November 4 - Mark 15:21-24, Matthew 27:32-34, Luke 23:26-31, John 19:17, Mark 15:25-32, Matthew 27:35-44, Luke 23:32-43, John 19:18-27, Mark 15:33-41, Matthew 27:45-56, Luke 23:44-49, John 19:28-37

Good morning everyone,

In antiquity, condemned prisoners were to carry their own cross to the execution site. (Today would be a great day to turn on your mind’s eye.) From the place of his beating, Jesus walked on a path, now known as the Via Dolorosa or the "way of suffering", to be crucified at Golgotha. The total distance has been estimated at about 650 yards. A narrow street of stone, it was probably surrounded by markets in Jesus' time. He was led through the crowded streets carrying the crossbar of the cross across His shoulders. The crossbar probably weighed between 80 to 110 pounds. He was surrounded by a guard of Roman soldiers, one of which carried a sign that announced His crime of being "the King of the Jews" in three languages, Hebrew, Latin and Greek. 

Jesus having been severely beaten, flogged, and a crown of very sharp thorns shoved into his head was in a weakened condition. Perhaps He stumbled and fell to his knees, or maybe he was just too slow but at some point the guards determined he was physically unable to carry his cross any further, so a bystander in the crowd, Simon of Cyrene was ordered to carry it for Jesus the rest of the way. Can you see his face as he looks back at the guards saying, “What? Who me?”

At Golgotha, Jesus was put on the cross while it was laying on the ground. Nails about 7 inches long and about half inch in wide were driven in the wrists centered at the median nerve, causing shocks of pain to just “BANG!” through the arms. (Just so you know there is no contradiction, in those days, the wrist was considered to be part of the hand.) The feet were then nailed and what was basically a name plate, hung above his head. The cross was lifted and Jesus was then crucified.

The Romans had perfected this method of execution which caused maximum pain and suffering over a period of time. In fact it was so awful that Roman citizens, except perhaps for soldiers who had deserted and then captured, were not subjected to this treatment. Crucifixion was a slow suffocation but it started with the tremendous strain put on the wrists, arms and shoulders, as the cross was lifted, most likely dislocating the shoulder and elbow joints. The arms, being held up and outward, held the rib cage in a fixed breathing position. Make sense? This made it extremely difficult to exhale, and impossible to take a full breath. The shallowness of breathing would cause small areas of lung collapse. Fluids would build up in the lungs, the heart would get stressed and eventually fail. 

We’re told that while Jesus was on the cross, from noon to three, darkness covered the land. Matthew 15:34 tells us, “And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) and Jesus gave up his life. Please get that! He freely “gave” his life. In John 10 it says, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father." He loves us that much. 

In Luke 9:23 we are told, “Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” That means kicking self out and letting Jesus move in. Galatians 2:20, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Right? It means giving up and separating yourself from all that you had; your rights, your friends, your body and blood, especially any "gods", to follow Him. All that you have and are belongs to Him. It means believing, and living as though you believe, that this is not your home. Jesus died a most miserable death for you, and for me, so that one day we can bask in His glory at our home for all eternity, heaven. I would encourage us all to daily pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Amen?

Have a great day and to God be the glory.

God bless you all …..