in one prophetic saying his being lifted up on the cross and his elevation to glory.
“I will draw all people to myself” means he will not coerce with outward force but draw them with the gentle yet world-vanquishing might of his sacrificial love that bears all things and suffers all things. He will not terrify them with threats and punishments, but win them through wakening a free inner conviction, through kindling a holy love for him.
In this way Christ draws Jews and Greeks – all peoples and all nations who allow themselves to be drawn – out of the bonds of earth to himself on the cross. His love overcomes their natural opposition, enduring, atoning, and forgiving. In his suffering he becomes the most beautiful man in the eyes of all repentant sinners. At the foot of his cross the old heart dies; at the foot of his cross a new heart is born. Thus he drew the criminal to himself. “To myself,” says the Lord – not to any kind of dogma, not to a law, but to himself, to his most holy person.
He draws them into his discipleship, into his school of the cross, into a God-fearing attitude of mind, and so makes them living members of his church on earth. Finally he draws his own, through death, out of the prison of the body, out of this earth’s vale of tears, up to the perfect life and love of his heavenly kingdom. There they will experience the meaning of the divine prophecy: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you to myself” (Jer. 31:3).
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Wednesday Morning
Judas’s Bargain
Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver him over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray him.
Matthew 26:14–16
IS IT TRUE that each Christian has a price for which he would sell his Savior? Unfortunately it is only too true in the case of all who are not willing to break with sin. It is true for those whose Christianity only serves to satisfy their earthly desires, or who imagine they are able to combine it with serving the world. We see what this must lead to in the shattering example of Judas.
The closer his relationship with the Lord, the more powerfully did he feel himself compelled to make a quick decision between complete dedication and hostile desertion. Since he did not want to tear his deeply rooted love of self and of the world out of his heart, he was dragged into the camp of the enemy. For the miserable price of a slave, for thirty silver pieces, the once enthusiastic disciple sold his Master! To be sure, the paltry silver pieces were not the real object of his action. Above all he sought to rid himself of this master, who by his constant demand for a complete change of heart and life had become ever more unbearable to him. He sought to acquire a reputation in the eyes of the leaders of his nation and so reach once more a comfortable position in life. Incidentally, his avaricious nature was not averse to making a small profit while doing so. While considering these thoughts, his better self rose up once more against them. Once more a terrible struggle was fought in his breast, but with the sad result that his conscience was finally crushed. Then he went and concluded the hellish agreement.
But the king of heaven and earth, in whose light and love the transfigured earth will one day celebrate its eternal Sabbath, was valued at the paltry price of a slave. What humiliation and outrage he had to endure! He emptied himself and took the form of a servant, and was obedient unto death. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. He atoned for our pride and suffered our humiliation. Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace (Isa. 53:4–5).
But for those of his disciples who thank him from their hearts, who willingly empty themselves of self with him, who break completely with their sin and take upon themselves the form of a servant in devotion to their Master – in short, those who truly believe in him and love him above everything – for them there is no Judas-price in any world for which they might forsake and betray their Savior. History bears witness to this in the joyful death of countless martyrs, who were able to say to their Lord and Master with the psalmist: “Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 73:25–26).
How do you stand, my soul, with regard to your sins and to the selling price? Examine yourself carefully. Whoever loves his life will lose it, but whoever loses it for Christ’s sake will keep it (John 12:25).
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Wednesday Evening
The Fig Tree
In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, “May no fruit ever come from you again!” And the fig tree withered at once. When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither at once?” And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.”
Matthew 21:18–22
AFTER THE LORD had made his entry into Jerusalem, cleansed the temple, spoken powerful words to the people, and healed the blind and the lame (conscious all the time of the wrath of his enemies), he returned in the evening to peaceful Bethany. The next morning he returned to the royal city. His soul was filled with sorrowful thoughts as he walked with his disciples through the fig grove of Bethphage, and the pinnacles of the lost city rose again before his eyes. Most of the crowd who had hailed him on Palm Sunday were pilgrims coming to the festival; the citizens of Jerusalem itself were mostly hostile to the Lord, under the influence of their stubborn leaders.
Now, as he was hungry, he looked for fruit on a fig tree. Finding no fruit upon it but only leaves, he immediately caused it to wither with his word of authority. That was a symbolic action, by means of which he wanted to teach his disciples a profound lesson. The cursed fig tree was a picture of the terrible fate that would befall his people, the city of Jerusalem, which had been planted in God’s garden. Since this people, in spite of God’s kindness and patience, and in spite of outward religious services and sacrifices, still did not bring forth the fruits of repentance and of faith, it had to fall under judgment.
In the same way today the Lord will not be satisfied with the mere leafy decoration of Christian forms, beautiful services, pious words and feelings. He desires above all the good fruits of a spiritual life: repentance and faith, loving obedience to God in action and in suffering, self-denying love to our neighbor, and conscientious faithfulness in our earthly and heavenly calling. But where do we find these fruits? How many Christian churches have already fallen under the same curse of withering because they lacked these fruits! In how many countries and communities are there warning signs of God’s judgment because at the time of their visitation they did not consider what served their peace!
But to those who feel struck by God’s judgment, who do not complain of their enemies or their fate but lament over their own sins and faithfully hold out in living trust in God – to such, God the Lord gives a comforting promise. In his strength they too shall do what he did to the fig tree. By holding firmly together in faith and prayer, they shall succeed in making the enemy’s powers that oppose God wither and die away, so that they are no longer able to harm the Lord’s little flock. Yes, in the power of faith the faithful shall move mountains – the mountains of their worries and needs but most of all the mountains of sin – and cast them into
