April 5, 2023
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Reading along with us in our Lenten readings from “The Life of Jesus”? Here’s today’s reading:
Day 26 in the Book: “The Life of Jesus“
The Week Jesus Dies
Read Sections 5.53 through 5.57 (pages 179-183)
This book is an account of Jesus’ life and teachings told through in chronological order from the four Gospels to create one continuous story.
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The temple veil is torn from top to bottom on it’s own. A great earthquake shakes all the land. Dead are raised and walk out of their tombs back into town.
“We have made a terrible mistake!” I imagine was being said almost as loudly as their chants to kill Him! Seeing all this and realizing that you did just call for the death of your Messiah. God used man’s own free will and sinful nature to accomplish His plan and ironically save us from that sinful nature. But the agony was over and He would soon be back with His Father and we would now have a way to be redeemed from our sin and follow His example He left us from His time here on earth.
The joy set before him scorning its shame. Overwhelming. God in flesh. Crucified. The most overwhelming truth. Did it for me!! So undeserving!! The worst for Jesus. To be forsaken by his father. Could not be in the presence of sin. This is why Jesus was full of anguish in the garden Curtain temple torn from top to bottom. Significant. 80 ft high. God tore it. Along with darkness. Earthquakes. Dead people rising. . I also would have said, certainly this man was the Son of God. Joseph of Arimathea had seen enough. Been an apostle of Christ. At night !! Now he’s boldly asking for the body of Jesus. Funny the meatheads took Jesus resurrection more serious than the apostles. Guard the tomb. This whole thing is a total sham. The worst night court and execution excuses in the history of man. Upsets me that man (meatheads) can do this But glad they did. I would have no chance otherwise
Day 25 53-55
On lent 2023 day 25
In the previous section Barabbas [ a murder and rioter] is freed instead of Jesus. I often wondered what happened to him. Did he turn to Jesus and become a believer or did he waste this freedom and die in sin? Another man is Simon of Cyrene who the soldiers forced to carry the cross of Jesus who was coming into the city. I wonder what impact this had on him. Did he become a believer/ Then there are the two thieves that were are each side of Jesus. At first they both heaped insults at Jesus. [ Matthew 27; 44 ] Then at some point one of them changes his mind and realizes that Jesus is the Son of God. He rebukes the other rebel and tells him that he should fear God. We know that he got saved for Jesus told him that he would be with him in paradise. This was only directed to this thief. Of course there was an impact on the soldiers for they said that this was really the Son of God. For when Jesus was on the cross the whole country became dark for three hours. Then when He died the curtain of the Temple was torn into two pieces and there was a great earthquake. All the people saw these things happen ; not just the soldiers. Not only that but the graves were opened and many of God`s people who died came out of the graves. The soldiers made sure that all three were dead and broke the legs of the two thieves but Jesus was already dead but one of them stuck his spear into the side of Jesus. Fulfillment of scripture. Then there was a Roman guard placed in front of the tomb where Jesus laid. No one was going to steal the body and claim that Jesus arose. Their own lives were at stake if they allowed the body to be taken. They also sealed the tomb.
Only a death with so much meaning and purpose could be celebrated with a day called Good Friday. It was a tragic Friday in many ways. The most righteous, kind, wise and powerful man that ever lived is brutalized, criticized, belittled, mocked and abused. But the greatness of His character is revealed in how, throughout this physical pain and agony, He still thinks of others and understands the mission. Don’t cry for me, cry for yourselves because hard times are coming. Father forgive them because they don’t know what they are doing. Today you will be with me in Paradise. Son, here is your mother…please take care of my mom. My God, My God, why have you forsaken me. And it is finished. None of these words were easy for Jesus to say has He hung on a cross and every breath was more than labored. But they are all filled with purpose and meaning. And point to the reality of what was accomplished and what was made possible for all of the human race….so bad Friday for Jesus, but Good Friday for us. Thank God for this plan and for offering up His Son. Thank Jesus for offering up Himself and paying a debt that I owed that I could not pay.
Day 26
5.53-5.57
Jesus was treated like a criminal. He was beaten, nailed to a cross and scorned while he hung there dying. His clothes were taken from him and divied up by the soldiers. He was humiliated beyond measure during the last hours of his life. And before he breathes his last breath, he asks God to forgive those people who were responsible for his torment. This is how our Lord and Savior operates; he forgives our sins even the ones that were responsible for his suffering, torment, humiliation and death.
I think of all of the minute details that must have been done in order to fulfill certain prophesies. No one was looking over their scriptures and saying, “okay, it’s time to divide up His clothes”, “make sure you don’t break His bones.” I think one of the most impactful revelations in my faith, was the amount of prophesies about Jesus that were fulfilled. At a certain point, you would laugh if someone thought it was a coincidence.