  
|
| About Us | Short Sermons About Him! | About His Word! |
| Topical Studies | Songs of the Church - MP3 | Bible Studies |
| Devotionals | Thoughts on The Life of Christ | Daily Humor |
|
My Thoughts on the Life of Christ, from His Baptism to His Ascension. A New Feature: Beginning this week, we plan to include, as often as possible, an audio file to compliment the written text. It will be in RealAudio for those with dialup service and in MP3 for those with a high speed connection. We'll do our best to stay between 5 and 7 minutes. This week's clip is entitled, Comprehending the Cross of Calvary. MP3 RealAudio Par. 229-241 Combined: Events of the Crucifixion Matthew. 27:31-66; Mark. 15:20-47; Luke. 23:53; John. 19:16-42 No matter how vividly one tries to portray the events of the crucifixion, it seems impossible to comprehend the depths of out Lord’s suffering. After the consent of Pilate that allowed Jesus to be crucified, Jesus was cruelly mocked by the Roman soldiers just as he had been by by the Sanhedrin and Herod’s guard. The mocking by the Roman soldiers continued and was joined in by passers-by, as He hung on the cross. I would imagine that some of the insults hurled at Him were very vulgar and debased. As Jesus was being lead away, many women began to wail because of the indignities He was suffering. Jesus told them that they should rather weep for themselves. The days were not too far in the future when the inhabitants of Jerusalem would cry for the mountains to fall on them. This was fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and slew one and a half million Jews in just a few days. Mark 15:23 And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. Jesus refused to drink a sedative that was offered to Him which consisted of vinegar mixed with myrrh. He chose instead to experience the agonies of death without relief. By being fully alert, He also felt a deep sense of rejection by His Father, as He became a sinful curse in our stead. Mark. 27:35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him there; 37 And set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 38 Then were there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand, and another on the left. Jesus was crucified between two thieves who both railed against Him. As He was being crucified He cried out, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” The four soldiers assigned to Him divided His garments into four parts. Because His robe was seamless, they decided to gambled for it rather than to cut it apart. J.W. Shepherd in The Christ of the Gospels states that while Jesus was being nailed to the cross, the religious leaders were observing Passover at the temple. When they showed up at the crucifixion site they protested that Pilate had placed an inscription over Jesus which read, "JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS." He was probably just getting back at them because they had out maneuvered him by demanding that Jesus be crucified. At any rate, he refused to change the inscription, by stating, "What I have written, I have written." Luke 23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. Jesus endured cruel mockings while hanging on the cross. “He saved others, let Him save Himself.” “If you be the King of Israel, come down from the cross and we will believe you.” “Surely God would deliver His own Son?” Luke 23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. 40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. 42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. 43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. Both thieves had been railing against Jesus but one of them had a change of heart. He reminded the other that they both were receiving their just deserts. Jesus however had done nothing wrong. He then cried out, "Lord remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus promised the thieve that he would be with Him in paradise, that very day. John 19:25 Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. The apostle John had stayed near Jesus throughout the ordeal of the crucifixion. He stood near the cross with several women including Mary the mother of Jesus. Jesus’ own brothers did not believe on Him at this point. The dying Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to John, who then took her to his own home. Luke 23:44 ¶ And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. 45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. At noontime darkness descending over the area as Jesus the light of the world was about to die on the cross. What irony. The darkness lasted until 3:00 P.M. At this time Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” He then stated that He was thirsty. He was offered some vinegar which He now accepted. This refreshed Jesus just enough that He was able to cry with a loud voice, “It is finished.” With this said, He died. Luke 23:45 And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. When Jesus died, the veil of the temple which was before the Holy of Holies was torn from the top to the bottom. The veil was very thick, so clearly this was an act of God which signified that the old order of the law was now ended. Grace was now appearing. Thank God. Also, there was an earthquake and some of the saints arose from the grave and appeared to many in Jerusalem. Luke 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. One of the hardened centurions had been watching Jesus and observing all that transpired. He was moved to cry out, “Truly, this man was the Son of God.” It was the day of preparation for the Sabbath and it was unlawful for anyone to hang on a cross on the Sabbath. Some soldiers, I assume of the temple guard, asked permission of Pilate to brake the legs of those on the crosses so that they would quickly die. This they did for the two thieves, but because Jesus was already dead, they did not break His legs. They did however, thrust His side through with a spear. From it came forth both blood and water(John 19:34; I John 5:6-8). John was an eyewitness of this event . The scripture was fulfilled that stated that not a bone of his shall be broken (Psalms 34:30). Also, the piercing was foretold in scripture with the promise that at some future time those who pierced Him would look upon him (Zechariah 12:10; Revelation 1:7). v Joseph of Arimathaea, who was a rich counselor went to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus. He placed the the body in his own new unused tomb. He was joined in this effort by Nicodemus, the one who had come to Jesus by night to inquire of salvation. Nicodemus brought with him a hundred pound mixture of myrrh and aloes. Together they wrapped the body and the myrrh and aloes in linen and lovingly placed it in the tomb. This followed the burial customs of the Jews of that day. Matthew 27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. 66 So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch. The chief priests and Pharisees remembered that Jesus had promised to rise again in three days. They feared that His disciples would steal the body and perpetrate a hoax by claiming that Christ has risen. They asked Pilate to seal the tomb and set a watch over it. Pilate granted their request and told them to make the tomb as secure as possible. Links Applicable to this Devotional: The Cross of Jesus The Message of the Cross by Pastor Bill Lobbs Conclusion and Application: There are many things that I don't really comprehend. I don't know why God decided that sin could only be remitted by the shedding of blood. But the fact is that is what God ordained, so it is up to me to accept it or reject it. I accept it wholeheartedly. God laid down the principal that He would pass over us when He saw the blood.. As the apostle Paul stated, I will glory in nothing except the cross. As the song says, "I should have been crucified, but Jesus God's Son took my place." Thank you Jesus! Men mocked Him then and will still be mocking until the day that He returns. They that pierced Him will wail, but it will be to late. The Lord Jesus will descend from heaven exercising vengeance upon them who don't know God and haven't believed the gospel (II Thessalonian's 1:8). The thief on the cross was accepted by Jesus upon his repentance. That has not changed. Jesus said that if any man came to Him He would not cast him out (John 6:37). However, I believe that the penitent sinner is commanded by scripture to follow through with water baptism in the name of the Jesus and the infilling of the promised Holy Spirit as set forth in the second chapter of Acts ( Acts 2:36-42). Just as the sun refused to shine at Calvary, it will also refuse to shine in the end times (Acts 2:20). They sealed and guarded the tomb as best they could, but watch out, Sunday's coming. Next week: The Resurrection In About-Him
Online Sermons http://about-him.com/sermonlink.htmlOur Bible Studies http://about-him.com/bslinkpage.html Our Music: http://about-him.com/audio.html Flash Theater http://about-him.com/player.html Scripture list on 30 subjects http://about-him.com/wordarc.html Scripture Postcards http://about-him.com/postcards/postcard.html Somebody Has Said
"Give me the love that leads the way, The faith that nothing can dismay, The hope no
disappointments tire, The passion that will burn like fire, Let me not sink to be a clod: Make
me Thy fuel, Flame of God." - Amy, Carmichael
Keep Looking Up! Don and Marie Spooner About Him! Ministries Your thoughts and Inquiries Contact@about-him.com Subscribe to this devotional? Subscribe@about-him.com
The purpose of About-Him.Com is to glorify the Lord Jesus
Christ whom we preach as the Almighty God manifest in the flesh.
It is our desire that everything presented on these pages increases your
faith in our God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
 Contact us About Him! Ministries |