Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture:

Read Mark 15:25

"It was the third hour when they crucified Him.
" (Mark 15:25)

Reflection:

Life is strange. Events that are so horrible for
some are so positive for others.

For the Jewish priests it has been an amazing
ride. Two days before it looked like the whole
world was going after Jesus. They wanted Him
dead, but the crowds left them powerless. They
could only hope He wouldn't use the Passover
 Festival as the occasion to declare Himself the
Christ, the King of the Jews. But everything
changed when Judas showed up. They were
able to arrest Him away from the crowds,
condemn Him to death, and even force the
reluctant Pilate to order His execution. They
couldn't have planned it any better- before the
crowds could return to Jerusalem, Jesus was
already hanging on the cross.

For Jesus it must have seemed like an eternity:
the sorrow-filled dinner, the agonizing hours of
prayer in the garden, seeing His friend Judas
leading the arresting guards, the hostile and
unjust Jewish trial, looking into Peter's eyes
after his third denial, the trial and condemnation
of Pontius Pilate, the scourging, mocking, crown
of thorns, the grueling road to Golgotha, the nails
piercing His hands and feet.

On the cross God brings together the best and
worst: His boundless love and His fiery judgment,
His wrath and His forgiveness, heaven and hell.
Because of the sins we committed He pours His
furious wrath on His Son. Because of the perfect
obedience of His Son Jesus Christ He pours His
love and forgiveness out for you and all people.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord Jesus, hanging from the tree You poured out
Your life to give us peace, joy, forgiveness and
eternal life. Give me confidence in Your salvation
and transform my darkest days into days of joy,
peace and light.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries Lenten Devotional)

Scripture:

Read John 19:23-24

"And they divided His garments among them,
casting lots for them." (Mark 15:24)

Reflection:

In every crucifixion Rome wanted to send a
powerful warning to the nations it had conquered.
If you commit the crimes this man committed,
you will suffer the same fate. So the Romans
made crucifixion as public and shameful as
possible. They hanged the criminals along the
main roads leading into a city and they removed
their clothing before crucifying them.

If Jesus would have drank the wine mixed with
myrrh it wouldn't hurt so much, but one last time
His clothes are ripped from His tattered back as
He is stripped to be crucified. When He is hanging
from the cross the four guards assigned to watch
over Him will divide His clothes between them.
They will divide them into four piles- one for each
of them. Then they will take hold of His long tunic.
Since it is seamless, woven in one piece, they will
not be willing to tear it. Instead they will cast lots to
see who will win it. Jesus watches as they gamble
for the clothes off His back.

Shame is a word the Romans wanted associated
with crucifixion. They wanted that shame to be a
powerful deterrent to keep the peace among their
conquered nations. Jesus saw it differently. There
was no shame in fulfilling God's will or saving the
world. In Hebrews we read, "Look to Jesus, the
founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy
that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is seated at the right
hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You refused to let shame drive You
from Your mission, but humbled Yourself to save
us. Give me strength to bear whatever shame I
may face for trusting in You.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries Lenten Devotional)

Scripture:

Read Mark 15:23

"And they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh,
but He did not take it." (Mark 15:23)

Reflection:

The Roman execution procession finally reaches
Golgotha- the Place of the Skull. In preparation
for the crucifixion the soldiers offer the prisoners
wine mixed with myrrh. A Medieval Jewish
scholar named Maimonides explains,

"When one is led out to execution, he is given a
goblet of wine containing a grain of frankincense,
in order to benumb his senses, for it is written,
'Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish,
and wine unto the bitter in soul."
(Talmud, Sanhedrin 43a)

"The beverage was a mixture of myrrh and wine,
given 'so that the delinquent might lose clear
consciousness through the ensuing intoxication.'"
(Talmud, Sanhedrin 13)

The myrrh contains two compounds which
reduce a person's sensitivity to pain. Of course
the soldiers aren't doing this because they feel
sorry for the criminals- they never offered the
myrrh before scourging a criminal. They do this
to make their job easier- it's difficult to crucify
unwilling victims- especially if you have to nail
them to their crosses.

According to Matthew, Jesus first tastes the wine
then refuses to drink it because of the myrrh. Why?
He is taking our place in hell, suffering the torment
which for us would be eternal, unending. If He is to
satisfy God's justice He must receive God's full wrath
with no anesthetic, no pain killers.

It shows Jesus' remarkable love and strength that
He voluntarily stretches out His hands and receives
the nails without struggling or protesting. Jesus lays
down His life of His own accord, and no one takes it
from Him. (John 10:18)

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You took the full brunt of God's wrath at
my sins without accepting anything to blunt the pain.
Thank You for suffering all I deserve so I never will.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries Lenten Devotional)