When I got home, I got right to my huge pile of laundry that was patiently waiting for me all day! I fried some fish that Matthew caught over the weekend! (Mike and Matthew went with Uncle Matt fishing on Saturday! It was the first day of trout and Matthew was looking so forward to this event! He went last year and absolutely loved it, so he was sure to go again this year! He caught 7 fish but was only allowed to keep 5. They skinned them and we fried them! Good job buddy!) Our evening last night was more relaxing being just at home! Love them nights at home and early to bed!!!
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Now, this morning I am thinking more about the Easter story again. Let's try to pick up from part 1.
We have Jesus on trial before Pilate. Pilate knew that if he didn't do as the crowd pleased there would become a riot. A serious uproar! So, he washed his hands before them all and said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it." Even though he couldn't find fault in Jesus, he released Barabbas to them and then had Jesus be scourged and crucified.
The soldiers took Jesus to a hall and gathered the whole band of soldiers. They stripped Him of His clothes. They put a scarlet robe on Him. They platted a crown of thorns and forced those sharp thorns right into His head. They took His hand and gave Him a reed to hold. They bowed their knees and mocked Jesus. They called out in mockery, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spit on Him. They took the reed He was holding and hit Him with it on the head. They were making sure those thorns were going deep into His flesh. After they mocked Him more, they took the robe off of Him and put on His own clothes and led Him away to crucify Him.
I can't imagine going through all that mockery when knowing deep inside that what they were saying really was true!!! He was the King of Jews! He is still King of Kings! Lord of Lords! Son of God!
As they led Him away, they grabbed another man for help. Simon, a Cyrenian, was told to carry the cross for Jesus. I again can't imagine how Simon must of felt. Did he know Jesus from before? Did he know what was happening? Did he know that he was in a very important scene of the Saviour of the world dying for all our sins? I wonder if Simon struggled to carry the cross too? Did the blood of Jesus run down his face and arms as he went step by step and followed the crowd to Golgotha?
Golgotha was were they lead Jesus, Simon, and a great crowd. There were women that were crying and weeping as they looked at the beatings of Jesus. There were two other men that were led with Jesus to be put to death. They put one man on the right side of Jesus and the other on the left side.
Jesus was hanging on the cross. Bruised. Bleeding. Dying. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Then the soldiers parted his raiment and cast lots.
There were lots of people standing around, watching all what was happening. They asked Him saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself, if He be Christ, the chosen of God." They mocked and the soldiers joined in. The soldiers too said, "If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself." I guess they thought that if He could heal the sick, open the eyes of the blind, cast out demons, surely He could save Himself from death. The thing is ... He could have! He could have called angels to come and deliver Him. He could have, but didn't! He knew He had to die willingly to save the whole world from their sins!
A sign was placed on top of the cross Jesus was hanging on. It said, "THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS." It was written in Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew. Everyone could read it! Oh, the words were for mockery but they really were words of truth!
Then one of the men that was crucified with Jesus just had enough. He yelled at Jesus with desperation and said, "If thou be Christ, save thyself and us." One last thread of hope. One last chance to live. He was desperate for life but not for eternal life with Him. The other man on the cross rebuked the angry man by saying, "Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss." He turned and said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus said to him, "Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."Here you have one mad man and one man that realizes his sins and asked to be with Jesus in eternity. He also realized that Jesus had done NOTHING and did not deserve death.
Jesus cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" In those dark hours, Jesus took the sins of the whole world. Some that were standing around thought Jesus was crying out for Elias. They thought maybe He was calling for him to come and save Him. Then Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Father, into thy hand I commend my spirit." After saying this, He died.
The veil of the temple was torn right in half from top to bottom. Did the people in the temple fear and tremble? Surely, they too would have known that something significant was happening! Then there was an earthquake. The graves were opened and "many bodies of the saints which slept arose."
Right after Jesus died, a centurion and others that were watching Jesus, saw the earthquake and those things that were done. They were really scared and said, "Truly this was the Son of God."
If you need to keep reading, go to Luke 23 and start at verse 50. The burial of Jesus is coming next.
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This video is really graphic. Maybe you should watch it before your children view it. Even though it's really gross and terrible what Jesus may have actually looked like, realize that He died on the cross for you and me willingly! Listen to the words!
