Perspectives

Mark 15:33… At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. 34) And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”). (NIV)

Older! What does it mean when people say, “man you are looking older every day”? Well, it could have several meanings, one it is true I am getting older and so are you. Another meaning we attach to aging is that we now have the time to think about the future.

Many of my friends my age or just a little older than me are passing away and I am left to wonder where they are right at this very moment. I know you might think that is rather odd to think that way, but ask yourself the question: Where do you think they are? And how did they get there? Simple little questions, but the answer is beyond measure, so simple and yet so profound. And as I am writing this I am touched. Please forgive me! But my heart is overwhelmed with the simplicity of it all.

When we read the story of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, most of us do not really know or perhaps do not want to know what happened on that day. But it would do no harm just to take a moment and let our minds and hearts do the talking after reading just a few verses from the Bible

Those two verses send shivers up my spine. Death for Jesus would be painfully slow and publicly humiliating. I would think that the executioner probably laid the crossbeam behind Jesus and forced him to the ground quickly by grabbing a hold of his arms and pulling him backward. As soon as Jesus fell, the beam would be fitted under the back of his neck, soldiers then would quickly kneel on the inside of the elbows forcing his arms on to the crossbeam. Jesus did not fight back and said nothing. With his fingers, the executioner probed the spot in Jesus’ hands where he wanted to drive the nails through. When he found it, he took one of the square-cut iron nails from his teeth and held it against the spot, and then he raised the hammer over the nail and brought it down with force. Two soldiers immediately grabbed each side of the crossbeam and lifted. As they pulled up, they dragged Jesus who was now nailed to the crossbeam to the spot where they had dug a hole in the ground for the cross, lifting the cross until it fell into the hole.

Jesus, his arms now in a V position because of the full weight of his body must have become very conscious of the pain in his hands, his muscles in his forearms and the upper arms and the back of his shoulders would develop cramps. That would cause the muscles at the sides of his chest to momentarily limit his breathing. He probably could draw air into his lungs, but he would have great difficulty exhaling. Inflamed wounds, thirst, blood pouring from his wounds he died. He had paid the price for our sins.

Now why did Jesus cry out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” I am not going to pretend that I fully understand, but I can make a calculated guess why: He had never known the consequences of sin! That was the one human experience through which Jesus had never passed because he was without sin. But at this moment as his blood ran down his arms and feet, he took upon himself the sins of all of us. In this terrible moment, Jesus really and truly identified himself with our sins. This was the one moment Jesus feared because he had never known what it was like to be separated from God because of sin.

His task now completed, his victory won. Jesus died with the cry of “It is finished!” on his lips. After that terrible dark day, Jesus went home to God a victor glorious. But our story does not end here, because three days later a messenger in Christ’s tomb gave the women in Christ’s tomb the unbelievable news that Jesus had risen from the dead. That means you and I will someday be raised from the dead… To God Be the Glory Great Things He Has Done.

Would you pray this prayer with me…? “Lord Jesus, come into my heart. Forgive my sins. I want my life to change. My thoughts and my attitude need to change. I do not have peace in my heart. I really want that peace, joy and happiness that I long for. Please let the Holy Spirit help me be the kind of Christian that will bring honour to Your Name.” Amen