You can see them now, not particularly shocked but…hopeless.
One says “Can you believe it…I mean, I knew I wasn’t a good guy but…I don’t think I ever expected this.”
The other “Like…that’s it…I thought life was gonna be longer than this.”
“Well I thought for sure my deeds were going to end up in death…but…I figured a fight, a knife, a stabbing…not…”
“Crucifixion…”
“Yeah… Kinda glad my ma can’t see this…she’d be heartbroken.”
“Well…everyone else will see it…”
“It feels unfair…”
“O please, after what we’ve done…”
“Yeah I know….but it’s not like I killed anyone like Barabbas…he got what HE deserved…”
“No man…get this, someone else took his place!”
“What?! No way…that murderer, THAT’S not fair…!”
“For either of them! Yeah…Thomas before he was taken out for crucifixion last week sometime said that he was supposed to be nailed up by Barabbas but then he heard the people wanted someone else killed instead so they RELEASED Barabbas.”
“No. Way. Nobody is that lucky…or unlucky.”
Silence. “I heard the guy they killed hadn’t even stolen anything. Hadn’t hurt anyone. Makes no sense.”
Silence. “Yeah. Kinda wishing someone would do that for me….”
“Yeah, my dad wouldn’t have even done that, if he was still around. Model father he was NOT.”
Silence.
“What do you think we have, maybe another hour before they come for us?”
“I really…really can’t believe this is the beginning of the end.”
“I hear it it is the worst pain ever.”
“Dude…haven’t you ever seen one? I wish I could just die right here, or maybe make a guard so mad on our way that he kills me instead….I watched a couple die, even threw things at them…never thought it’d be me one day.”
“Does anyone…cry?”
“You being a sissy?!”
“No! Well…maybe…man I just hoped I’d have more chances in life! Maybe I wouldn’t have…”
“Well I ain’t scared…let them do their worst….I sure did.”
Silence. “I’m not scared either…”
“Shut up, yes you are, you just talked about crying.”
“No man…I mean, I’m sad…but I’m not scared.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? Not like we can live our lives over again. Not like we can change our hearts, go to synagogue, become one of those goody goody preacher boys. Nope, this is it…”
“No…see…I heard something yesterday through the prison bars…”
“What, like some messiah is gonna come and save the day…I mean, Barabbas tried to do that but he almost ended up dead just like we will be, and he’s clearly no messiah I’d ever follow.”
“No…there was an awful racket, remember, after that weird earthquake. I heard clattering like a couple soldiers running, but it wasn’t organized it was like they were fleeing for their lives. When the centurion caught them, they started babbling like babies, saying one of the guys they killed the other day had come back to life!”
“No freaking way….those guys were paid off”
“No! Like, the centurion choked and then said they’d have to be paid off to NOT say that….”
“Men don’t raise from the grave….especially after they’ve been crucified and had their life drained out of them…”
“I know. I know. That’s what I thought….the centurion had sat down, face in his hands…. He muttered something like ‘just like Jonathan…he raised him from the dead and now He also has been raised from the dead…’ like he believed it!”
“That’s…..weird. Hey, maybe we’ll be raised from the dead…”
“Hmph. Not likely…we certainly don’t deserve to be raised from the dead…”
“But see, this almost makes sense. See, the day before I overheard other guards talking about the crucifixion of Thomas…”
“Gah I can’t believe we’re talking about this…what scum. That’s another man who deserved to be right up there beside Barabbas.”
“But get this….the guards said it was so weird because Thomas was quiet the whole time!”
“NO WAY…that sailor had a mouth worse than a sailor!”
“Yeah! I know. He apparently was staring at the guy who…oh wait, must have been the one who took Barabbas place. And then he said something like ‘remember me Lord when you come again’ and the guy actually said ‘I swear you’ll be with me in paradise.'”
Silence. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Silence. “Maybe.”
“I doubt anyone will say that to me when I’m hanging…”
Silence. “But…it was the next words of the centurian yesterday that really got me…and maybe that’s why I’m not afraid. He said “Jesus DID say ‘I am the resurrection and the life.'”
“Jesus…that’s the name of the guy, that’s right….”
“So. This is it. The end. Except Thomas was promised more…life…after…death.”
“Yep. That’s what I’m thinking.”
“So….we are sentenced to death, for things we’ve done…and this man died for things he didn’t do…but promised Thomas…”
“Yeah of all people, Thomas….”
“…promised Thomas life again…”
Silence. “Think this Jesus would come take my place today….”
“No stupid, he already died once, why would he choose to die again”
“Well….if he’s alive now then maybe he’d offer ME life AFTER death…”
“Oh, oh wait….there was more to what the centurian said….he said that Jesus said ‘he that believes in me, though he dies, he shall surely live.'”
“Well….there you have it.”
Silence. “Do you believe…?”
Sigh. “Listen…the guards are coming already….our crosses await…I think this Jesus is our only hope now.”
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow/Because He lives, all fear is gone/Because I know Who holds the future/And life is worth the living just because He lives! (Bill and Gloria Gaither)
