Stepped Forward

When I was in 6th grade, someone broke something off the teacher’s desk. The teacher was understandably upset and wanted to find out who had done it. So, she had everyone lay their heads on their desks in absolute silence all through recess until someone confessed. After what seemed like an eternity (probably only 3 minutes), the nicest girl in class stood up and admitted that she had done it. The whole class (including the teacher, most likely) knew that she had not done it but was taking the blame for the rest of the class so we could go to recess. The teacher accepted the confession and let the class go to recess while she stayed behind.

Needless to say, she was a hero, and every boy in the class was forever in love. While I will never know who actually committed the crime, someone stepped up and took the blame so that others could go free. I remember thinking, "That’s the bravest person I will ever know."

A similar moment, but on an infinitely more meaningful scale, happens in John 18, where Jesus is arrested. He steps forward, meeting what is about to happen head-on, all the while thinking of others. This morning, we take a look at this incredible story and what effect it might have on our lives.