I went to Crown Hill Cemetary Thursday and walked around. Everywhere you look there are grave markers, tombstones, and monuments. As I walked through the cemetary I thought of members of the church whose graves are at crown hill Cemetary, and I thought about some of the words that I and others shared about them. As I walked through the cemetary I began to read some of the epitaphs on the tombstones. One said died to soon, another said a mother and a friend. Our 23rd President's Harisson is tombstone read "a statesman and a friends of truth. One man's tombstone simply read "I told you I was sick."
Regardless of what the pizza commercial asks I don't think that most people get to pick what goes on their tombstone. In most cases I think the epitaph is what others have to say about you. Except of course the man whose tombstone read "I told you I was sick".
While I was out there walking around Crown Hill Cemetery I began to think about how Jesus never had a proper epitaph. As a matter of fact he never even had a tombstone. The gospel writers indicate that the closest thing to a tombstone Jesus had was a large stone that blocked the mouth of the cave that Jesus' corpse was laid in.
And if most epitaphs are created by what other people say about you then I feel that the Scripture gives us a few epitaphs to choose from for Jesus.
One Epitaph would read "Behold our king" Isn't that what the people said about Jesus! When Jesus entered into Jerusalem that is what the people called him. They sang Hoseana, Hoseana, and Behold or king. Think about what type of Tombstone would hold such an epitaph. Behold our king. One of the biggest graves in all of Crown hill cemetary is the grave of James Wicom Riley a great poet. It rests on the tallest hill in the cemetary and from this grave you can see all of around the city. It is a beautiful and majestic spot with high Roman pillars and yet, even in all of its beauty it's not a tombstone fit for a king. You have to understand that a king is one whom the people pledge their faith to. They put their life in the hand of the king so when these people are crying out Behold our King. It should be a big deal! It should be a huge thing. But the reality is that not everyone who cried out Behold our king really meant it. So people got caught up in the momen!
t. Other people where just there to set Jesus up. You know that sometimes you can lift a person up real high, just to knock him down. And that is what some of the chief priest and scribes did. They didn't want Jesus to be their Lord and King. They resented the fact that Jesus was undermining their authority, the people where listening more to Jesus than they were to the Scribes and Pharisees. They bribed Judas to betray Jesus. And they took Jesus while he was praying. They took him to Pilate, the Roman authority and Pilate asks Jesus "Are you the King of the Jews?" Pilates question was completely different than the statement of the crowd that welcomed Jesus. The crowd in Jerusalem proclaimed "Behold our King" and Pilate is asking "Are you the king of the Jews. What Pilate is saying is "Your not my king, and I don't even know if your the king of these Jewish people."
All over the country and even the world There are "seekers attending churches. Seekers are people who aren't yet Christians but they are trying to find out more about Jesus. They are sort of asking the same question that Pillote asked they are saying "I know your not my king yet, but I want to find out if you really are the king of these people's lives. And many seekers today will make decisions about Jesus Christ not by what the pastor said, or how the choir sang, but where or not Jesus makes a difference in the life of the person that they are sitting next too.
Herod called Jesus Herod called Jesus "King" not in a reverent way he did it by mocking Jesus. Herod was the puppet king Jerusalem he was owned by the Roman Government and when Pilate sent Jesus to him Herod mocked him, had him wiped and put a crown of thorns on his, head. Then he put a fine robe on his back and they laughed at him and cried "Hail King of the Jews." And finally when they hung Jesus on the cross they nailed above his head " King of the Jews"
If we were to write Jesus' epitaph according to what the people around him said about him, then we would have to at least consider the Epithah "Here lies the king of the Jews. But what would that epitaph mean to you. Would it be a proclimation of your surrenduring all to Jesus, or would it be a cruel joke, or would it still be a question in your own mind.
One of the most fameous tombstones in America is the tomb of the unknown soldier. This tomb is in Washington D.C. under 24 hour guard and it represents all the soliders lost in war. And yet the epithaf reads Unknown. If we were to take the words that Peter spoke about Jesus during those last days. Then Jesus' tombstone would have to read unknown. Because isn't that what Peter said about Jesus. After they took Jesus away Peter followed at a distance and when he was approached and asked "Aren't you one of the followers of Jesus?" Peter said No, not me." I don't know the man. To me he's unknown. Peter, denied that he knew Jesus not once, but three times, and the third time he got upset and cursed about it.
Peter, this is the same man who walked on water
Peter, the one who Jesus said "upon this rock I shall build my church
Peter, the one who swore that he would never leave or forsake Jesus
Peter's eptaph would have to read. Unknown.
And Jesus says in Luke 12:9 I Tell yo , whosoever acknowledges me before men and women, I will also acknowledge him before the angels of God. But he who denies me before men and women will be disowned before the angels of God!
I don't know if you heard it in the news. But sources say that they now know who the unknown soldier is. And that a special funeral service is being prepared. Well, in the same way that this unknown soldier is finally being recongized. One day this unknown Jesus will finaly be recognized on that great day of judgement all of the people who denied Jesus and said
I use to live right behind crown hill cemetary so I went there often. I once took a young lady on a bike ride through the cemetary. IT was a beautiful day and we sang songs and had a good time together and when it was time to leave we got back on our bikes and we rode to the main gates. And when we got there the gates where closed and locked. We turned around and there was not a care in the parking lot, and we realized that we were locked in the cemitary. Now what had been beautiful place in the day was quickly turning into a very scary place at night. We went around to the buildings and knocked on the doors. NO one answered. We rode our bikes to the other exit on and the gate was locked there also. I started to get real worried because we had borrowed my roommates bike and we could climb the fence but there was no way to get those bikes out I started to think to myself, well somebody's just going to have to come steal these bikes cuz I'm gone. But we!
finally got to a place where we could just barely slide ourselves and the bikes under that gate. I have to tell you that when we finally got out I felt such a sense of relief and release. And we were Outa there
It was a messed up Friday- It was so bad that one son refused to shine and the other one died.
Saturday was no better the Satan and his demons partied all night long. The disciples were scared and immobilized by fear
And the women were torn by grief. But early Sunday morning
But early Sunday Morning Jesus got up out the grave
And I can just imagine him looking back at the stone and saying
"It's alright I don't need an epitaph. I don't need any words on my tombstone"
Because a tombstone is for one who is dead.
And like the angels said to Mary and Mary Magdeline when they came to see Jesus' body why do you look for the living among the dead. He is not here he is risen.
And the fact of the matter is that if we share in Christ's resurrection. All who truly call him Lord share in Christ's resurrection. All who know him and declare him before men and women we to share in Christ resurrection.
Two days ago on Good Friday I received word that my grandmother has terminal cancer in her pancreas and bladder. Most likely she will not make it through the year. I think about the life that she has lived and what her tombstone will say
Maybe it will say In the midst of tough times
I'm Press on
In the midst of incredible crisis
I'm Carry on
In the midst of doubt and fear
I'm Believe on
In the midst of indecision and procrastination
I'm getting on
In the midst of failure and defeat
I'm moving on
When there's no one to lean on
I'm counting on
And when your at the bottom of your resources
I'm Praising On
And I believe that when you press on, follow on, carry on, believe on, get on, move on count on and praise on. There aint no power that can resist the resurrection power that God gives us through Jesus Christ. And ultimately it doesn't matter what's on your tombstone. It doesn't matter what they write upon your epitaph because like the angel said to Mary and Mary Magdaline Why do you look for living among the dead. He is not here. She is not here. For he has risen. Amen.
