During my worship time in my room yesterday, I was reading the passage of Luke 23: 35-39. I started intensely pondering how a number of people insulted Jesus after He was nailed to the cross. Luke records Jesus was mocked by religious rulers, Roman soldiers, and a man who had robbed who was also being crucified then. I add Matthew 27: 39-44 reveals some people passing by “hurled insults,” and that mocking from religious rulers was extensive. Also, Matthew informs us that at the start, both men who had committed robbery were insulting Jesus. Thanks to Luke, we learn that one of the robbers had a change of heart.
Now the insults recorded centered on the point that if Jesus is the Messiah, then He should save Himself. The tone was mocking! The only exception is the one robber who later got rebuked by the robber who had a change of heart, who possibly had some dim hope Jesus could still save them. Those individuals seem convinced that since Jesus had already suffered beatings, a crown of thorns, an agonizing death-sentence march, and being nailed to a cross, that He was unable to rescue Himself from the execution.
However, I pondered how Jesus could have saved Himself. Being God the Son, just as He walked on water and brought His friend Lazarus back from the dead, He could have rescued Himself from that cross. (And note Matthew 26: 53-54). Yet He stayed there. Dying for the sins of people was His mission. Jesus allowed Himself to be murdered so He could be the atoning sacrifice for the sins of people. The consequence of sins is physical and spiritual death, and Jesus died as the substitute for that punishment. Why? Because Jesus loves people, and He endured the ultimate suffering to save us!
Consider a time when you did something for someone you love which brought hardship upon yourself. Was it worth it?
+ Thank You Jesus for being willing to suffer more than I can comprehend by taking our sins in Your heart and dying as the substitute for people.
Hunter
