The Crucifixion

PRAYER PRACTICE

Breath Prayer – Take 2-3 minutes today to pray a simple breath prayer. Get somewhere quiet and relaxing. Breathe in deeply, and then breathe out fully. As you breathe in, ask God to fill you with His presence, grace, love, peace, etc. Consider using the list of spiritual fruit in Galatians 5:22-23. As you breathe out, offer to God the things you need Him to take from you – sin, doubt, shame, anxiety, fear, etc. Pray this way for just a few minutes, trusting God to work, and then begin reading today’s Scripture.

 

DAILY READING

Luke 23:1-56

 

DEVOTION / REFLECTION

The Crucifixion 

By Andrea Taphorn

I don’t read the gospel recordings of Jesus’ crucifixion without really be driven to them by something outside myself, because they are uncomfortable to read. My heart will gravitate towards passages about hope in Christ. I find myself not really wanting to sit in this story, read its details and let it do its work on me. I’d like to skip quickly ahead to the joy of the resurrection. Because of this tendency, I am grateful for this reading today that bids me to do the thing that otherwise, I don’t quite have the power to do on my own, which is to read and reflect on the details of Christ’s death on the cross.

Today is just two days before we begin the season of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday, the Christian holiday where we remember we are going to die. From the outside looking in, this sounds like quite a strange holiday to celebrate each year, doesn’t it? We remember our mortality. But we remember it in light of this very story of Christ’s own death. As I read this chapter, I found myself being drawn in by verse 49, “But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.”

If there are characters in the story that I find relatable, it is the ones who knew Jesus and followed him. And I find it so convicting that I am not all that different than those that walked and talked and laughed and prayed with Jesus and one another. Once their following brings them to this scene, they could not take it in and stood at a distance. Their following took a hard stop.  I certainly have empathy for them in their bewilderment. But our dear Savior just doesn’t quite stand for that does he?

Jesus’ death on the cross demands that not only that I take in this story, but up close and personal. And not just once, but he bids me here again and again. Jesus wants to apprise me of the fact that my sin is on him. And this news, that my sin has been placed upon Jesus, is something I have heard my entire life and still feel myself wanting to stand at a distance from it. It’s the kind of news that does something to me every time it bids me closer.

For Jesus does not die instead of me, but ahead of me. And to the human heart this just sounds startling and fearful and quite honestly- deadly. And dear friends, I am astounded each time I come in close. I find that this is the best news I could ever hear- again and again. Jesus has taken my sin from me. He has put me to death, praise be to God. For Jesus is relentless in raising me to new life. Jesus resurrects me with the words, “You are my beloved child. You are mine. I’ve taken everything of yours upon myself. I’ve taken it all. My resurrected life is your resurrected life. Everything I have is yours.”

 

 

Father, Forgive Me

Luke 23: 32-47


“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” These are words I’ve prayed many times. I’ve prayed them for the world at large, for strangers, for friends and family members. But if I’m being honest, I usually pray them for myself. “Father, forgive ME, for I do not know what I am doing.”

How did I get here? How did this happen? Where should I be? How do I find my way? In the past, I’d look for answers in misguided places and chastise myself for not getting it right. As my relationship with Christ has matured, I’ve learned to seek His will. I guess that’s what they call spiritual growth. I still don’t have the answers, but it does help me sit with the questions a little longer. He’s helping me learn to wait and listen.

Today, we recall the Crucifixion. While Christ endured our pain, one of the criminals next to him said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

For the repentant sinner, those words of forgiveness removed a huge weight. “YOU will be with me in paradise.” How sweet the sound!

And as Jesus breathed his last, I want his words to be mine - “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” It’s not just a deathbed prayer, but one worthy of repeating each day, “Father, I place my life in your hands!”

He knows better what to do with it than I do, but I’m learning… waiting and listening.

Peace to you this Good Friday.

         

Sudden life!

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  Luke 23:42 

When it comes to Bible stories, the repentant thief on the cross is a cherished favorite.  Suffering there next to Jesus, he looked on as the religious leaders, the soldiers and even the other crucified crook mocked Jesus and ridiculed him.  Perhaps it was in the brilliance of unselfish forgiveness shining forth from the darkness of undeserved hatred that the condemned man saw for the first time the Christ for who he really was.  “Jesus,” he pleaded, “remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 

One of the amazing things about this rich story is the suddenness of it all.  Was the thief thinking about Jesus when he committed his crime?  No.  Did he contemplate the Christ as he was tried for his offense and sentenced to death?  No.  The night before his crucifixion, was he meditating on the Messiah?  Probably not.  As the nails were pounded into his hands and feet, were the robber’s thoughts centered on the Son of God?  No way!  It is probably safe to say that Jesus had occupied very few, if any, of the man’s thoughts until now. 

But then suddenly! 

As the events unfolded beneath his feet, how long did the robber have to witness the forgiveness by the Innocent One for injustice from the guilty ones before emerging from his spiritual stupor?  How long did it take for the perp to turn penitent?  Was it a full minute?  Three?  Could he have held his tongue for five minutes before speaking out? 

In a single unforeseen moment in time, the man’s soul awakened to recognize the King of a kingdom not of this world.  And not even extreme physical pain would deter him from eternal spiritual gain.  In the blink of an eye, the life lived wrong got it right. 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”  Luke 23:43

In never-ending mercy and love, God never quits; he always pursues.  And his sudden, sovereign moments of salvation continue, right to the end.

Praise his name!

[Click here to see the daily reading in Luke 23:32-43.] 

God, fools and electricians

But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand.  He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.  Luke 23:6-25

As we talked about home maintenance and remodeling projects one day, a friend unabashedly confessed the limit of his expertise.  “Wiring is for God, fools and electricians!” he declared.  His point was a good one: electricity is a power of its own and disrespecting it comes at great potential cost.

I find it fascinating to watch the powers in ancient Jerusalem try to deal with – or, better yet, not deal with – the arrest and trial of Jesus.  The chief priests and the elders handed him over to Pilate.  When he heard that Jesus was a Galilean, Pilate eagerly handed him over to Herod.  Unamused by the silent Messiah, Herod handed him back over to Pilate.  And despite three times declaring the charges against him to be baseless, Pilate had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.

Clearly, none of them were comfortable handling him who is all power, even though he showed no resistance.  Now, we might conclude that, given the three – God, fools and electricians – it was the fools who were in charge.  But not so.  For the night before Pilate surrendered Jesus to the will of the Jews, Jesus surrendered himself to the will of the Father.  God was in charge. 

He still is.  It may appear that fools run the world – or just our world – but all of us are subject to the sovereignty of God.  His will is done, on earth as it is in heaven.  As Jesus submitted his will to that of the Father, so can we.  So must we.   

Are you facing circumstances bigger than you?  He who holds all power is bigger still.  And he loves you.  We can trust him.

“You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” – Jesus, to Pilate

[See the daily reading in Luke 23:6-25.]