What has this to do with me?

Imagine for a moment that you were there ... It is easy now, all these years later, to say "He is risen. He died for my sins!" But imagine you were there when it all happened.

You witnessed His arrest in the garden of Gethsemane, you followed the crowd when He was sent to His crucifixion and you stood there by the Cross and saw Him die.

How did you feel then? The chances are you did not say much but just followed silently. Understandable really. For if you said anything in protest you would probably have been arrested and perhaps beaten or killed too. So you followed silently almost acquiescing at what was happening even though you probably were not. The question that He is dying for your sins never crossed your mind. At the time, His death was not seen in this context. It was not a matter of your sins crucifying Him then.

And three days later you hear that He has been raised. Out of curiosity you run to the grave and see it empty. How do you feel now? Do you believe? Do you doubt and have your own theories as to what has happened and you tell everyone your views? Or do you continue to stay silent as you did when you followed the Cross for fear of what might happen to you?

Today ... you rejoice at His Resurrection and are grateful that He died for you. But how did you feel then? When you were there when they crucified our Lord?