Public Spectacles and Peaceful Hearts

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together…For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross (Col. 1: 17, 20).
Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross (Col. 2: 15).

How much shame are you carrying?  What sorts of things add to the shame that lives within you?  You know – things like, “if they ever find out this about me…” or “why don’t I stick up for what is right when…” or “I’ve got to look like I’ve got it all together even though…”

Shame is universal:  each of us – professors, staff members, students – knows what shame tastes like.  Shame is also powerful, and it sucks grace right out of our lives.

So, ponder the connection between shame and the cross.

If you’ve heard so much about the cross that the word makes your eyes glaze over, remember this:  in the ancient Roman Empire, the authorities first made a public spectacle of offenders to shame them and then silenced them into the oblivion of the grave.  Thousands upon thousands died this way, never to be heard from again. 

Except for One.

The cross of Jesus did not silence him into oblivion, but rather became the throne from which he rules the entire universe.  On that cross, He made a public spectacle of all those powers and authorities, including that shame which so easily has power over us. 

How can a humiliating torture instrument become a triumphant throne?  The answer is actually quite simple:  divine purposes overrule human purposes.  Human authorities sought to shame Jesus on the way to the grave; he walked in perfect obedience to his Father, and so put those same authorities to shame.

He humbled himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross!  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil. 2: 8b-11)..

Our Lord chose to listen to his Father rather than the voices that sought to shame him.  He refused to give the shaming voices permission to touch Him. 

Whose voices are you listening to?  Try this one:  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16: 33). 

That voice wears the belt of Truth.  Give Him permission to fill you with his peace.