc suoát ñôøi Ngaøi. Nhöng vieäc laøm
naøo cuûa Ngaøi lôùn nhaát? Ngaøi ñaõ laø moät lao coâng, moät thôï moäc. Ngaøi ñaõ laøm vieäc trong xöôûng moäc cuûa Joseph. Baøn tay Ngaøi coù nhöõng daáu chai. Ngaøi bieát theá naøo laø laøm vieäc nhieàu giôø, theá naøo laø meät nhoïc, vaø theá naøo laø moøn moõi. Ñoù laø moät trong nhöõng lyù do taïi sao Chuùa Jesus coù theå noùi: "Heát thaûy nhöõng ai lao löïc vaø naëng gaùnh, haõy ñeán cuøng Ta, thì Ta seõ cho caùc ngöôi an nghæ." (Mat. 11:28)
Nhöng vieäc lôùn nhaát Chuùa Jesus ñaõ laøm khoâng phaûi ôû trong xöôûng moäc. Vieäc lôùn nhaát cuûa Ngaøi khoâng phaûi khi Ngaøi khieán cho keû muø ñöôïc saùng, ngöôøi ñieác ñöôïc nghe, ngöôøi caâm ñöôïc noùi, hay keû cheát ñöôïc soáng laïi. Vieäc lôùn nhaát cuûa Ngaøi khoâng phaûi khi Ngaøi giaûng daïy nhö moät Ñaáng uy quyeàn, hay khi Ngaøi caùo giaùc nhöõng ngöôøi Pharisees giaû hình. Vieäc lôùn nhaát cuûa Ngaøi khoâng ôû trong caùc chöông trình ñaïo ñöùc maø Ngaøi ban cho nhaân loaïi.
Vaäy, vieäc laøm lôùn nhaát cuûa Ngaøi laø gì?
Vieäc laøm lôùn nhaát cuûa Ngaøi ñaõ hoaøn thaønh chæ trong ba giôø taêm toái treân Ñoài Soï khi Ngaøi chòu cheát vì toäi loãi chuùng ta. Treân Ñoài Soï, Chuùa Jesus ñi vaøo moät moät lao khoå khoâng ngöôøi naøo khaùc trong khaép vuõ truï bieát ñöôïc. Ngaøi ñaõ coù theå böôùc xuoáng thaäp giaù - nhöõng caây ñinh caùc teân lính ñaõ ñoùng khoâng theå giöõ Ngaøi treân ñoù - nhöng trong ngaøy aáy coù ba caây ñinh voâ hình khieán Ngaøi phaûi töï treo mình treân thaäp giaù.
Caây ñinh voâ hình thöù nhaát ñaõ giöõ Chuùa Jesus treân thaäp giaù laø caây ñinh TÌNH YEÂU.
Tröôùc khi Chuùa Jesus ñeán theá gian, ngöôøi ta khoâng bieát
thöù tình yeâu Ngaøi ñaõ coù. Keû toâi moïi haän thuø chuû nhaân, ngöôøi noâ leä haän thuø keû cai trò, caùc saéc toäc thuø gheùt laãn nhau - göôm giaùo dieät keû thuø khua daäy aùt tieáng nghieán raêng ñau ñôùn.
Vaø trong khoái keát tuï cuûa haän thuø, cay ñaéng, baát dung, coá chaáp, Thöôïng Ñeá cho pheùp Con Ngaøi ñöôïc haï sanh. Nhöng, keû haän thuø vaãn ñuoåi theo Ñaáng Christ. Luùc Chuùa Jesus ra ñôøi, Herod ñaày thuø haän, truyeàn moät chieáu chæ phaûi tieâu dieät heát thaûy nhöõng beù trai, töø sô sanh ñeán hai tuoåi. Nhöõng ngöôøi Pharisees thuø haän Chuùa Jesus vì chaân lyù Phuùc aâm cuûa Ngaøi ñaõ ñem söï giaû hình cuûa hoï ra aùnh saùng. Caùc Thöôïng teá thuø haän Chuùa Jesus vì lo sôï loøng aùi moä cuûa caùc ñaùm ñoâng ñoái vôùi Ngaøi seõ loâi keùo daân chuùng ra khoûi Ñeàn Thôø vaø caùc tuïc leä toân giaùo laäp qui cuûa hoï.
Khoâng giao ñoäng vì nhöõng thaønh kieán ñöông thôøi, vaø cuøng vôùi Ñoài Soï -ï muïc tieâu kieân quyeát vaø toái haäu cuûa Ngaøi, Chuùa Jesus tuyeân boá: "Vì ñieåm cuoái naày maø Ta ñöôïc sanh, bôûi nguyeân nhaân ñoù maø Ta ñi vaøo traàn theá" (John 18:37).
Theá gian chöa heà thaáy moät söï baøy toû tình yeâu voâ vò kyû nhö ñöôïc baøy toû treân Ñoài Soï. Vì chöa heà thaáy töø tröôùc, neân theá gian khoâng coù khaû naêng hieåu ñöôïc ñieàu naày.
Ñoù laø "caây ñinh Tình Yeâu" ñaõ giöõ Chuùa Jesus treân thaäp giaù.
Toâi coù nghe veà moät ngöôøi ñaïo ñöùc hôn nhöõng ngöôøi khaùc. Nguôøi naày coù moät em trai sanh ñoâi ñaõ phaïm moät toäi hình gôùm ghíeâc, tai haïi xaõ hoäi neân bò giam, vaø bôûi toäi hình ñoù anh phaûi traû giaù baèng caû sanh maïng.
Ngöôøi anh ñònh yù cöùu em mình vì ngöôøi em ñoâng con, OÂng ñeán traïi tuø vôùi moät keá hoaïch cöùu ngöôøi em khoûi cheát do baûn aùn töû hình. OÂng ñöôïc pheùp vaøo thaêm ngöôøi em moät mình trong xaø lim.
OÂng noùi: "Chuùng ta phaûi haønh ñoäng nhanh. Trong vaøi phuùt, hai ngöôøi trao ñoåi laãn nhau quaàn aùo vaø vò trí. Ngöôøi em mang aùn, caûi trang thaønh ngöôøi anh voâ toäi, töï do ra khoûi nhaø tuø, vaø ngöôøi anh voâ toäi chòu cheát thay cho ngöôøi em phaïm toäi.
Vaø Chuùa Jesus, mang toäi phaïm cuûa chuùng ta, ñi leân thaäp giaù ñeå xoùa saïch chuùng ta khoûi moïi caùo giaùc vaø vi phaïm. Tình yeâu voâ vò kyû ñoù phaûi ñöôïc ñaùp öùng baèng taám loøng bieát ôn thaâm saâu vaø naèm trong söï vaâng phuïc Ñaáng Cöùu ñoä. Ñieàu naày khieán chuùng ta phaûi soáng cho Ñaáng ñaõ cheát vì chuùng ta.
Caây ñinh voâ hình thöù hai ñaõ giöõ Chuùa Jesus treân thaäp giaù
laø caây ñinh TRUNG THAØNH.
Chuùa Jesus ñaõ soáng trong boùng che cuûa thaäp giaù. Luùc thieáu nieân, Ngaøi ñaõ noùi veà nghieäp vuï cuûa Ñaáng Thieân Phuï vaø haøm yù veà coâng vieäc hy sinh cuûa Ngaøi treân thaäp giaù. Lôøi phaùt ngoân cuûa Ngaøi ñaày nhöõng hình boùng veà söï cheát cuûa Ngaøi treân thaäp giaù. Toaøn theå muïc vuï cuûa Ngaøi höôùng veà Ñoài Soï vaø laøm troïn muïc tieâu thieâng lieâng ñaõ ñònh cho cuoäc ñôøi Ngaøi. Chuùa Jesus phaùn: "Nhö Moses ñaõ treo con raén trong nôi hoang daõ, Con Ngöôøi phaûi bò treo leân nhö theá." (John 3:14)
Loøng trung thaønh cuûa Chuùa Jesus ñoái vôùi muïc tieâu maø Thöôïng Ñeá ñaõ ñònh cho cuoäc ñôøi Ngaøi vaø söï kieän Ngaøi chaáp nhaän thaäp giaù chöùng minh Ngaøi xöùng ñaùng laøm göông cho chuùng ta, song nhöõng ñoùm saùng trung thaønh trong thôøi ñaïi naày döôøng nhö môø daàn.
Chuùng ta phaûi ñöôïc phaán höng veà söï trung thaønh Cöùu theá giaùo trong loøng chuùng ta:
Chuùng ta caàn moät söï trung thaønh môùi ñoái vôùi Ñaáng Christ. Ñoù laø moät söï trung thaønh baèng haønh ñoäng, khoâng baèng nhöõng lôøi noùi suoâng; moät söï trung thaønh, baèng baát cöù giaù naøo, khieán chuùng ta coù theå soáng cheát vì Ñaáng Christ, vì Lôøi Ngaøi, vì Phuùc aâm Ngaøi.
Chuùng ta caàn moät söï trung thaønh môùi ñoái vôùi nhöõng quyeát tín ñaïo ñöùc cuûa chuùng ta. Xöù sôû chuùng ta ñang bò hö hoaïi vì söï baát trung cuûa chuùng ta ñoái vôùi nhöõng lyù töôûng ñöôïc ban töø Thöôïng Ñeá. Ñieàu naày ñaåy chuùng ta vaøo tình traïngï khaùnh taän ñaïo ñöùc, vaø chuùng ta maát ñi naêng löïc ñaïo ñöùc ñeå choáng traû.
Chuùa Jesus phaùn: "Baát cöù ngöôøi naøo muoán theo Ta, haõy töø boû chính mình, vaø mang thaäp giaù mình maø theo Ta" (Mat. 16:24). Neáu chuùng ta muoán nhaän laõnh con ñöôøng söï soáng cuûa Ñaáng Christ, con ñöôøng thaäp giaù, thì chuùng ta caàn phaûi chaáp nhaän con
ñöôøng söï cheát cuûa Ngaøi. Neáu chuùng ta muoán soáng nhö Chuùa Jesus ñaõ soáng, thì chuùng ta caàn phaûi cheát nhö Chuùa Jesus ñaõ cheát.
Baèng moät bieåu döông toái thöôïng veà söï trung thaønh ñoái vôùi thaùnh yù cuûa Thöôïng Ñeá, Chuùa Jesus ñaõ chòu cheát taïi Ñoài Soï. Loøng trung thaønh cuûa Ngaøi phaûi caûm hoùa chuùng ta ñeå chuùng ta coù theå trung thaønh vôùi thaäp giaù vaø "mang laáy thaäp giaù" cuûa chuùng ta maø theo Ngaøi.
AÁy laø "caây ñinh trung thaønh" ñaõ giöõ Chuùa Jesus treân thaäp giaù.
3. Caây ñinh voâ hình thöù ba ñaõ giöõ Chuùa Jesus treân thaäp giaù laø
caây ñinh TOÄI LOÃI.
Tieân tri Isaiah, hôn moïi tieân tri khaùc, döôøng nhö ñaõ hieåu ñöôïc muïc vuï hy sinh cuûa Ñaáng Christ: "Ngaøi ñaõ mang nhöõng ñau ñôùn cuûa chuùng ta, vaø gaùnh nhöõng lo buoàn cuûa chuùng ta: vaäy maø chuùng ta nghó raèng Ngaøi ñaõ bò Thöôïng Ñeá ñaùnh ñaäp, haønh haï vaø laøm cho khoán khoå. Nhöng Ngaøi ñaõ bò toån thöông vì nhöõng quaù phaïm cuûa chuùng ta, Ngaøi ñaõ bò baàm daäp vì nhöõng gian aùc cuûa chuùng ta: Ngaøi phaûi chòu tröøng phaït ñeå chuùng ta ñöôïc bình an, vaø Ngaøi phaûi mang nhöõng laèn roi ñeå chuùng ta ñöôïc laønh beänh" (Isaiah 53:4-5).
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Neáu khoâng coù toäi loãi trong theá gian, thì ñaõ khoâng caàn thaäp giaù. Nhöng toäi loãi ñaõ ñi vaøo suoái maùu cuûa loaøi ngöôøi! Vaø caây thaäp töï goå treân ñoù Chuùa Jesus Christ ñaõ chòu cheát laø moät bieåu töôïng caùc muïc tieâu choáng nghòch cuûa con ngöôøi ñoái vôùi Thöôïng Ñeá, vaø chính bôûi söï hieän höõu cuûa toäi loãi naày, muïc tieâu choáng nghòch naày ñoái vôùi thaùnh yù cuûa Thöôïng Ñeá, neân Chuùa Jesus chòu cheát.
AÁy laø "caây ñinh toäi loãi" ñaõ giöõ Chuùa Jesus treân thaäp giaù.
Nguyeân lyù cuûa söï hy sinh thay theá ñöôïc ñan deät vaøo troïn maûnh vaûi cuoäc ñôøi. Ngöôøi maïnh hy sinh cho keû yeáu, ngöôøi toát cho keû xaáu, ngöôøi voâ toäi cho keû phaïm toäi. Cha meï chòu khoå cho con caùi, binh só lieàu mình cho quoác gia. Ngöôøi naøo hy sinh nhieàu nhaát, laø goùp phaàn nhieàu nhaát.
Khoâng phaûi chæ coù toäi loãi cuûa thieân haï ñaõ giöõ Chuùa Jesus treân thaäp giaù - maø laø toäi loãi cuûa Baïn vaø toâi. Neáu toäi loãi chuùng ta khoâng traùch nhieäm veà Ñoài Soï, thì Ñoài Soï khoâng traùch nhieäm cho toäi loãi chuùng ta. Thöôïng Ñeá bieát loøng daï cuûa heát thaûy moïi ngöôøi, vaø bieát raèng hoï gian aùc, neân ban Con Ngaøi ñeå chòu cheát cho taát caû: nhöõng ngöôøi ñang soáng vaø nhöõng treû chöa ñöôïc sanh.
Ñoài Soï laø nôi quyeát ñònh. Ñoù laø nôi phaân reõ vónh cöõu,
phaân reõ con ngöôøi thaønh hai haïng: nhöõng ngöôøi ñöôïc cöùu vaø nhöõng ngöôøi laïc maát. OÂm laáy chaân lyù thaäp giaù thì ñöôïc cöùu. Töø choái leõ thaät ñoù thì laïc maát.
Ngaøy nay, thaäp giaù vaãn phuû boùng che khaép theá gian, vaø tieáng keâu gaøo "Treo haén treân thaäp giaù," vaãn tieàm aån trong nhöõng keû muoán treo Ngaøi treân thaäp giaù thay vì nghinh tieáp Ngaøi nhö ø moät vò Vua.
Vieäc laøm lôùn nhaát cuûa Ñaáng Christ laø Ngaøi chòu cheát vì chuùng ta vaø Ngaøi soáng laïi ñaéc thaéng treân söï cheát. Muïc tieâu cuûa Ngaøi laø ñeå cheát, ñeå tuoân huyeát Ngaøi thay theá cho Baïn vaø toâi. Chuùng ta phaûi chaáp nhaän caùi cheát cuûa Ñaáng Christ nhö moät ñieàu kieän thay theá cho chuùng ta. Khoâng moät phöông caùch cöùu ñoä naøo khaùc.
Tröôùc khi chuùng ta coù theå ñaéc thaéng treân toäi loãi, tröôùc khi löông taâm chuùng ta coù theå laéng dòu, tröôùc khi chuùng ta coù theå thoaùt khoûi phaïm toäi, tröôùc khi chuùng ta coù theå baét ñaàu trôû laïi söï soáng, chuùng ta phaûi, nhôø ñöùc tin, chaáp nhaän söï kieän lôùn lao naày veà söï cheát vaø söï soáng laïi cuûa Ñöùc Chuùa Jesus Christ.
Khoâng ai ñöôïc leân thieân ñaøng maø khoâng, nhôø ñöùc tin, tieáp nhaän Ñaáng Christ nhö Ñaáng Cöùu ñoä caù nhaân mình. Kinh Thaùnh daïy roõ raøng: neáu chuùng ta muoán ñöôïc leân thieân ñaøng, caù nhaân chuùng ta phaûi, nhôø ñöùc tin, tieáp nhaän Ñaáng Christ Jesus.
Phuùc aâm Ñaáng Christ coøn hieäu löïc. Chaân lyù Ngaøi khoâng thay ñoåi. Ngaøi coù theå giaûi quyeát caùc vaán ñeà chuùng ta, caát ñi nhöõng gaùnh naëng chuùng ta, xoa dòu taám loøng chuùng ta. Chuùng ta coù theå kinh nghieäm "söï bình an vöôït quaù moïi hieåu bieát" baèng caùch ñeå Ñaáng Christ ñi vaøo loøng chuùng ta. Nhôø ñöùc tin nôi vieäc laøm cuûa Ngaøi chuoäc toäi treân thaäp giaù nôi Ñoài Soï, Baïn coù theå ñöôïc röûa saïch moïi toäi loãi, vaø moät ngaøy kia Baïn seõ ñöùng thaùnh khieát tröôùc Thöôïng ñeá toaøn löïc.
GIAÂY PHUÙT DIEÄU KYØ
VINH QUANG TRONG BÌNH THÖÔØNG
Coù moät chöõ moâ taû caûnh ñeâm Ngaøi ñaõ ñeán - "bình thöôøng."
Baàu trôøi bình thöôøng. Ngoïn gioù luøa lay ñoäng nhöõng chieác laù vaø öôùp laïnh khoâng gian. Muoân vaøn ngoâi sao kim cöông laáp laùnh treân taám nhung ñen. Töøng ñôït maây löõng lôø qua maët nguyeät.
Moät ñeâm tuyeät ñeïp - moät ñeâm ñaùng cho Baïn heù cöûa soå phoøng nguû ñeå ngaém nhìn - thaät ra khoâng phaûi moät ñeâm baát thöôøng. Khoâng lyù do gì ñeå chôø ñôïi söï baát ngôø. Khoâng ñieàu naøo giöõ moät ngöôøi tónh giaác. Moät ñeâm bình thöôøng vôùi moät baàu trôøi bình thöôøng.
Baày chieân cuõng bình thöôøng. Moät soá maäp. Moät soá oám. Moät soá vôùi buïng to nhö thuøng röôïu. Moät soá vôùi ñoâi chaân khaúng khiu. Nhöõng con thuù bình thöôøng. Khoâng boä loâng chieân baèng vaøng. Khoâng moät nhaø laøm söû. Khoâng ngöôøi thaéng giaûi baêng xanh. Chuùng ñôn sô laø nhöõng con tröøu - loá nhoá, nhöõng boùng ñen ñang nguû treân söôøn ñoài.
Vaø nhöõng muïc ñoàng. Chuùngï laø daân queâ. Coù theå maëc taát caû nhöõng aùo quaàn hoï coù. Xoâng muøi gioáng nhö chieân vaø troâng chuùngï nhö loâng chieân. Chuùng taän tuïy, muoán qua ñeâm cuøng baày chieân mình. Nhöng Baïn seõ khoâng tìm ñöôïc caây tröôïng cuûa chuùng trong moät vieän baûo taøng hoaëc vaên phaåm cuûa chuùngï trong moät thö vieän. Khoâng ai hoûi quan ñieåm cuûa chuùng veà coâng lyù xaõ hoäi hay aùp duïng Kinh Torah. Chuùng voâ danh vaø moäc maïc.
Moät ñeâm bình thöôøng vôùi nhöõng con chieân bình thöôøng cuøng nhöõng muïc ñoàng bình thöôøng. Vaø neáu chuùng khoâng ñöôïc duøng bôûi moät Thöôïng Ñeá laø Ñaáng yeâu thích theâm moät "phuï troäi" vaøo caùi bình thöôøng, thì ñeâm ñoù coù theå ñaõ qua ñi khoâng ai chuù yù. Nhöõng con chieân coù theå ñaõ bò laõng queân, vaø caùc muïc ñoàng coù theå ñaõ nguû vuøi suoát ñeâm.
Song Thöôïng Ñeá ñaõ khieâu vuõ giöõa ñaùm bình daân. Vaø ñeâm ñoù Ngaøi thaät ñaõ bieåu dieãn moät vuõ ñieäu waltz.
Baàu trôøi ñen böøng daäy röïc rôõ. Taøng caây laø nhöõng boùng toái baây giôø nhaûy vaøo aùnh saùng. Nhöõng con chieân töøng im laëng nay thaønh hôïp ca hieáu kyø. Moät phuùt gaõ muïc ñoàng nguû say nhö cheát, phuùt sau duïi maét ñaêm nhìn ngöôøi khaùch laï.
Ñeâm ñoù khoâng coøn bình thöôøng.
Thieân söù ñeán trong ñeâm, bôûi khi ñoù aùnh saùng ñöôïc thaáy roõ raøng nhaát, vaø khi ñoù aùnh saùng caàn thieát nhaát. Thöôïng Ñeá ñi vaøo ñaùm bình daân bôûi nguyeân nhaân naày.
Caùc duïng cuï maïnh meõ nhaát cuûa Ngaøi laø nhöõng duïng cuï ñôn sô nhaát.
TÖØ CHA THIEÂN THÖÔÏNG ÑEÁN CHA TRAÀN THEÁ
"Thöa Chuùa, ñaây khoâng laø phöông caùch con ñaõ ñònh. Khoâng phaûi vaäy. Con cuûa con ñöôïc sanh trong moät chuoàng thuù sao? Ñaây khoâng laø phöông caùch con nghó seõ nhö vaäy. Moät caùi hang vôùi chieân vaø löøa, rôm vôùi raï? Vôï con sanh nôû, chæ coù nhöõng ngoâi sao nghe ñöôïc tieáng keâu ñau cuûa naøng?
Con khoâng heà nghó nhöõng ñieàu ñoù. Thöa khoâng. Con hình dung ñeán gia ñình. Con hình dung caùc cuï baø noäi ngoaïi. Con hình dung nhöõng ngöôøi haøng xoùm tuï taäp ngoaøi cöûa vaø baïn beø ñöùng beân caïnh con. Con hình dung caên nhaø böøng daäy tieáng khoùc ñaàu tieân cuûa ñöùa beù. Nhöõng tieáng voã nheï treân löng. Tieáng cöôøi roän raõ. Lieân hoan.
Ñoù laø caùch con nghó söï vieäc seõ nhö vaäy.
Baø muï seõ trao ñöùa beù cho con vaø moïi ngöôøi cuøng hoan hoâ. Mary seõ nghæ ngôi vaø chuùng con seõ lieân hoan. Heát thaûy Nazareth seõ lieân hoan.
Nhöng baây giôø. Baây giôø haõy xem. Nazareth caùch xa naêm ngaøy ñöôøng. Vaø chuùng con trong moät... ñoàng coû ñaày chieân. Ai seõ lieân hoan vôùi chuùng con? Nhöõng con chieân? Nhöõng muïc ñoàng? Caùc vì sao?
Vieäc naày xem nhö khoâng phaûi. Con laø moät ngöôøi choàng loaïi naøo? Con khoâng tìm ñöôïc moät baø muï ñeå giuùp vôï con. Khoâng moät caùi giöôøng cho naøng töïa löng. Goái ñaàu naøng laø taám loùt löng löøa. Nhaø cho naøng laø moät caùi choøi rôm raï.
Muøi tanh hoâi khoù thôû, nhöõng con thuù oàn aøo. Taïi sao, chính con cuõng xoâng muøi nhö moät gaõ chaên chieân.
Phaûi chaêng con ñaõ sô soùt ñieàu gì, thöa Chuùa?
Khi Ngaøi sai thieân söù vaø noùi veà moät con trai ñöôïc sanh ra - ñaây khoâng laø ñieàu con phaùt hoïa. Con hình dung Jerusalem, ñeàn thôø, caùc tu só, vaø daân chuùng tuï taäp chôø xem. Coù theå moät leã hoäi. Moät dieãn haønh. Ít nhaát moät yeán tieäc. Con muoán noùi, ñaây laø Ñaáng Giaûi Cöùu!
Hoaëc, neáu khoâng ñöôïc sanh taïi Jerusalem, coøn Nazareth thì sao? Nazareth khoâng toát hôn chaêng? Ít nhaát taïi ñoù con coù moät ngoâi nhaø vaø ngheà nghieäp cuûa con. Coøn ôû ñaây, con coù gì? Moät con löøa moûi meät, moät boù cuûi khoâ, vaø moät bình nöôùc aám. Ñaây khoâng laø phöông caùch con muoán ñöôïc vaäy! Ñaây khoâng laø phöông caùch con muoán cho con cuûa con.
OÀ, con laïi nhaàm laãn. Con laïi sai laàm, phaûi khoâng, thöa Chuùa? Con khoâng muoán laøm theá; ñoù chæ laø ñieàu con queân. Ñöùa beù khoâng laø con cuûa con... maø laø Con Ngaøi.
Ñöùa beù laø Con Ngaøi. Chöông trình laø cuûa Ngaøi. YÙ kieán laø cuûa Ngaøi. Xin tha loãi cho con vì caâu hoûi, nhöng... phaûi chaêng ñaây laø phöông caùch Thöôïng Ñeá ñi vaøo theá gian? Söï ñeán cuûa thieân söù, con ñaõ tieáp nhaän. Nhöõng caâu hoûi ngöôøi ta neâu ra veà söï mang thai, con coù theå dung thöù. Chuyeán veà Bethlehem, cuõng ñöôïc. Nhöng taïi sao sanh ra trong moät chuoàng thuù, thöa Chuùa?
Baây giôø, Mary seõ sanh nôû baát cöù giaây phuùt naøo. Khoâng phaûi sanh ra moät ñöùa con, song moät Ñaáng Giaûi Cöùu. Khoâng phaûi moät haøi nhi, song moät Thöôïng Ñeá. Ñoù laø ñieàu thieân söù ñaõ tuyeân baùo. Ñoù laø ñieàu Mary ñaõ tin. Vaø, laïy Thöôïng Ñeá, Thöông Ñeá cuûa con, ñoù laø ñieàu con muoán tin. Nhöng chaéc haún Ngaøi coù theå hieåu cho con; khoâng phaûi deã tin. Xem nhö thaät... thaät... thaät... laï kyøï.
Con khoâng quen ñieàu kyø laï nhö vaäy, thöa Chuùa. Con laø moät thôï moäc. Con taïo nhöõng vaät khít khao. Con goït nhöõng goùc caïnh vuoâng vaén. Con theo ñöôøng thaúng cuûa daây treo hoøn chì. Con ño hai laàn tröôùc khi caét moät löôïc. Moät ngöôøi xaây döïng khoâng coù söï ngaïc nhieân. Con thích ñöôïc bieát hoïa ñoà. Con thích ñöôïc thaáy hoïa ñoà tröôùc khi con khôûi söï.
Nhöng laàn naày, con khoâng laø ngöôøi xaây döïng, phaûi khoâng? Laàn naày con laø moät duïng cuï. Moät caùi buùa trong naém tay Ngaøi. Moät caây ñinh giöõa caùc ngoùn tay Ngaøi. Moät caùi ñuïc trong baøn tay Ngaøi. Ñoà aùn naày laø cuûa Ngaøi, khoâng phaûi con.
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GOD'S GIFT FOR YOU
The Cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Perched atop a chapel. Carved into a graveyard headstone. Engraved into a ring or suspended on a chain. The cross is the universal symbol of Christianity. An odd choice, don't you think? Strange that a tool of torture would come to embody a movement of hope. The symbols of other faiths are more upbeat: the six-pointed star of Jerusalem, the crescent moon of Islam, a lotus blossom for Buddhism. Yet a cross for Christianity? An instrument of execution?
Would you wear a tiny electric chair around your neck? Suspend a gold-plated hangman's noose on the wall? Would you print a picture of a firing squad on a business card? Yet we do so with the cross. Many even make the sign of the cross as they pray. Would we make the sign of, say, a guillotine? Instead of the triangular touch on the forehead and shoulders, how about a karate chop on the palm? Doesn't quite have the same feel, does it?
Why is the cross the symbol of our faith? To find the answer, look no further than the cross itself. Its design couldn't be simpler. One beam horizontal, the other vertical. One reaches out like God's love. The other reaches up as does God's holiness. One represents the width of his love, the other reflects the height of his holiness. The cross is the intersection of both. The cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standard.
How could he do this? In a sentence: God put our sin on his Son and punished it there.
"God put on him the wrong who never did anything wrong, so we could be put right with God" (II Corinthians 5:21, MSG).
Or as another version reads, "Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God" (II Corinthians 5:21, CEV).
Envision the moment. God on his throne. You on the earth. And between you and God, suspended between you and heaven, is Christ on his cross. Your sins have been placed on Jesus. God, who punishes sin, releases his rightful wrath on your mistakes. Jesus receives the blow. Since Christ is between you and God, you don't. The sin is punished, but you are safe, safe in the shadow of the cross.
This is what God did, but why, why would he do it? Moral duty? Heavenly obligation? Paternal requirement? No. God is required to do nothing.
Besides, consider what he did. He gave his Son. His only Son. Would you do that? Would you offer the life of your child for someone else? I wouldn't. There are those for whom I would give my life. But ask me to make a list of those for whom I would kill my daughter. The sheet will be blank. I don't need a pencil. The list has no names.
But God's list contains the name of every person who ever lived. For this is the scope of his love. And this is the reason for the cross. He loves the world.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…" (John 3:16, NLT).
As boldly as the center beam proclaims God's holiness, the crossbeam declares his love. And, oh, how wide his love reaches.
Aren't you glad the verse does not read: "For God so loved the rich…?" Or, "For God so loved the famous…?" Or, "For God so loved the thin…?"
It doesn't. Nor does it state, "For God so loved the Europeans or Africans…" "…the sober or successful…" "…the young or the old…"
No, when we read John 3:16, we simply (and happily) read, "For God so loved the world..."
How wide is God's love? Wide enough for the whole world. Are you included in the world? Then you are included in God's love.
It's nice to be included. You aren't always. Universities exclude you if you aren't smart enough. Businesses exclude you if you aren't qualified enough, and sadly, some churches exclude you if you aren't good enough.
But though they may exclude you, Christ includes you. When asked to describe the width of his love, he stretched one hand to the right and the other to the left and had them nailed in that position so you would know; he died loving you.
(Excerpt from "He Did This For You" by Max Lucado)
WHAT KEPT JESUS ON THE CROSS?
- INVISIBLE NAILS!
Jesus worked all of His life. But what was His greatest work? He was a laborer, a carpenter. He worked in Joseph's carpenter shop. He had calluses on His hands. He knew what it meant to work long hours, to be tired and weary. That is one of the reasons why Jesus could say, "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." (Mat. 11:28)
But the greatest work that Jesus did was not in the carpenter's shop. His greatest work was not when He made the blind to see or the deaf to hear or the dumb to speak or the dead to rise. His greatest work was not when He taught as One having authority or when He denounced the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. His greatest work was not in the ethical programs that He presented to mankind.
What, then, was His greatest work?
His greatest work was accomplished in just three dark hours on Calvary when He died for our sins. On Calvary Jesus entered a labor that no other person in all the universe ever has known. Jesus could have come down from the cross - the nails driven in by soldiers could not hold Him on the cross - but that day there were three invisible nails that caused Him to stay on the cross.
1. The first invisible nail that kept Jesus on the cross was the
nail of LOVE.
Prior to Jesus' coming into the world, people had not known the kind of love that Jesus has. Slaves hated masters, subjects hated rulers, races hated each other-the noise of gnashing teeth was exceeded only by the sound of clashing swords raised to destroy the hated enemy.
And in the midst of this conglomerate mass of hatred, bitterness, intolerance and bigotry, God allowed His Son to be born. But hatred pursued Christ. At Jesus' birth, Herod, full of hatred, sent out a decree that all male babies, from newborn to two years old, were to be destroyed. The Pharisees hated Jesus because the truth of His Gospel brought their hypocrisy to light. The high priests hated Jesus because His popularity with the multitudes threatened to lure people from the Temple and the established religious rituals.
Unperturbed by these existing prejudices, and with Calvary His ultimate and determined goal, Jesus declared, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world." (John 18:37).
The world never had seen such a manifestation of selfless love as was demonstrated upon Calvary. Having not seen it before, the world had no ability to comprehend it.
It was the nail of love that held Jesus Christ to the cross.
I heard of a man who stood morally above other people. But the man had a twin brother who committed a vicious crime against society and was sentenced to prison where he was to pay with his life for that crime.
The man, intent on saving his brother, who was the father of several children, went to the prison with a plan to save his condemned brother from death. The man was granted permission to visit his brother alone in his cell.
"We must work fast," the man said. In a few minutes the men had exchanged clothes and places with each other. The condemned brother, under the guise of the guiltless brother, walked out of that prison a free man, and the innocent brother died in place of the guilty brother.
And Jesus, carrying our sin-guilt, went to the cross to absolve us from all condemnation and guilt. Such unselfish love should inspire deep gratitude tinged with submissiveness to the Savior. It should prompt us to live for the One who died for us.
2. The second invisible nail that kept Jesus on the cross was
the nail of LOYALTY.
Jesus lived in the shadow of the cross. As a boy, He spoke of His Father's business and referred to His sacrificial work on the cross. His utterances were filled with allusions to His death on the cross. His entire ministry pointed to Golgotha and the fulfillment of the divine purpose for His life. Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up." (John 3:14)
Jesus' loyalty to God's purpose for His life and His acceptance of the cross qualify Him to be our example, but these days it seems that the embers of loyalty burn low.
We need to experience a revival of Christian loyalty in our hearts:
We need a new loyalty to Christ. It is a loyalty of action, not of mere words; it is a loyalty that will enable us, regardless of the cost, to take our stand for Christ, for His Word, for His Gospel.
We need a new loyalty to our moral convictions. Our nations are being undermined by our disloyalty to our God-given ideals. It is leading us to moral bankruptcy, and we lack the moral strength to resist.
Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me" (Mat. 16:24). If we would adopt Jesus' way of life, the way of the cross, then we need to be willing to accept His way of death.
INVISIBLE NAILS. (continued from page 8)
If we would live as Jesus lived, then we need to be willing to die as Jesus died.
In a supreme demonstration of loyalty to God's will, Jesus died at Golgotha. His loyalty should inspire us to be loyal to the cross and "take up (our) cross" and follow Him.
It was the nail of loyalty that held Jesus to the cross.
The third invisible nail that kept Jesus on the cross was the
nail of SIN.
The Prophet Isaiah, probably more than any other prophet, seemed to comprehend the sacrificial ministry of Christ: "He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:4-
Had there been no sin in the world, there would have been no need for the cross. But sin did enter the bloodstream of mankind! And the wooden cross upon which Jesus Christ died was a physical symbol of man's cross-purposes with God, and it was because of the existence of this sin, this cross-purpose with the will of God, that Jesus died.
It was the nail of sin that held Jesus to the cross.
The principle of vicarious sacrifice is woven into the whole fabric of life. The strong sacrifices for the weak, the good for the bad, the innocent for the guilty. The parent suffers for the offspring, the soldier for the country. He who sacrifices the most, contributes the most.
It not only was universal sin that held Jesus to the cross -it was your sin and my sin. If our sins are not responsible for Calvary, then Calvary has no responsibility for our sins. God, knowing the hearts of all people, and knowing that they were evil, offered His Son to die for all people: those living and those yet unborn.
Calvary is the place of decision. It is the eternal divider, it separates people into two classes, the saved and the lost. Embrace the truth of the cross and be saved. Reject it and be lost.
Today the cross still casts its shadow across the world, and the cry, "Crucify him," still lurks in those who would crucify Him rather than own Him as King.
Christ's greatest work was His dying for us and His rising victorious over death. His purpose was to die, to shed His blood as a substitute in your place and in my place. We must accept Christ's death as our substitute. There is no other way of salvation.
Before we can get victory over sin, before our consciences can be quieted, before we can be rid of our guilt, before we can start life afresh, we must by faith accept this great fact of the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
No person will be in heaven who has not by fait received Christ as personal Savior. The clear teaching of Scripture is that if we are to get to heaven, we must by faith personally receive Jesus Christ.
Christ's Gospel is still effective. His truth remains unchanged. He can solve our problems, lift our burdens, quiet our hearts. We can know the "peace that passes all understanding" by letting Christ come into our hearts. By faith in His atoning work on the cross of Calvary, you can be washed clean from every sin and someday you will stand pure before almighty God.
(A Message from Dr BILLY GRAHAM)
ONE INCREDIBLE MOMENT
THE GLORY IN THE ORDINARY
There is one word that describes the night He came - ordinary.
The sky was ordinary. An occasional gust stirred the leaves and chilled the air. The stars were diamonds sparkling on black velvet. Fleets of clouds floated in front of the moon.
It was a beautiful night - a night worth peeking out your bedroom window to admire - but not really an unusual one. No reason to expect a surprise. Nothing to keep a person awake. An ordinary night with an ordinary sky.
The sheep were ordinary. Some fat. Some scrawny. Some with barrel bellies. Some with twig legs. Common animals. No fleece made of gold. No history makers. No blue-ribbon winners. They were simply sheep - lumpy, sleeping silhouettes on a hillside.
And the shepherds. Peasants they were. Probably wearing all the clothes they owned. Smelling like sheep and looking just as woolly. They were conscientious, willing to spend the night with their flocks. But you won't find their staffs in a museum nor their writings in a library. No one asked their opinion on social justice or the application of the Torah. They were nameless and simple.
An ordinary night with ordinary sheep and ordinary shepherds. And were it not for a God who loves to hook an "extra" on the front of the ordinary, the night would have gone unnoticed. The sheep would have been forgotten, and the shepherds would have slept the night away.
But God dances amidst the common. And that night he did a waltz.
The black sky exploded with brightness. Trees that had been shadows jumped into clarity. Sheep that had been silent became a chorus of curiosity. One minute the shepherd was dead asleep, the next he was rubbing his eyes and staring into the face of an alien.
The night was ordinary no more.
The angel came in the night because that is when lights are best seen and that is when they are most needed. God comes into the common for the same reason.
His most powerful tools are the simplest.
FROM ONE FATHER TO ANOTHER
This isn't the way I planned it, God. Not at all. My child being born in a stable? This isn't the way I thought it would be. A cave with sheep and donkeys, hay and straw? My wife giving birth with only the stars to hear her pain?
This isn't at all what I imagined. No, I imagined family. I imagined grandmothers. I imagined neighbors clustered outside the door and friends standing at my side. I imagined the house erupting with the first cry of the infant. Slaps on the back. Loud laughter. Jubilation.
That's how I thought it would be.
The midwife would hand me my child and all the people would applaud. Mary would rest and we would celebrate. All of Nazareth would celebrate.
But now. Now look. Nazareth is five days' journey away. And here we are in a . . . in a sheep pasture. Who will celebrate with us? The sheep? The shepherds? The stars?
This doesn't seem right. What kind of husband am I? I provide no midwife to aid my wife. No bed to rest her back. Her pillow is a blanket from my donkey. My house for her is a shed of hay and straw.
The smell is bad, the animals are loud. Why, I even smell like a shepherd myself.
Did I miss something? Did I, God?
When you sent the angel and spoke of the son being born - this isn't what I pictured. I envisioned Jerusalem, the temple, the priests, and the people gathered to watch. A pageant perhaps. A parade. A banquet at least. I mean, this is the Messiah!
Or, if not born in Jerusalem, how about Nazareth? Wouldn't Nazareth have been better? At least there I have my house and my business. Out here, what do I have? A weary mule, a stack of firewood, and a pot of warm water. This is not the way I wanted it to be! This is not the way I wanted my son.
Oh my, I did it again. I did it again didn't I, Father? I don't mean to do that; it's just that I forget. He's not my son . . . He's Yours.
The Child is Yours. The plan is Yours. The idea is yours. And forgive me for asking but . . . is this how God enters the world? The coming of the angel, I've accepted. The questions people asked about the pregnancy, I can tolerate. The trip to Bethlehem, fine. But why a birth in a stable, God?
Any minute now Mary will give birth. Not to a child, but the Messiah. Not to an infant, but to God. That's what the angel said. That's what Mary believes. And, God, my God, that's what I want to believe. But surely you can understand; it's not easy. It seems so . . . so . . . so . . . bizarre.
I'm unaccustomed to such strangeness, God. I'm a carpenter. I make things fit. I square off the edges. I follow the plumb line. I measure twice before I cut once. Surprises are not the friend of a builder. I like to know the plan. I like to see the plan before I begin.
But this time I'm not the builder, am I? This time I'm a tool. A hammer in your grip. A nail between your fingers. A chisel in your hands. This project is yours, not mine.
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