Killing a King

C.S. Lewis: "Our natural experiences are like pencilled lines on flat paper. If our natural experiences vanish in the risen life, they will vanish only as pencil lines vanish from the real landscape; not as a candle flame that is put out but as a candle flame which becomes invisible because someone has pulled up the blind, thrown open the shutters, and let in the blaze of the risen sun."

 From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, "If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar." Jn 19.12

But they shouted, "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!"
"Shall I crucify your king?" Pilate asked. 
"We shall have no king but Caesar," the chief priests answered. Jn 19.15


Our lives are but a glimmer, a glimpse of what real life would be, and I suspect, will be. There is a book series I enjoy that is similar to the Narnia series in that a second world can be visited. And in this world, our look-alikes are called glimpses. The world is also saddened and broken, but is incredibly remade at the end of the series. 
While the quote of C.S. Lewis does not exactly fit with the verses I shared from tonight's Bible reading...I was struck dumb by them and must share them. 
The quote makes me think how insignificant, in the great scheme of things, my world currently is. All that is truly important is my King, and the world He will provide for me (and you) when the time is right...when the rooms and places are ready, the last person who would be saved before the appointed time is saved (as I have thought)...then we will be gathered up in a great procession, the greatest bridal procession ever imagined. The lines of sorrow on the flat paper of our lives will be suddenly minimized as the world explodes with light, glory and wonder...our bodies changed (I always wonder if we have better senses then, or if we are super strong...) never to age nor weaken. No sorrow, and all of our tears wiped away by the most loving of Kings who ever lived, live or would live. 

I read the crucifixion story with horrified excitement. Pilate especially fascinates me, as he tried numerous times to escape this situation, and to release Jesus. I often have wondered how he handled the things that happened at crucifixion. The sudden darkness, tearing of the temple curtains, etc.  
I think too, how interesting it is about the "king" discussions which the verses show examples of. It is mentioned in the 19th chapter of John that Pilate was "even more afraid". I do think that he felt this was no normal situation, and no normal man.
In the Old Testament, if you recall, the Israelites began to demand a human king; up to that point God Himself had been their (or our, if you consider we are "adopted" Jews) King. They wanted to be like all the other people who had human kings. Ok. He allowed and chose a king to lead the people. At times this was a good thing, and at times disaster. 
Now, here is a king, a King in human form, who would, is and will be the most perfect King who could be. He is even of the line of David. Yet the Jews demand His death, and pick instead a king who did not even believe in God.
All of this had to happen. Because it happened, I have a King today. I have a King who listens to my heart-felt cries in the middle of the night. I have a King who is compassionate and slow to anger. I have a King who died the most horrible death that death will ever see so that I and He might be one.

 "I have made you known to them and I will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them." Jn 17.26