The Friday before. . .

“. . . seizing him, they led him away…”

“Peter followed at a distance.”

“’Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.”’

“The men. . . began mocking and beating [Jesus].”

“. . . the chief priests and teachers. . . are you the Christ. . . the Son of God?’  ‘You are right in saying I am.’”

“. . .Pilate asked Jesus, ‘Are you the king of the Jews?’  ‘Yes, it is as you say, Jesus replied.’”

“Herod. . . ridiculed and mocked him.  [Then]. . .sent him back to Pilate.”

“[Pilate]. . . ‘I have examined him. . . and have found no basis for your charges against him.’”

“. . . the chief priests, rulers and the people. . . kept shouting, ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’”

“He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified. 

“The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and set it on him.  Again and again they struck him. . .  and spit on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.”

“It was the third hour when they crucified him. At the sixth hour [noon] darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.  Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?’ ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’”

“’Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’”

“’I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.’”

“’It is finished.’  With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

“At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which one had ever been laid…they laid Jesus there.”_{(scripture from Luke and John)}

I realize there is Christian, in-house, debate about the actual day of the week that Jesus was crucified.  However, there is universal agreement regarding why He was crucified, and that He was resurrected on the 1^st day of the week (now called Sunday).

The reason He gave His life: Love!  “This is how we know what love is: Jesus laid down his life for us. . .” (see 1 John 3:16) . We missed-the-mark (sin), and rebellion.  Our self-centered desires and decisions to reject God’s way and go our own way.   “This is how much God loved the world: He gave His Son, His one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in Him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life.” (John 3:16 – The Message).

The consequence of our sin:  Death. “For the wages of sin is death. . .”. (Romans 6:23a). Our relationship with our Creator was broken because of our rebellion (see Isaiah 59:2; Romans 3:21-26).

The consequence of the crucifixion: Our debt is paid (Colossians 2:13,14).  It was nailed to the cross and forgiven.  Sin no longer has control of our lives.  “For we know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” (Romans 6:6).

The hope and the promise: Eternal life is now the promise given to those who put their faith and trust in Jesus. “. . .but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23b).

Jesus’ selfless sacrifice was a demonstration of God’s love for us.  Jesus was the Lamb of God (John 1:29) who willingly bore our sins on the cross.  He took the punishment that we deserved.  “. . .God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Today, be blessed; be encouraged.  You are loved!

Mike