Complicity

I was thinking about something I learned in a college sociology class.
It was something known as participant observation.
It is when the observer participates in ongoing activities and records their observations.
The observer is a “player” in the action.

I used to think it was like going undercover for a news story.
That was a simple explanation.
However, in my mind it enabled me to get my head around it.
The researcher would be able to get an “insider” viewpoint.

Such a viewpoint would be much richer than systematically observing something.
However, participant observation is not without its problems.
There is the problem of bias.
There is the problem of reactivity.

I thought about participant observation when I thought of Holy Week.
I tried to put myself in the setting for each day.
I imagined myself at the foot washing.
I imagined myself at the Last Supper.

I imagined that I heard Jesus pray in the upper room.
I imagined that I walked with Jesus to the garden.
I imagined that I saw Judas kiss Jesus and betray Him.
I imagined that I watched as Peter cut off the earlobe of the soldier.

I tired to imagine what each of the settings were like had I been there.
I saw how weak and fragile I was as I tried to understand all that Jesus said.
I was a participant observer during the most crucial point of history.
What would it have been like to have been there?

There is a painting that we have all seen.
It was painted by the master Dutch painter, Rembrandt.
The painting portrays the final moments before Jesus cross is raised.
Called, The Erection of the Cross, we see the soldiers and all the others who were there.

There is something striking about the painting.
There is a sort of spotlight on the figures in the center of the picture.
One of those figures is Jesus nailed on the cross, His face  in excruciating pain.
The other is a figure who does not seem to fit in the scene.

The other figure seems out of place.
His clothes do not match the era.
He wears an artist’s beret on his head.
His hands, though not completely visible, are helping to raise the cross.

Those that knew him, recognized the man in the painting.
They knew the face of the man in the green beret.
They were sure of the identity of the man in the strange clothes.
It was Rembrandt himself.

Rembrandt painted himself into the picture.
Rembrandt made himself one of the actors.
Rembrandt did not do this for self-promotion.
Rembrandt did this as an act of humble faith.

Rembrandt knew what we all need to remember.
We are all complicit in Jesus’ death.
Our sins nailed Him to that cross.
However, His love for us held Him there.

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means, The Place of the Skull). Then they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh, but He did not take it. And they crucified Him. Dividing up His clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was the third hour when they crucified Him. The written notice of the charge against Him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left. Those who passed by hurled insults at Him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save Yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked Him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save Himself! Let this Christ, this King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with Him also heaped insults on Him.
(Mark 15:21-32)

All those who hurled insults at Jesus could have easily painted themselves in the picture.
The two robbers on either side of Him, could have painted themselves in the picture.
The soldiers casting lots for His clothing could have painted themselves in as well.
There is room for you and there is room for me.

Get your brush.
Get ready to paint yourself into the scene.
Rembrandt understood.
We are all complicit in the crucifixion of Jesus.

We are all guilty.
There is no one righteous not even one, there is no one who understands.
No one who seeks God, all have turned away, they have together become worthless.
There is no one who does good, not even one. (Romans 3:11,12)

We are all complicit in the crucifixion of Jesus.
We are all part of the action.
We all can paint ourselves into the picture.
We are all responsible.

But then there is Sunday.
We have been Easter-ed.
The love that held Him on that cross raised Him from the dead.
The wrath of God was satisfied.

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. (Luke 24:12)

We all need to pick up the paintbrush.
We all have to paint ourselves at the foot of the cross as it is raised and set in the ground.
We all have to place ourselves in front of the empty tomb and look inside.
Like Peter, we must ask: What happened?

That is a question that must be answered.
Your eternal life depends on it.
Do you see yourself at the foot of the cross?
Can you see inside the empty tomb?

What happened?
Your eternal life depends on your answer.

2 responses to “Complicity”

1. Wonderful writing, Gina. I’ve also been reading about Jesus’ last week for the past few days, using 3 of Max Lucado’s books as well as the Bible. I think we want to remember that we want to live as Christians because we don’t want Jesus to have endured this in vain. We want His sacrifice to make us try to live as He would want us to and accept His sacrifice as the awesome gift it was.

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   • Sue,
     It is so important to ponder what Jesus accomplished through His death and Resurrection. Our faith rests on that. Our response to Jesus, as we come to Him in faith for our salvation, determines our eternal life. Have a Blessed Easter as you rejoice that our Savior is alive!
     Gina

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