4
The War Cry | APRIL 2015
T
here is an old spiritual that asks the question, "Were you
there when they crucifi ed my Lord?" The instinctive
answer is no. No living person today could possibly have been
there. And yet the spiritual is insistent: "Were you there?"
Nicodemus was there in all his judicial pride. He recognized
Jesus as a teacher; he called Him rabbi. He went to Him at
night, under the cover of darkness. Was he afraid his fellow
Pharisees might see him with Jesus? He was not ready for that
type of persecution or ridicule. So, if you have ever let pride rule any part of your
life and prevent you from serving Jesus, you were there.
Judas Iscariot was led there by greed. From the beginning, Judas was in it for
the money. Greed caused Judas to betray the Son of God while operating under
the guise of friendship. Greed causes war and depression; it robs that which
belongs to God; it corrupts a nation and its people.
Peter was there. He said he would follow Jesus to death but denied Jesus
three times out of fear. Yes, fear and cowardice were there when they crucifi ed
the Lord!
The Chief Priests were there in all their ecclesiastical dignity, yet they were
corrupt. They were in it for the power.
Calvary still stands, and you and I erect the cross again and again every time
we sin. The hammer blows are still echoing somewhere in the caverns in your
heart and mine. Every time we deny Jesus, every time we sin against Him or fail
to do what He commanded, He is crucifi ed again.
Were you there when they crucifi ed my Lord? I was. Were you?
MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL COMMANDER
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
W
ILLIAM
B
OOTH
FOUNDER
A
NDR�
C
OX
GENERAL
D
AVID
J
EFFREY
NATIONAL COMMANDER
The Salvation Army Territorial Commanders
P
AUL
R. S
EILER
Central Territorial Commander
B
ARRY
S
WANSON
Eastern Territorial Commander
D
ONALD
B
ELL
Southern Territorial Commander
J
AMES
M. K
NAGGS
Western Territorial Commander
The Salvation Army National Publications Department
Allen Satterlee
Editor�in�Chief
Frank Duracher
Assistant Editor-in-Chief
Jeffrey McDonald
Editorial Director
Roger O. Selvage Jr. Art Director
Gloria A. Hull
Design & Production Editor
Ashley C. Schena
Graphic Designer
Andrea K. Ricker
Graphic Designer
Cynthia A. Edelen
Publications Marketing Manager
Charles Piercey
Electronic Communications Co ordinator
Erin Thibeau
Editorial Assistant
Esther M. Satterlee Circulation Man ager
Elizabeth Duracher Publications Outreach Officer
Melissa Hollinger
Administrative Specialist
Member of the Evangelical Press Association.
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The Salvation Army, an international
movement, is an evangelical part of
the universal Christian church.
Its message is based on the Bible.
Its ministry is motivated by the love of God.
Its mission is to preach the gospel of
Jesus Christ and to meet human needs
in His name without discrimination.
National Publication of
T H E S A L V A T I O N A R M Y
APRIL 2O15
Volume 135 | Number 4
The War Cry (ISSN 1550�5286) is published 14 times a year at
615 Slaters Lane, P.O. Box 269, Alexandria, VA 22313.
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�2015 The Salvation Army
Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken
from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright �1996,
2004, 2007, 2013 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream,
Illinois 60188, USA. All rights reserved.
T
he drama of Christ's passion was not a solo act played
out on an empty stage. The city of Jerusalem was an
ocean of people crowding into its walls and spilling out into
the surrounding hills as hundreds of thousands fl ooded the
city for Passover. Of those hundreds of thousands, a few were
within touching distance of Christ. They approached Him with
different motives. His presence caused different reactions.
And whether or not they understood who He was, those
moments with Him on His last few days on earth would change them.
Through the stories of the characters of Easter we fi nd elements of ourselves.
Perhaps we have once been scoffers or through treachery have betrayed Christ.
Maybe we have had moments of wavering when our words or our actions denied
we ever knew Him. Maybe in our darkest moment we saw in Him the only hope
of eternal life as did the dying thief.
These different people with their attitudes and motives prove that Christ can
be approached in a number of ways. What happens after an encounter with
Him makes the critical difference. The repentant thief entered Paradise. The
traitorous Judas died alone and in utter despair. Like each of them, you have
a choice. What will He do in your life?