Mar
08 |
“King of the Jews”
Cindie Jenkins |
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Listen |
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Mark 15:1--Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. |
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Inquire |
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The religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus’ teachings, and his claim to be King of the Jews, so they handed him over to Pilate to prosecute him. Although Pilate found no wrongdoing, he allowed Jesus to be crucified to satisfy the crowd. Today, our legal system protects those who are truly guilty from cruel and unusual punishment. Prisoners who have committed heinous crimes are isolated for their own protection. It is beyond my comprehension to consider what atrocities our sinless Savior endured before he was crucified. Mark 15:1-20 describes some of the acts against Jesus prior to his crucifixion:
-bound him
-falsely accused him
-shouted “crucify him”
-flogged him
-unclothed him
-dressed him in an imitation royal robe
-placed a crown of thorns on his head
-mockingly bowed to him
-hit him in the head with a staff
-spit on him
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Faith |
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Picturing these acts being done to our Jesus, God incarnate, makes my stomach churn and brings tears to my eyes. Jesus remained quiet throughout all of this, accepting the plan laid out for him. And then came the ultimate sacrifice: his crucifixion, the details so horrendous my amateur skills cannot convey. I pray I never become desensitized to the brutality our Lord experienced. |
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Experience |
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Father God, thank you for the saving grace available only because Jesus was willingly crucified. Help me to always be mindful of how great his sacrifice was. Amen |
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