Friday: The Agony

MESSAGE for Friday of Easter week; "The Agony"

 

> The crucifixion starts with the scourging that literally skinned Jesus alive. This was not common with a crucifixion but I feel Pilot thought it would invoke pity from the crowd so they would release Jesus. During this physical ordeal, He was struck, mocked and spit on by a company of Roman soldiers. Mt. 27:26 and Mk. 15:16 - 19.

Shame is a big element of eastern cultures. It was shameful to be crucified naked in public; to one’s self, family and community, Jn. 19:23.

 

> There appears to be some conflict about who carried the cross and when. Reading the accounts in the first three gospels closely, Mt. 27:32 & 33, Mk. 15:20 & 21, and Lk. 23:26, we conclude the weakened Jesus carried the crossbar as far as the city gate, where they ran into Simon, the Cyrene, who was on his way into the city.

On the cross, Jesus was offered wine twice. The first time, was standard to crucifixion. Wine was mixed with “gall” (1 grain of frankincense) to numb the senses. He refused this wine mixture, Mt. 27:34. He was supposed to suffer in our stead.

 

> The second was after He stated He was thirsty. This was wine vinegar and He drank from the sponge on the stalk of hyssop. {Looking at Heb. 9:19, a cleansing ceremony was performed by Moses using the blood of a sacrifice (wine on the cross) with a red woolen cloth and hyssop to confirm the covenant between Israel and God. You can find this in Ex. 24:8. Jesus, the sacrifice, was redeeming that covenant.

 

> Jesus died at the time of day (3:00 pm) that the last sacrifice of the day was made in the temple. The last animal sacrifice of the day; Jesus the one true sacrifice for mankind. 

 

 

 

SEVEN LAST STATEMENTS:

1. “Father forgive them, they know not what they do”, Lk 23:34. Our glorious Savior was asking forgiveness for unrepentant people. In the language of the Bible, the number one represents the head of the house; the leader. Jesus is speaking, in His number one statement, to the head of our house, Father God.

 

2. “Today you will be with me in paradise”, Lk. 23:43. The number two, His second statement, represents a house. Jesus was assuring the repentant sinner that he has an eternal home with his Savior.

 

3. “Woman here is your son. . . Here is your mother”, Jn. 19:26 & 27. This perfect man was thinking of others as He hangs naked and stripped of His very skin, Ps. 22:17. The number three means to lift up in pride. The mother He was proud of and the apostle He was proud of were being lifted up to care for each other.

 

4. “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”, Mt. 27:45. This is a reference to Psalm 22. This is the only time Jesus refers to the Father as “My God”. He is a man taking the sins of the world for all time upon Himself; He was speaking for sinful man. For a brief heart wrenching moment, the Father became God in judgement of men. They were not speaking as the perfect son to a loving father; it was ultimate sinner, under judgement, to God. The number four references the earth. Jesus was man of the earth with the sins of the world upon Him.

 

5. “I thirst”, Jn. 19:28. Jesus thirsts for us to be with Him. How much do we thirst for Him? The number five is the number for grace. Jesus is the ultimate grace of God to us through His sacrifice.

 

6. “It is finished”, Jn. 19:30. The number six refers to mankind. Jesus work on this earth, as man, was over. He made His stand and finished what He was born for. Just as He created the universe in six days, His six statements summarize the reason for His life on earth. It is time to rest.

 

7. “Father into your hands I commit my spirit”, Lk. 23:46. The number seven means completion. His human life is now complete, cut off from this physical earth. Here is the power of our Lord Jesus. Then, He hung His head and GAVE up His spirit.

 

> Through archeological findings, we know that everyone who died on a cross died with their back or neck broken because they threw their head back so violently reaching for that last breath of air. Jesus was in complete control when He BOWED His head and He gave up His spirit. No one took His life. He died exactly the moment He was supposed to, under His own power; fully in control of the situation.

This is our Lord

Reverential Fear

Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is His name:  Jeremiah 31:35

In the verse above and Exodus 15:11, we are reminded of the awesome power and authority of God.  When we understand this, we develop what is known as "awe" of God.  Awe is a reverential fear.  This is not fear that sends us running for a secure place to hide (as if that existed with God).  This is the type of fear that recognizes the power and majesty of the All Might; the type of fear that produces respect for the greatest power in the universe that loves us beyond any human understanding.  We see and understand the power of our Creator.  This can be related to the awe we had of our parents when we were young.  We recognized that they had the power to reject, reward, discipline, deny, give and create the atmosphere of our lives.

Once we reach this state of "awe", we want to worship and praise in gratitude -  just as we felt about our parents.  When young, they controlled our entire world and we stood in awe of the way they went about the business of work and providing everything.  In Psalm 68:35, we are told of the power of God that He can give to us.  In Isaiah 66:2, we are told of who He favors among His people. 

Our parents were proud of us and bragged on us when we were respectful.  We were rewarded when we obeyed them and did as we were instructed.  I recognized that my mother had all authority and she demanded respect.  We feared what she could do if she did not get that respect (awe) through our disobedience.   At the same time, we were certain of her love because of the way she commanded right living.  I loved my mother, obeyed her and she returned this with love.  I respected her for her power over me and she loved me for it.

God bestows good things, blessings, on those who who trust Him.  Psalm 31:19.  In Luke 1:50, we are told that proper fear of God grants us mercy from Him.  We learn in Psalm 103:11 that God loves those who love Him.  Love comes from respect, a type of awe.  Isaiah 33:6 tells us that through fear/awe of the Lord, we will be given salvation, wisdom and knowledge as treasure.

The Lord listens to and hears those who fear Him.  Malachi 3:16-17   Proverbs 14:27 tells us we can receive health and long life  through fear of the Lord.  Proverbs 19:23 goes further to add that our life will be content and untouched by trouble when we fear Him.  Finally, we see in Proverbs 22:4 that even riches and honor are added to our life for fearing the Lord.

How do we stand in awe and fear the Lord?   We accept His unconditional love and grace imparted to us as a free gift through the sacrifice of His son on the cross.

We do not have to earn this love from God; His grace is a free gift.  Our sins were forgiven on the cross.  Hebrews 10:12 Amen

We Are His Children

I don't know who created this image but I dearly love it.  (I hope there is no copyright penalty for using it.  If I knew the artist, I would give them full credit.  It was on the inter net so I assume it is for public use.)

As someone who was an abused child, I give great meaning to this scene.  Let's consider this image together.  

The child has a most content look on his/her face.  We don't know if this is a boy or a girl so we understand anyone can relate.  I see "child" in this little person:  the shy, the playful, the innocent.  He/she is very comfortable.  There is no fear.  They are happy to have all the attention placed solely on them at this moment; reveling in the company.  

I believe this is how our loving Heavenly Father intends for us to feel:  safe, secure, trusting, confident, doted on - loved.   He wants us to accept His Son as our atonement, the sacrifice paid for us.  We can feel clean and free to allow Him in anytime.

Then, there is Jesus.  His hands folded and space between him and the child.  No threat here.  He is not invading the child's space.  He is not even reaching out to the child.  There is genuine interest in His expression.  He is totally in the moment: there is only Him and this little child.  He makes no pretense to be anything other than the simple and humble person that He is.  His figure towers over the child but is not overwhelming - does not threaten but, rather, seems protective.

This is my Savior.  He is not pushy.  He does not come in to me unless I ask Him to.  He never forces Himself.  He respects my space and my choices; right or wrong.  I am free to make those choices with confidence He will be available if I need Him for advice, shelter or forgiveness.  He dotes on me and wants only to help, to see me safe, happy and healthy doing His will.

They are sitting on solid rock, surrounded by rock; symbolic of the strength of Jesus as the cornerstone of life; our security for eternal life. 

Notice the light that surrounds the head of Jesus.  Halo?  Light of the world?  Light in the darkness?  All of the above.

Notice also the vine around the stalk.  Jesus is the vine.  He is the stalk and we are the branches.

There was a lot of thought and planning put into the structure of this image.  God put a lot of planning into His master plan for us.  Jesus is the central part of that plan.

   Now, take a look at this scene:

The child has consented to sit on the lap of Jesus, in his hands and we see from his/her posture there is no fear.  The child is relaxed, at ease, content, feeling safe and happy.  

Jesus is smiling, happy to have us secure within his hands.  He is offering happiness and safety.  This is a confident man.  No one would dare confront Him to take us away now that we have consented to accept Him.  We are His and He is ours.

Amen