Jesus, my man.
Today, I choose to celebrate a man.
He could have been born as a king, heir to the throne of Rome, and then probably turned around to stab his predecessors in the back and save Israel and all of mankind.
I know we’ve heard the story of Christ over and over again, but today I want to go over the story of a man named Jesus.
Jesus the little boy, who lived in a little town (probably in Ajegunle), whose parents didn’t have enough money to bribe the manager for a room in the motel so that Mary could deliver him.
He had so many younger siblings and he grew up without really being a child (ever felt like that as the first child?)
Jesus, the carpenter. Why not the managing director of Dangote? Or the school teacher? Carpenter! I can imagine Mummy Lolade shouting, ‘Jesu! E maa bami fix aga mi!’
Jesus, who died the most humiliating death. He died for a Barabbas that he probably never crossed path with all his life.
I choose to remember him as the one who vindicated me though I was legally justified to be stoned to death. He did not look away to hide his disgust but he looked down to see my face clearly. His mouth said, ‘Go! Sin no more’ but his eyes said, ‘I recognize you’ I should have ran away naked but not before he gave me his suit jacket, Gucci and expensive.
Today, I’m not giving a standing ovation but I’m kneeling beside you, who hurt because all you’ve ever known is failure, disappointment and betrayal. He understands. It may seem contradictory and wrong but I know he must have felt lonely on that wooden cross, pain biting through his members, disappointed at how his friends fled at the site of evil, betrayed when his friend sold him out for nothing. It may seem like your darkest hours but you are not alone.
I’m not clapping for him but I’m holding your hands. You, who thinks that you can never make it in life. Everything you’ve been through was put in place to make sure you fail. He became poor so that you may be rich, wealthy with wisdom and not just bad experiences, in good thoughts not nightmares. Your tears of sorrow today are someone else’s river of joy tomorrow.
I’m not shouting for him but I quietly tell you who feel you can never be forgiven that you have been forgiven. I may not have done more horrible things but that man of Galilee had ALL of his blood drained on the cross. I doubt there was a single drop remaining. Blood that has atoned for the blood you drew when you committed that hideous sin even with your eyes wide open. I pray that you’ll understand the depth of his love for you.
Today will come and go but his love will never fail nor fade away.
Today, I honor a priest who was bruised with the feelings of our infirmities yet did not fall.
I worship the king who is a kind father, the prince who is a precious friend and the Counselor who is a caring lover.
