No other witnesses are required.
Why do we need any more witnesses? These are the last words shouted out in the trial of Jesus, and they're right. Why do we need any other witnesses? Everything he said that would happen has happened. Everything that he says about who he is has proven true. Every prediction and promise. No other witnesses are needed.
Every last detail is as he said it would be. They would find an upper room to be made ready, just as he said. He would be deserted and betrayed, just as he said. He would be denied three times before the dawn, just as he said. No other witnesses are required to verify the truth of this man. They even admitted themselves in their mockery. They shouted, “so you are claiming to be the son of God?” And he replied, “you say that I am.” Why do we need other witnesses? We have heard him say it.
No more witnesses are required. Ours is to trust and believe. Ours is to awaken, to have our eyes opened to the one who's standing before us. What do we believe? We believe that this is all happening according to his plan. We've just seen him fulfilling his plan. And we believe that he has a plan and an intimate concern for our lives too. He knows where we have failed. He knows where we are weak.
He knows that we are afraid. He knows how fear and pride have backed us into corners. Yet there in those corners are the people that he has come to seek and find. He's come to sit with us right there, in that dark cornered place, the place where we think we'll never get out of. He has plans for those who find themselves in corners. These are just the people he's come to rescue, to forgive, to die for, to live for. Ours is to receive. Ours is to sit at his table.
And then when we are strengthened, to serve others, just as he has. That's the prayer that I have for my own soul. That's the prayer that I have for my family, for my wife, and my daughters, and my son. And that's a prayer that I have for you. May it be so.
