Series: Flowers in the Desert
Psalm 138:3 ESV
Matthew 27:45-46 ESV
Isaiah 53:5-6 ESV
Matthew 12:31-32 (Blasphemy)
Mark 14:61-64 (Jesus called Son of God)
Mark 14:61, 62 (Jesus is Messiah)
John 1:29 (sin and guilt)
For many years it bothered me that Jesus suffered such a terrible painful death on the cross.
As a teenager I reasoned that God could help me, so why couldn’t God help His Son Jesus?
Understand that my idea of “helping meant finding another way to be Savior of the world. At the time while I knew about the resurrection, I didn’t fully understand that conquering death was the point. Actually, there were many things that happened when Jesus was crucified. Some of those things were unknown to me until I was an adult.
Because of my pain and angsts that Jesus suffered, a chain reaction occurred.
Even though I didn’t fully understand everything that occurred Psalm 138:3 brought me great comfort, “On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased.”
It helped to know that help and comfort was given when we suffer. So…when Jesus suffered, help and comfort was given.
I didn’t understand why I processed information and thought the way I did until I went through extensive psychological testing in Seminary. I finally understood I wasn’t just weird (as I have been told). I was told that I exhibit strong signs of being an empath.
When I read about Jesus on the cross crying out to God, I pondered about the depth of His pain.
First, I thought about how emotionally and physically painful it would have been to be stripped and beaten.
As if that wasn’t enough, the Roman’s Soldiers made a crown for Jesus because He was called King of the Jews.
However, this wasn’t just any crown. This crown was made of thorns from the jujube tree. One thorn on the tree is 1.2 inches (3 cm). The crown they made for Jesus more than likely would have had layers so there would have been many many thorns.
I wondered how He could bear that pain knowing He was without sin. As humans when we are accused of doing something that we did not do, the emotional pain is unbearable.
Thinking about how He suffered made me sad.
The scripture in Mathew 27:45-46 brought pain, “Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
I came to realize that while we do not ever feel truly alone because of the Spirit living in us, Jesus DID feel alone with His Father.
Consider this, “Here we enter the deepest mystery of what happened in that darkness. The terrors of the Father’s judgment were poured out on the Savior. Try to take in what was happening here. Jesus became our sin bearer, and He was plunged into all the torments of hell. And in the depths of His agony, Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (https://openthebible.org/article/why-did-jesus-cry-my-god-my-god-why-have-you-forsaken-me/)
The Prophet Isaiah wrote about it long before Jesus appeared on the scene. In Isaiah 53:5-6 we are told:
“But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
As an adult studying the arrest and trial of Jesus took on new meaning.
Before being crucified Jesus was accused of blasphemy (Matthew 12:31-32). That would have raised eyebrows but was not punishable by death.
Jesus was questioned about being referred to as the Son of God (Mark 14:61-64). That claim was very serious but was not enough to sentence Him to death.
Jesus called Himself Messiah/King. That statement was a crime against the Roman Empire (Mark 14:61, 62) and was punishable by death. Jesus was aware of the charge and result of the claim.
Then, As an adult, my understanding of what Jesus did on the cross for us took on new meaning that had breadth and depth.
Jesus came:
-to remove our sin and guilt (John 1:29)
-to remove God’s wrath (I John 4:10)
-reconcile us with God (Romans 5:10-11)
-redeem us (Romans 3:24)
-defeat power of darkness (Colossians 3:15)
-died as our substitute (Galatians 2:20)
The overarching point is that Jesus died for us…
Years ago there was a saying that went like this, “If you would have been the only one, Jesus would have died for you.”
I do believe that is true for each one of us.
Spiritual Practice: Jesus died for you
Take time today to thank Jesus for coming so you will have life eternal.
In God, Deborah
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