THE COSTLINESS OF GRACE
For Lent, our church is studying Twenty-four Hours that Changed the World by Adam Hamilton. We continue with Jesus, Barabbas and Pilate.
Mark 15:1-15
Go to this link to see a dramatization of the story, “Pushups for Donuts”,
done by heeminhyman for a seminary class:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOyzY5QvgaI
For the complete story, "Pushups for Donuts," go to http://www.commongroundchristiannews.com/july2006/pushups_for_donuts.htm
There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending a high school inUtah
Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."
Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" asked Brother Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."
Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."
First thing Friday morning, the members of the Sanhedrin marched Jesus to the Antonio Fortress adjacent to the temple. They brought Jesus before Pilate, the Roman procurator or governor, ofJudea . His job was to keep the peace and deal with
any threat against the Roman Empire .
Standing before Pilate, the High Priest argued that Jesus claimed to be a king and thus was guilty of treason and insurrection againstRome
Pilate, a man who had a reputation for being corrupt, violent, inflexible and harsh, was shrewd enough to discern that this man who stood before him was no threat to the Empire. It was clearly a matter that should be settled by the Sanhedrin, but the Jewish leaders refused, and insisted that Pilate take responsibility.
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts.
Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Brother Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?"
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten.
And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut.
Brother Christianson continued down the second aisle. Then he came to Scott.
Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. When Brother Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"
Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Brother Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Pilate didn’t want to condemn Jesus to death. As an act of good will, it was Pilate’s custom to pardon and release a condemned prisoner at the beginning of the Passover. Pilate decided to give the people a choice between Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Barabbas.
Barabbas was charged with murder and insurrection. He was a member of a terrorist group that murdered Roman soldiers and citizens, and Jews who were Roman collaborators. They advocated the overthrow of the Roman government and liberation ofJudea through a violent uprising.
How interesting that both of these men were named Jesus, which means “God saves” or “savior.” Jesus Barabbas chose not to trust in the promises of God but took matters into his own hands and promised his followers a kingdom founded death and bloodshed.
Jesus of Nazareth told Pilate that his was a kingdom not of this world. Jesus had been sent to humanity to usher in theKingdom
of God
Brother Christianson said to Scott, “Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. Brother Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Jenny said, "No."
Then Brother Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten; Jenny got a donut.
By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut.
There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Brother Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Brother Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dripping off his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.
Finally, Brother Christianson went to the last person, Susan, “Susan, would you like a donut?” With tears flowing down her face, she asked, "Brother Christianson, can I help him?"
If you read all the Gospels, you’ll find that Pilate tried five times to free Jesus. In the end, Pilate gave up and took the easy way out. He washed his hands of the matter, and gave in to the crowd. He went along to get along. How many of us have done the same thing. Maybe we even justified it, thinking, “Hey, this can’t really be that bad – everyone else is doing it.”
Brother Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"
As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my
spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died, even for those, who like some of you in this room, refused this costly gift.
Christ suffered and died for the high priests, for Pilate, for Barabbas, for the people in the crowd, and for all who have rejected God’s love and sinned.
Christ died for the glory of God’s gift of saving grace offered freely to us because God wants us to have it. It’s free, because Christ paid for it on the cross.
How will our lives honor the costliness of this gift of grace?
For the complete story, "Pushups for Donuts," go to http://www.commongroundchristiannews.com/july2006/pushups_for_donuts.htm
There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending a high school in
Steve's answer was, "Yeah, I do."
Then Brother Christianson asked, "How many push-ups can you do?"
Steve said, "I do about 200 every night."
"200? That's pretty good, Steve," Brother Christianson said. "Do you think you could do 300?"
Steve replied, "I don't know... I've never done 300 at a time."
"Do you think you could?" asked Brother Christianson.
"Well, I can try," said Steve.
"Can you do 300 in sets of 10? I need you to do 300 in sets of ten for this to work. Can you do it? I need you to tell me you can do it," Brother Christianson said.
Steve said, "Well... I think I can... yeah, I can do it."
Brother Christianson said, "Good! I need you to do this on Friday."
First thing Friday morning, the members of the Sanhedrin marched Jesus to the Antonio Fortress adjacent to the temple. They brought Jesus before Pilate, the Roman procurator or governor, of
Standing before Pilate, the High Priest argued that Jesus claimed to be a king and thus was guilty of treason and insurrection against
Pilate, a man who had a reputation for being corrupt, violent, inflexible and harsh, was shrewd enough to discern that this man who stood before him was no threat to the Empire. It was clearly a matter that should be settled by the Sanhedrin, but the Jewish leaders refused, and insisted that Pilate take responsibility.
Friday came and Steve got to class early and sat in the front of the room. When class started, Brother Christianson pulled out a big box of donuts.
Now these weren't the normal kinds of donuts, they were the extra fancy BIG kind, with cream centers and frosting swirls. Everyone was pretty excited-it was Friday, the last class of the day, and they were going to get an early start on the weekend.
Brother Christianson went to the first girl in the first row and asked, "Cynthia, do you want a donut?"
Cynthia said, "Yes."
Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten push-ups so that Cynthia can have a donut?"
Steve said, "Sure," and jumped down from his desk to do a quick ten.
And so it went, down the first aisle, Steve did ten pushups for every person before they got their donut.
Brother Christianson continued down the second aisle. Then he came to Scott.
Scott was captain of the football team and center of the basketball team. When Brother Christianson asked, "Scott do you want a donut?"
Scott's reply was, "Well, can I do my own pushups?"
Brother Christianson said, "No, Steve has to do them."
Then Scott said, "Well, I don't want one then."
Brother Christianson then turned to Steve and asked, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Scott can have a donut he doesn't want?"
Steve started to do ten pushups. Scott said, "HEY! I said I didn't want one!"
Pilate didn’t want to condemn Jesus to death. As an act of good will, it was Pilate’s custom to pardon and release a condemned prisoner at the beginning of the Passover. Pilate decided to give the people a choice between Jesus of Nazareth and Jesus Barabbas.
Barabbas was charged with murder and insurrection. He was a member of a terrorist group that murdered Roman soldiers and citizens, and Jews who were Roman collaborators. They advocated the overthrow of the Roman government and liberation of
How interesting that both of these men were named Jesus, which means “God saves” or “savior.” Jesus Barabbas chose not to trust in the promises of God but took matters into his own hands and promised his followers a kingdom founded death and bloodshed.
Jesus of Nazareth told Pilate that his was a kingdom not of this world. Jesus had been sent to humanity to usher in the
Brother Christianson said to Scott, “Just leave it on the desk if you don't want it." And he put a donut on Scott's desk.
Now by this time, Steve had begun to slow down a little. Brother Christianson asked Jenny, "Jenny, do you want a donut?"
Jenny said, "No."
Then Brother Christianson asked Steve, "Steve, would you do ten pushups so Jenny can have a donut that she doesn't want?" Steve did ten; Jenny got a donut.
When
the crowd gathered to make their yearly petition for the release of a prisoner,
Pilate asked, “Do you want me to free the King of the Jews to you?”
By
this time, the high priests had worked up the crowd, convincing them that they
should ask for the release of Barabbas.
Pilate responded, “So what do I do with this man you call king of the
Jews?”
“Crucify
him! Nail him to a cross! Crucify him!
Crucify him!”
The
people chose the ways of the world, of violence and power taken by the sword
instead of the gift of God’s love. Such
has it been since the very beginning when Adam and Eve brought sin into the
world. They chose their way instead of
obeying God. We, too, sin in the way of
Adam when we decide to follow our own selfish desires instead of God.
From
the beginning, God has told humanity that there is a consequence for sin. Justice demands a price, and that price is very
costly -- death and eternal separation from God. Sin must be atoned for, and under the old
covenant, that was done through bringing the first and the best, the most perfect
of animals and produce to be sacrificed to God when one sinned.
Truth is, no sacrifice people
ever brought was so perfect that it resulted in the transformation of human
hearts and salvation of our souls. So,
because God loves us beyond our understanding, God sent Christ, God in human
flesh, to become that sacrifice for our sins.
Christ paid the price for our selfishness and unloving ways.By now, the students were beginning to say "No" and there were all these uneaten donuts on the desks. Steve was having to really put forth a lot of effort to get these pushups done for each donut.
There began to be a small pool of sweat on the floor beneath his face, his arms and brow were beginning to get red because of the physical effort involved.
Brother Christianson went on to the next person and the next and the next. Near the end of that row, Steve was really having a rough time. He was taking a lot more time to complete each set.
Brother Christianson finished the fourth row, then started on those seated on the heaters. Steve's arms were now shaking with each pushup in a struggle to lift himself against the force of gravity. Sweat was dripping off his face and, by this time, there was not a dry eye in the room.
Finally, Brother Christianson went to the last person, Susan, “Susan, would you like a donut?” With tears flowing down her face, she asked, "Brother Christianson, can I help him?"
If you read all the Gospels, you’ll find that Pilate tried five times to free Jesus. In the end, Pilate gave up and took the easy way out. He washed his hands of the matter, and gave in to the crowd. He went along to get along. How many of us have done the same thing. Maybe we even justified it, thinking, “Hey, this can’t really be that bad – everyone else is doing it.”
Brother Christianson, with tears of his own, said, "No, he has to do it alone, Steve, would you do ten pushups so Susan can have a donut?"
As Steve very slowly finished his last pushup, with the understanding that he had accomplished all that was required of him, having done 350 pushups, his arms buckled beneath him and he fell to the floor.
Brother Christianson turned to the room and said. "And so it was, that our Savior, Jesus Christ, plead to the Father, "Into thy hands I commend my
spirit." With the understanding that He had done everything that was required of Him, he collapsed on the cross and died, even for those, who like some of you in this room, refused this costly gift.
Christ suffered and died for the high priests, for Pilate, for Barabbas, for the people in the crowd, and for all who have rejected God’s love and sinned.
Christ died for the glory of God’s gift of saving grace offered freely to us because God wants us to have it. It’s free, because Christ paid for it on the cross.
How will our lives honor the costliness of this gift of grace?
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