He Was Despised

April 07, 2023

From today’s reading…

Like a sapling he grew up before him, like a root in arid ground. He had no form or charm to attract us, no beauty to win our hearts; he was despised, the lowest of men, a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering, one from whom, as it were, we averted our gaze, despised, for whom we had no regard.” Isaiah 53:2-3

There are two types of gaze aversion.

  1. “I don’t want to see something happening that is tragic, i.e., an avalanche destroys a village.”

  2. “I don’t want to see something horrible that is about to happen because I am weak, lazy, and too self-centered to get involved, but I justify my non-action because it’s not my business and the person about to get attacked probably did something to deserve it, and I can’t risk my family getting dragged into it, and, besides, there are more of them than me and the victim, so what’s the use? We’d both end up injured or dead, so I’ll just keep on keeping’ on.”

No one—not even Peter—spoke up for Jesus, just as Isaiah predicted seven centuries before today happened.

“Well, Wes, of course he didn’t. He was outnumbered. He would’ve been cut down in the courtyard or crucified with Jesus. It would’ve been futile for him to speak up. It would’ve been suicide.”

You’re right.

But was Peter alone? He had 10 other loyal apostles with him.

Jesus chose 72 in Luke 10.

In Matthew 15, He fed 4,000 men. Jesus healed dozens that we know of, but likely thousands.

Where’d they all go?

Ah, yes.

Everyone is waiting for someone to do something. Anyone can, but nobody does.

This past weekend I saw this confessional prose by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller in a new light.

It was at the “Auschwitz. Not Long Ago. Not Far Away.” exhibition at the Reagan Library. It says, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”

The evil one is still coming for you.

He came for Jesus and lost, but not without a mighty price being paid.

Jesus showed us how to speak out for the socialists and the trade unionists and the Jews and the lost and the hungry and the thirsty and the imprisoned.

All He asks of you is to look up to Him, lifted high upon the cross.

Do not avert your gaze, which is the only way to…

Stay the course.Keep the faith.Endure.

Market like you mean it. Now go sell something.