Memory Scripture of the Week ~
But
God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were
still sinners. Romans 5:8
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| Brass Crucifix from Korea Christ Died for Us |
Christ died
for us. He died. Do you realize how terrible crucifixion was…or is? The Romans
used crucifixion as a method of capital punishment—although they were not the
first to do so. You can read about crucifixion on line at Wikipedia or any other of
a multitude of sites. Note that according to that site crucifixion is still
occurring today is such places as Sudan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and the United Arab
Emirates, where it is considered a legal punishment.
Needless to
say, crucifixion is a horrible and humiliating way to die. It begins with a
scourging—and that is just what happened to Jesus. The beating He received
could have killed Him—but He was to die on the cross.
So to pacify the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to
them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to
the Roman soldiers to be crucified. Mark 15:15
If you have
not seen the movie The Passion
by Mel Gibson, starring Jim Caviezel as Jesus, it is an intense graphic
depiction of Jesus’ crucifixion. Oh my, what our Savior endured! I am humbled
to even consider what Jesus went through for me—a sinner who should have died
for even just my thoughts alone. But Jesus paid for my sins on the cross…like a
Passover lamb roasted on a spit. That sacrificial lamb at the first Passover,
whose blood was placed on the doorposts so that the angel of death would go
past—passover the homes of the Hebrew families. I am not Jewish…but I do
believe that Jesus died for my sins and more importantly, He rose from the dead
and lives, seated at the right hand of God the Father. His death was not in
vain. It served an overwhelming purpose—to provide salvation to all who believe
so that one day they can stand before the Heavenly Father in purity, as only
those who are holy will be able to do. For now…what does God require of you?
And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require
of you? He requires only that you fear the LORD your God, and live in a way
that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. Deuteronomy 10:12
God loves us
so much that He… showed his great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. Death. Death on a cross.
That is love.
Prayer
~ Lord Jesus, I imagine You hanging on that cross—weighed down by the sins of
all mankind. What a heavy burden. It is no wonder that You cried out…"Eloi,
Eloi, lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you
abandoned me?" Mark 15:34. You paid for my sins. Thank You.
Daily
Bible Reading: Numbers 28-30
© 2019 Text and
Photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
www.blueletterbible.org/dailyreading
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