The Cross
(Most of this is from a devotional on the Gospel of Mark 15 and the book, “Not a Fan”)
Physical suffering of Jesus: Jesus suffered intensely in his last few hours. After being up all night, subjected to the stress of six different trials (if we compare the accounts in Matthew, Luke and John also), He was scourged. Scourging was accomplished by tying bits of bone, metal and glass to a whip and then striking the victim's back. This procedure produced excruciating pain, much loss of blood and sometimes even death. The victim's back became a bloody mass. After scourging Him, they took thorns, wove them into a crown, put it on Jesus' head, and began to beat on it, causing intense pain. They put a scarlet robe on Him [see Matt. 27:28; Mark's account calls it "purple"], only to later rip it off, undoubtedly tearing open the blood−dried wounds on His back in the process. Then came the crucifixion. In an execution of this type, they would literally nail the "criminal's" hands and feet onto a piece of wood and then set it upright into a hole. To breathe, the victim had to continually raise himself so that his lung cavity could expand. Pain and fatigue would begin to diminish the effectiveness of this effort and the lungs would begin to fill with fluid. As exhaustion took hold, the victim would be slowly asphyxiated because of a lack of oxygen and finally die.
The majesty of Jesus' death: There were multiplied ironies in the events of those final hours. As they ridiculed Jesus saying that He had saved others, but now couldn't save himself, they were unaware that He was fully capable of saving Himself, but that if He had, He would not have saved others. He died voluntarily. He had at His disposition thousands of angels that could have rescued Him, but He deliberately chose to lay down His life because He loved us. Jesus had the power to do anything He wanted against His tormentors, but he subdued all desire for revenge and actually prayed for God to forgive those who were treating Him so cruelly (Luke 23:34). By dying as He did, Christ provided the sacrifice that would forgive men's sins. Therefore, the temple veil was torn in two from top to bottom. The veil had blocked access to God's presence−−it was a symbol of man's sin. Since Jesus' death atoned for sin, the veil was severed, demonstrating that with sin removed men could once again enter into fellowship with God. Truly, this man was the Son of God!
The Cross…
· Was a symbol of humiliation
o Soldiers humiliated and mocked Jesus. They spit on him.
o Crucified naked on a cross
· Was a symbol of suffering
o Jesus was beaten
o Jesus was stripped of his clothing and his hands were tied in a upright post
o After being beaten just to the edge of death and beyond recognition, the men put the horizontal beam on his back on his open wounds
o Jesus stumbles down the narrow roads of the Via Dolarosa (the Way of Suffering).
· Was a Symbol of death
o His hands and feet were nailed to a tree
o Hours later a spear would thrust into his side to confirm his death
· The cross that represented guilt—for a follower it is an image of grace.
· The cross that represented condemnation—for a follower it is an image of freedom.
· The cross that represented pain and suffering—for a follower it is an image of healing and hope.
· The cross that represented death—for a follower it is an image of life.
· The cross may not be attractive, but for a follower it is beautiful.
Luke 9:23 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take us his cross daily and follow me.”
The greatest reminder of God’s love for you is a blood-stained cross and an empty tomb!
I hope and pray you remember the sacrifice that God made for us and thank him not only on Easter Weekend, but every day!
HE IS ALIVE! OUR GOD IS THAT GREAT!
