Jesus’ 33 Years
We all have rough weeks at some point and time in our lives. I know of no one who has immunity from rough and/or tough times.
I have watched people suffer and die prematurely at different times of their lives.
Parents have lost children at this time of year. Children have lost parents at this time of year. They hold something unique—they share with God in a loss at this time of year.
Death at any time is tough, but I think it is tougher when death occurs near Christmas or Easter, or near a birthday, or anniversary.
Jesus died at the age of 33. For us that seems rather early and at the prime of life for many. Have you ever wondered why 33? Numbers in the Bible usually have significant meaning. So what is the meaning of Jesus dying at 33 and in the prime of His life? In the words of one of my beloved professors to many unanswerable theological questions, he would reply, “We just don’t know.”
What we do know that at this age of 33 some rather significant events occurred in His life: He was betrayed by one of His disciples, Judas; Peter, another disciple, disowned Jesus; others spit on Him; some struck Him, injuring Him physically and leaving Him in tremendous pain; He was mocked; He was crucified and He died a horrendous death.
In the end, this 33-year old’s response was simply this—“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Are you 33 this week? Do you ever think about the age of 33 in your life?
Whenever someone tells me they are 33 years old, I always respond that it is the age when Jesus was crucified and died for you and for me.
Where was I when I was 33? I was in seminary learning more about my Lord and Savior. What a great way to have spent my thirty-third year of life, learning about my Savior, and your Savior.
Research says that many people say they have been their happiest around the age of 33. I could agree with this. I was learning more about my Lord and Savior and rather healthy at that point and time in my life.
I am much older now and I have not come anywhere near accomplishing as much as Jesus did in His short 33 years. I hate to break it to you—neither have you.
There is nothing we can do greater than what Jesus did for each and every one of us during His 33rd year of life. By His grace, He chose to give up His life for us so that we might be forgiven of our sins and have a life eternal in heaven one day.
Would you drink a glass of water with a teaspoon of sewage in it? Would you drink a glass of water half filled with sewage? Would you drink a full glass of nothing but sewage? The answer is no.
Regardless of whether you have a teaspoon of sin in your life or full glass of sin in your life, we all have sin in our life and Christ is the only answer for removing it from our lives.
Thank God for the gift of Christ and eternal life this Easter. We sinners need to be thankful that Christ loved us enough to give us forgiveness and many opportunities to be a part of His heavenly and eternal kingdom.