There are many ways in which we despise the afflictions of the afflicted. We ignore them, we mock them, we heap contempt upon the afflicted, we rationalize those afflictions, and sometimes directly afflict the helpless and weak.
In all these ways, Jesus was afflicted, and His afflictions were despised by many.
Today we come to the final, and the worst form of despising affliction: we take the good and noble deeds of a man, and declare them to be actually crimes, and then destroy that man as a criminal.
This despicable conduct is common to all men in all times, and our own country is not immune from it. Sometimes, it is even joined in by followers of Jesus.
Out of many examples, we focus on a current, open, notorious, malignant, and cruel example. The so-called "crime" is that of a journalist who reports the truth about government misconduct, crimes, lies, torture, and murder.
The best example today is the United States government's ongoing destruction of the brave journalist and publisher Julian Assange.
His reporting has disclosed war crimes, tortures, and murders of civilians, and for that our government is trying to destroy him. His health is broken, he is treated as a terrorist, and what were good and necessary deeds are characterized as "espionage."
As usual, our Lord Jesus was subject to far worse. When He was required by the law to answer truthfully the question, "art thou the Christ, the Son of God?" Jesus answered truthfully.
But His true and righteous deed was falsely called a crime - blasphemy - and the sentence imposed was death.
Our Lord Jesus was afflicted in this the worst way by wicked men, but it was to save His poor people! |
