Jesus - Part 2, The Darkest Day
2003 : Week 14 | Printer
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The crucifixion of Jesus Christ casts a shadow on all creation; it’s the darkest moment in history. All other deaths, suffering and acts of injustice, pale in comparison. He suffered for His glory, for His name and because He loved us. For those who look to the cross and believe the Savior shed His blood and died on it, the Savior lifts them out of darkness and into light.
During Easter, we celebrate the salvation Jesus won for us but are sickened by the punishment He endured. We receive eternal life through God’s grace. Webster’s dictionary defines grace as, “unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification.” Salvation comes easy for us; it’s a gift from God. It cost Jesus greatly; He was beaten, whipped, spit on, cursed and then crucified. Our finite minds cannot fathom such grace, but we have to accept it. Without it, our souls are lost.
This week’s Devotion is a series of verses showing the crucifixion of Jesus; that people could be so barbaric is not surprising; the heart of man is wicked. What is staggering is God’s humility. If they asked for it, God would have forgiven the people that beat Him, spit on Him and crucified Him. If they believed in Him, He would allow them commune with Him in heaven for eternity. The more you study and meditate on it, the more God’s grace will leave you speechless.
May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always…
Matthew 26:66-68
66 what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!"
67 Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him,
68 and said, "Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?"
Mark 14:63-65
63 Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, "What further need do we have of witnesses?
64 "You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.
65 Some began to spit at Him, and to blindfold Him, and to beat Him with their fists, and to say to Him, "Prophesy!" And the officers received Him with slaps in the face.
John 18:22, 23
22 When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, "Is that the way You answer the high priest?"
23 Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?"
Luke 22:63-65
63 Now the men who were holding Jesus in custody were mocking Him and beating Him,
64 and they blindfolded Him and were asking Him, saying, "Prophesy, who is the one who hit You?"
65 And they were saying many other things against Him, blaspheming.
Matthew 27:22, 23
22 Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Crucify Him!"
23 And he said, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they kept shouting all the more, saying, "Crucify Him!"
Mark 15:12-15
12 Answering again, Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?"
13 They shouted back, "Crucify Him!"
14 But Pilate said to them, "Why, what evil has He done?" But they shouted all the more, "Crucify Him!"
15 Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.
Luke 23:20-25
20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again,
21 but they kept on calling out, saying, "Crucify, crucify Him!"
22 And he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will punish Him and release Him."
23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail.
24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted.
25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.
John 19:1-6
1 Pilate then took Jesus and scourged Him.
2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and put a purple robe on Him;
3 and they began to come up to Him and say, "Hail, King of the Jews!" and to give Him slaps in the face.
4 Pilate came out again and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him."
5 Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, "Behold, the Man!"
6 So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they cried out saying, "Crucify, crucify!" Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves and crucify Him, for I find no guilt in Him."
Matthew 27:27-30
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him.
28 They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.
29 And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
30 They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head.
Mark 15:16-20
16 The soldiers took Him away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they called together the whole Roman cohort.
17 They dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him;
18 and they began to acclaim Him, "Hail, King of the Jews!"
19 They kept beating His head with a reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.
20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they led Him out to crucify Him.
Matthew 27:33-39
33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull,
34 they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.
35 And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots.
36 And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there.
37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."
38 At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.
39 And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads
Mark 15:22-27
22 Then they brought Him to the place Golgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.
23 They tried to give Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it.
24 And they crucified Him, and divided up His garments among themselves, casting lots for them to decide what each man should take.
25 It was the third hour when they crucified Him.
26 The inscription of the charge against Him read, "THE KING OF THE JEWS."
27 They crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.
John 19:16-19
16 So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.
17 They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha.
18 There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.
19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written, "JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS."
Luke 23:33, 34
33 When they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.
34 But Jesus was saying, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."
* Words of Jesus Christ appear in red.
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