Tag: Jesus breathed His last
The King of the Jews!
Scripture reading for March 2nd: Mark 15
After an early-morning mock trial by the Jewish Sanhedrin, the Jewish leaders handed Jesus over to Pilate for the Roman trial. Pilate asked Jesus, “Are You the king of the Jews?” “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied.” (Mark 15:2) The Jewish leaders made many other charges, but Jesus remained silent. Pilate was amazed that He did not speak out in defense, but admitted that He was king of the Jews!
It was Pilate’s custom to release a prisoner condemned to death to the crowd that had gathered. He wanted to release Jesus and thought that the crowd would oblige him. However, the chief priests stirred the crowd to ask for Barabbas, a man imprisoned with murderers. After flogging, Jesus was handed over to be crucified.
The Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus also mocked Him by putting a purple robe on Him and a crown of thorns. “And they began to call out to Him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” (Mark 15:18) In doing this, they placed on Jesus the symbol of the curse of sin and death brought on by Adam’s disobedience. Jesus would bear the penalty of this curse as He hung on the cross for the sins of Adam’s offspring. In His sinless body, He was made sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God. (2nd Corinthians 5:21)
Jesus was placed on the cross about nine in the morning. A written charge was nailed to the cross: “The King of the Jews.” (Mark 15:25) At noon, darkness came over the land for three hours. He cried out in a loud voice, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Mark 15:34) “With a loud cry, Jesus breathed His last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:37-38)
He has risen!
Scripture reading for April 28th: Luke 23:44-24:12
What a shock it must have been to those disciples to see Jesus actually crucified and then dead! Even though Jesus had told them that this would happen, the reality of it had to be painful and heart-rending. Added to this grief for their beloved Master, was the fact that each of them had denied Him in His hour of need. They had followed Him willingly and had learned so much, but this last day was something that none of them had courage to deal with. Their lack of prayer had led to failure during temptation! (Luke 22:46)
A member of the Sanhedrin, Joseph, who had not been in agreement with their actions, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. He took it and wrapped it in linen cloths and laid it in a new tomb right before sundown. The women went home and prepared spices for the body, but because of the Sabbath did not get to put them on Jesus’ body. (Luke 23:50-56)
After the Sabbath was over, early on the first day of the week, the women took their spices and went to the garden tomb to anoint the body for proper burial. On arrival, they found the stone rolled away and they entered and looked around. “While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still with you in Galilee: “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.””
Jesus rose from the grave! He was declared the Son of God with power through resurrection from the dead! (Romans 1:4) No other religion or person can claim this truth! Jesus not only rose, but announced it before hand to confirm His claim to be the Son of God. Can you put your faith in Jesus Christ today? This act of believing can change you eternal destiny and how you live each day of the rest of your life! Jesus is alive!