Jesus' Defense

I find it both inspiring and sobering that during Jesus' entire trial, flogging, and execution only one person ever stood up for him.  Not the crowd, they deserted him.  The disciples fled during his arrest.  We all know Peter denied Jesus three times.  Pilate was too afraid of the mob to do something, Herod wanted a show, the Roman soldiers saw easy prey.  Even one of the two men crucified with Jesus mocked him (Lk 23:39).  But the one person who stood up for Jesus was the second man being crucified.  Lk 23:39-42:

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Here we have the God of the universe being falsely accused and executed, and only one person stands up for him.  Jesus died a rebel's death to atone for rebels like me.  Maybe this other guy was the one person who at that moment understood how much he needed a savior.

I would like to think I would stand up for Jesus in this sort of situation.  I have never been asked to lay down my physical life for my God.  Hopefully I would.  But self-preservation can be so tempting.  Granted at this point the bandit on the cross next to Jesus was being executed, but even then it would be easy to sink into anger or cynicism, to lash out like the other convict.  We see it is only the man who had all hope stripped from him stand up for Jesus.  It is fascinating how much clarity comes from brokenness (or an awareness of our brokenness).  Discomfort has a way of pushing us toward God or away from God.

May we not be too comfortable to take a stand for our faith, and maybe allow brokenness and discomfort to push us toward our loving God who suffered so much for us.