Experiencing Strength in Weakness
Good friday - Part 21 - Luke 24:13-35 (ESV) - Pastor Tim Kroeker
2 Corinthians 12:9-10:
“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Whether updating a job resume or just getting to know some new friends, we all tend to emphasize our strengths. We want to put our best foot forward. Does anyone intentionally use an unflattering image for their profile photo? What sort of glory is there in weakness? However, the most precious symbol in the Christian religion was an instrument of suffering and shame. As we continue reading in our salvation story on this Good Friday, we’ll witness Jesus in his weakest, most vulnerable moment. To the ridicule of onlookers, Jesus embraces weakness so that he might then be lifted up by the Father. Indeed, anyone who wishes to save his life must lose it. This great, counter intuitive reversal is a common refrain throughout Luke’s gospel and reaches a climax in Jesus’ exchange with the criminals on the cross. In the midst of his weakness, Jesus proved his power to save by granting immediate clemency to the penitent sinner. We too can experience strength in our weakness when we turn and trust in Jesus.
