"This is my body which is given for you," Jesus said as he broke bread at the passover feast. "This is my blood that is poured out for you," and then he passed around the wine cup.
Shortly after that, he died and rose from the grave. Then that holy man remained on earth a little while longer before being taken up into Heaven, or so they say. But what really changed after that? Does any of it really matter?
After Jesus came and went, babies were still sacrificed to idols; girls turned into prostitutes; spouses abused; boys stolen from their homes and trained to be soldiers; military armies slaughtered across the countryside; human beings moved like puppets. What difference did the sacrifice of a single man make to the world's pain, to my own pain?
He said he gave his body for us, but does that put food on the table? Will his death save me from contracting a deadly disease or growing old? Will his sacrifice shield me from greedy or angry or controlling human beings? Because if that crucifixion doesn't make my life any easier, why should I trouble my Friday night with the remembrance of that depressing event. People die everyday. I am trying to live.
And therein lies the rub. Does it not? For if life is only about survival and money and keeping away from unpleasant people, it doesn't matter that anyone is happy or free or courageous. It doesn't matter that our lives mean something or that they achieve anything. We're like the animals trying to replicate ourselves before mother earth turns us into dust again.
But none of us lives like that. Even the materialist atheist who says he's nothing but matter is trying to make something of his life as if it did matter. Even he knows that if he's not satisfied with his work, it's not worth it. If his sweat and tears achieve nothing, he might as well cease striving and die. And he's right.
That's why Jesus' broken body and spilt blood means something. It saves us from this survival mentality. It saves us from having to create our own happiness and make up our own meanings for things. It turns our us-versus-them mentality to a God-with-us courage.
His sacrifice is for anyone who sheds tears and spills their blood trying to stay alive in this world. His crucifixion demonstrated how all our broken bodies and broken hearts are taking us somewhere.
But all this means nothing to those who've yet to cross over. This is all religious jargon to the one who has yet to give up trying to survive on his own steam. To that man, Christ's death and resurrection indeed means nothing. But there is still time to change all that.
More on Christ's Death: When the King Dies
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