Crucified

Scripture: Matthew 27:32-44 (Click link for scripture in Bible Gateway)

32 Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. 33 And they went out to a place called Golgotha (which means “Place of the Skull”). 34 The soldiers gave Jesus wine mixed with bitter gall, but when he had tasted it, he refused to drink it. 35 After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. 36 Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. 37 A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” 38 Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. 39 The people passing by shouted abuse, shaking their heads in mockery. 40 “Look at you now!” they yelled at him. “You said you were going to destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days. Well then, if you are the Son of God, save yourself and come down from the cross!” 41 The leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders also mocked Jesus. 42 “He saved others,” they scoffed, “but he can’t save himself! So he is the King of Israel, is he? Let him come down from the cross right now, and we will believe in him! 43 He trusted God, so let God rescue him now if he wants him! For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ” 44 Even the revolutionaries who were crucified with him ridiculed him in the same way. (Matthew 27:32–44 NLT)

Jesus had been beaten so badly, he was too weak to carry his own cross to the killing ground. An out-of-town Jew named Simon, from Cyrene in Libya, North Africa, was forced to carry his cross. A sign placed above Jesus’ head, intended to mock both Jesus and the Jews, said, “This is what Rome does to people who think they are kings!” Two revolutionaries (Barabbas would have been the third) were hung on crosses to Jesus’ right and left.

The Leading Priests, the Teachers of the Law, and the Elders mocked Jesus. They were right about one thing: “He saved others, but he can’t save himself.” But not for the reason they thought. Jesus couldn’t save himself because he was dying to save them! And us. And it hits me again about the greatest strength of all, the strength to show restraint, to choose not to use heaven’s power to save himself so that he could break hell’s power in our lives. Oh, Jesus! How I admire and respect you!

Prayer:

Father, I don’t understand love so great, but I thank you for it! Jesus, I want your love to grow in me and replace my selfishness and my need to defend and justify myself. I have so very far to go! Please don’t give up on me! Amen!