I don’t celebrate a bunny; I worship a King! Because how could I not worship the one who has given me everything. Resurrection Sunday is right around the corner, and my thoughts are of the glorious gift Jesus has given me. A scene keeps playing through my head. I keep thinking of Jesus after He endured up to 39 lashes from the Roman scourge. This tool of torture was a handle with 12 leather cords fashioned with sharp shards of bone and metal designed to inflict maximum damage and unbearable pain. I picture the horrendous scene of what would have been 468 Stripes tearing His flesh from His body. The pain Christ endured and the terrible state his body would have been in at this point is far beyond what my mind wants to see. The suffering was so great that many fainted, and others died under this type of punishment, but Christ endured.
So then Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. 2 And the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. 3 [a]Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands.
4 Pilate then went out again, and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him.”
John 19:1-4
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold the Man!”
6 Therefore, when the chief priests and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”
Pilate said to them, “You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him.”
7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to [b]our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God.”
John 19:5-7
Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, 9 and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then Pilate said to Him, “Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” 11 Jesus answered, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above. Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” 12 From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, “If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar.” 13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Behold your King!”
But they cried out, “Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!”
John 19:8-15
After unthinkable torture, Jesus pressed forward in this flesh-ravaged state, literally bleeding out from His injuries. He carried a Wooden cross, so weakened by his previous torture that the Roman guards broke protocol and ordered a bystander to help Him carry His cross. This walk of 2000 ft is what keeps playing through my head. A visual of a bloodied, barely alive King purposely taking one step after another while Gawkers spit on Him and mocked Him. He marched forward as He listening to the crowd laughing at His torment. All while knowing He is walking toward certain death. I can’t help but think of how much pressure was on Him. The weight of the worlds sins literally on His shoulders as he carried that cross.
The pressure to end the torment and suffering must have been immense. He could have opted to give up His spirit right there. He could have just laid down and quit and ended the torment prematurely. The agony He was in, both physically and spiritually, no other man could have endured. But He pressed on for my sake! For your sake! He put one foot in front of the other. Painful step after painful step, because He knew the work of the cross had to be finished. He endured so I could have a relationship with Him, So I could walk free. My King kept moving toward even more suffering so that I could access heaven. He refused to quit, not for His own sake but so all of mankind would have the opportunity to accept or reject His sacrifice, So everyone who could ever want to would be able to escape Hell and enter Heaven. He did it knowing many would hate Him for it, knowing many more would reject Him rather than receive Him. Jesus endured, so 2,024 years later,you and I would have a choice between Heaven and Hell, a life of righteousness or sin—eternal Life or Eternal damnation and death.
Too often, when we tell the account of the sacrifice of Jesus, I think we get caught up in the injustice of His death because it was horrifically unjust. But, if we are not careful, that injustice can bury the element of His choice, which so clearly conveys how deep His love for us is. He willfully went to that cross, Pressing through the most difficult hardships to answer the cry for rescue of every Lost soul desperate to escape Hell. Yes, He was betrayed. Yes, judgments were made. Yes, Governments ruled Unfairly, and people called for His head with evil hatred in their hearts. When you read those accounts, you can’t help but wonder how these people could Hate so vehemently one who had only shown love. But we must remember that Jesus gave Himself willingly as a sacrifice. We must not forget that Jesus Knew the price that had to be paid for our sake. The weight of that choice caused Him to sweat blood as he prayed in the garden, “Not as I will but as you will.”(Matthew 26:39). Those who acted unjustly to carry out the crucifixion of Christ were just tools to accomplish His end game, which was to defeat the enemy once and for all, taking back dominion for mankind on this earth and opening the way to a relationship with our creator in heaven. Not one hair on His head could have been harmed without the Father’s permission. Jesus endured to the end to complete His call.
This fact that Jesus endured for my sake is what pushes me forward. Let’s face it: life can bring some challenges. But if Jesus can endure such hardship and win, Then what I am facing is nothing for Him. He has promised me the victory. When things look bleak I remember nothing about the cross looked like a victory to His followers. In fact, it looked like the greatest defeat. Not one of them understood that His death was the beginning of the greatest victory in the history of the world. But three days later, He rose up, conquering sin, death, Hell, and the grave. More times than I can count, events in my life looked like the end. The turmoil, confusion, and pain were so great that in the natural, it seemed all was lost. But God! He never fails. Time and time again, He has established the victory out of the scariest messes. So much so that when it looks like it’s all over, I get excited. Because I know it is the beginning of something greater than I can imagine.
Everything I have, everything I am, and everything I will ever be or accomplish, I owe to my King. He has done all that I could ever ask or think on that cross. There is victory upon victory stored up for me, just waiting for the next battle to show up. That victory is just waiting to once again be established in my life. Christ enduring death on the cross, Has given me access to the the promise of salvation and the promise that no weapon will prosper against me. I am eternally grateful. How can I ever repay such a thing? I have nothing so valuable as what Jesus has already given. Therefore, my life is His. Whatever sacrifice I need to make, What ever hardship I endure, I will do with gladness. I will live my life in awe and in worship Because I have nothing else to give to the one to whom I owe everything.
All I have is my enduring love, obedience, and Worship. If that means I don’t fit in because my life is one of obedience to His word, and people don’t understand the life I live or the choices I make, I will gladly give it up that acceptance and understanding. Why? Because the only acceptance I need is that of the one who has already given it. There is indescribable peace in knowing the creator of the universe loves you just as you are and has given everything for you to have access to everything He is and everything He has. This same peace is available to you, and the only thing you have to do to receive it is accept Jesus. If you would like to know Jesus, Simply pray this prayer. He is waiting with open arms to accept you Just as you are.
Dear Lord Jesus, please forgive me for my sins. Come into my life; I receive you as my Lord and Savior. Help me, Lord, to live my life for you and live according to your will, not my own, for the rest of my days.
you just prayed that prayer to receive Christ, It truly is that simple: you have just taken the first step in a journey that will alter your life for the better. Your next step is to ask God to lead you to a true God-centered full-gospel church that teaches God’s word unhindered. IF you don’t know what to look for in a good Church, you can find that information here.
