What happened to the baby?

"What happened to the baby?" is a sequel to the drama "Who’s the baby?" performed at Christmas in the city where I live. During this Easter week "What happened to the baby?" has been performed through the eyes of the shepherds and wise men who headed for Jerusalem thirty three years after the baby’s birth, as they followed Him to Calvary. They made an incredible journey. What they saw was beyond anything they ever imagined. It changed not only their lives but the course of human history. This Good Friday is an opportunity for us to remember what happened to the baby.

For thirty years He lived in obscurity and for three years He taught about the Kingdom and healed those who needed healing. He became a man and fulfilled the purpose for which He was born.

He was betrayed by a friend, denied by a stalwart, deserted by those closest to Him; He endured two mock trials, was flogged by the Romans, scoffed at by the powerful, jeered at by soldiers, He was crowned with thorns and, though innocent, He was condemned to death and lifted up to die.

His body and spirit were crushed with overwhelming sorrow. He was forsaken by His Father and yet He refused to save Himself by coming down from the cross. He chose to endure the cross, despising its shame to become the Saviour of the world – your Saviour and my Saviour.

Today we recall the most important event in the history of the world, the day when the Lord Jesus, the Son of the living God, humbled Himself and died a death of ignominy and shame upon a Roman cross. Today we remember that God showed us the enormity of His love in sending His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins because there was no other way whereby we could be saved. Once we have a true vision of the cross, we need no other proof that God is love, no other proof that He loves with unconditional, unearned, undeserved, unending, unceasing divine love. The cross says it all.

On this significant day let us take a fresh look at the cross and its true relevance for us. As through the eyes of faith we behold Jesus dying for us, nailed to a rough cross of wood with arms outstretched let us here the message of the cross, "This is what I mean when I say I love you."

Today is an opportunity for us to relive the story and experience afresh the wonder of the cross. It is also an opportunity for us to make our response afresh to such amazing love. When the wonder of the cross truly touches our hearts there is only one response we can make –

"Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were an offering far too small.
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life my all."

Prayer: Father, thank You for Jesus who humbled Himself and became obedient to death on a cross. Please touch my heart afresh with thanksgiving,consecration and love for You as I meditate on Your amazing gift of Jesus, Your Son, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Amen.