Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:1-66, Isaiah 53:1-9, John 3:16
When I read through this part in the Gospels, I always read it with the resurrection in mind because we have the luxury of knowing what happened after Jesus’s death. But what if I was there when it happened? What if I was one of the people following Jesus around at that time? As I’m watching Him, this man who says He’s come to save the world dies so helplessly, receiving an excruciating punishment—what would I be thinking and feeling?
In Matthew 27, I see all the different types of responses to Jesus and His pending death. Judas hangs himself after seeing the direct outcome of his actions. Religious leaders are laser-focused on getting Jesus killed. Roman soldiers, other criminals crucified next to Him, and bystanders, mock Jesus. Roman centurions at the crucifixion notice the abnormal darkness and earthquake. The women who followed Him are watching from a distance. Joseph of Arimathea uses his wealth and position to get Jesus’s body for a proper burial.
The best His followers could do at that time was to either quietly observe from a distance or provide a place to bury His dead body. I think I would have done the same if I’m honest. And while doing so, I would have said “oh, perhaps this wasn’t it…” and added it to my list of unmet expectations.
There is something to be said about the proximity of the guards to Jesus—their job was to watch Him and everything around Him closely. They probably heard everything Jesus was saying and how He was responding to His pain. Perhaps they sensed Jesus’s humility, meekness, and vulnerability amid His suffering. Perhaps they saw how He was still speaking with His Father in both love and agony, holding nothing back. Then they saw daylight turning dark when it wasn’t supposed to, and they felt the earth shake! Although they weren’t followers of Jesus, they saw it all and exclaimed what no one else would in this situation—this is the Son of God! To them, this was the only conclusion they could draw based on everything they saw.
It is easy to see the power of Jesus in His resurrection, but I want to have the eyes to see Him as my Lord and King in His death! I want to be so close to Him that I won’t miss anything. When I think hope is dead, Lord help me stay close to you and see who you really are.
Written by Minnie Lee
Leave a Reply
34 thoughts on "Jesus Is Crucified"
Hebrews 10:19–20 the author reminds us that we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Christ, who opened the way through the curtain by his flesh. In other words, the temple curtain stood in the way so that only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and that only once per year. By his death on the cross, Jesus opened the way through the curtain, a curtain which literally tore in two when Jesus died on the cross.
Tearing of the veil was a picture of death whereby we enter the Presence of God. When Jesus died the veil was torn from top to bottom. If the earthquake that happened at Jesus’ death had ripped the curtain, it would have been from the bottom upward as the earth separated.
The curtain was the barrier between humanity and God, where no one may enter the room where God’s throne is except the high priest, once a year. The torn curtain signifies that death of Jesus makes access to God possible for humanity.
Jesus’s death was so painful and humiliating that we tend to avert our eyes. However, He is inviting us to look directly at the events of Good Friday, view his suffering and humiliation on the cross, and see the LOVE there. ❤️
“Blessed are those who mourn….”
Father we thank you for Your great sacrifice. The mourning may be for the night, but joy shall come in the morning. For the wisdom of God is to use the frailty of His son to deliver mankind. We praise and bless your Holy Name. We thank You for your kindness and suffering. May we live every day to make Christ known. May it be a commitment and privilege of our lives.
—————-
Day 3 Fasting: The Tomb is the Womb of Resurrection.
“Those from among you
Shall build the old waste places;
You shall raise up the foundations of many generations;
And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach,
The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In.”
(Isaiah 58:12)
Father, we pray for the power of resurrection this day to come into our lives, our families, our friends, our nations. Let the grave that holds captives be broken to release all, including ourselves. Let those in our families, our nations, those dead to the things of God, let us come back up to life by Your Power that raises Jesus from the dead. Let the ruins in our families that were destroyed, the relationships that were estranged and scattered, the dreams forsaken, the hopes deferred, let the power of resurrection come onto all this day, that none shall be lost but to be brought back life, with speed. For the Glory of our Name.
Father, we decree and declare in Your Name the ancient ruins shall be rebuilt in our Nations, in our communities, neighborhoods, churches, and families. There is a place where the Words of Life and Death are birthed by the power of our tongues (Proverbs 18:21). Let our tongues turn the course by our words now. Let life come back, let resurrection come back over the prodigal nations/children who were “dead” and scattered, let Life and Your Spirit come into them now, to change hearts and bring them back to paths of righteousness. Let the course of our prayers and proclamations this day turn the table of darkness, to prophesy that Your Kingdom come, Your will be done across the Nations of the Earth, and in our families’ lives even now. Let them come back. Let the wicked ones forsake his ways when there is still time. Unite your remnants this day Lord, to come and humble ourselves in fasting and prayers, to seek the face of the Lord in True Repentance, and stand in the gap and in the authority You have given us, to intercede on behalf of our Governments, Nations and others. May Your glory be revealed in ways we never thought possible. Cause us to be bold and strong in our Prayers and Prophetic Declarations. For we are called for such a time like this.
In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.
@SEARCHING:❤️
@CHANGED LIFE:❤️
Be blessed dear sisters.
Lord Jesus, May our hearts remain in you, long after tomorrow’s celebration of your resurrection in the months to come. May we live with hearts and minds focused on you. Amen.
The last two days (ch 26 & 27) have caused me to look at the religious leaders and how hard their hearts were In spite of what they experienced first hand:
1. From 6th to 9th hour the earth darkens
2. When Jesus gave up his Spirit on the cross, the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom – you know the religious leaders heard about it
3. Earthquake – everyone felt it
4. Godly dead people were resurrected from tombs and made appearances in city after Jesus’ resurrection!!!!
Jesus had been performing miracles for 3 years and the religious leaders were more and more determined to kill Him.
Even the next morning they asked Pilate to put a guard on the tomb.
And what about all the regular people? I picture chaos in the city on Saturday – everyone having a story to tell. Unexplainable other than Jesus was who He claimed to be.
I’m thinking this is why thousands of people put their faith in Jesus at Pentecost.
But where I sit today – my takeaway- I don’t want to have a hard heart. I don’t want to think I have all the answers.
I want to draw closer and closer to Jesus even when I don’t understand what He is doing in my life.
I want to be like those precious ladies who were constantly there even when most of the disciples ran and hid. They followed Him in life and they followed Him in His death. They grieved but they stayed!!!! Even sitting across from the tomb after Joseph left having rolled the stone over the tomb. They stayed.
Happy Easter, dear sisters!
It’s amazing how Jesus used his power as the son of God to endure all shame, pain, despair, betrayal, and darkness, so that we could be saved from it all. Oh, my humble and mighty King of Kings. Be blessed She’s!!
I am listening to a podcast right now. (Imagine that… many of you know I am a self-proclaimed “podcast junkie”!)
The Truth for Life podcast from March 13 is very good and focuses on Peters denial. It is a good listen. (Yes, I am behind! I unsubscribed from about TEN the other day!)
Good morning/afternoon ladies!!
Had such a sweet Good Friday service yesterday. Today I am remembering how it may have felt for the disciples, sitting in the silence of Saturday. Praise the Lord, we know what happens next!! It reminds me that God is working, even when I can’t see it. He sees the whole picture. He has a plan, and it’s better than anything my broken, human mind can imagine. I am so quick to make things about me, when the focus should be on Jesus…I have this unsaid expectation that my “friend” will ask me out this weekend…and even though that is a desire, I have to remember that if God wants it to happen, He will make it happen. I pray if it does, I would continue to give thanks in everything. Every good thing is a gift. I want to be constantly in awe of Jesus- of his sacrifice on the cross, and the JOY and FREEDOM that is found in Him, because He lives!! Praise the Lord. Praying I would focus on Him and He would grow me, even in this “in between” phase. I am living in an answered prayer right now through my job and the community I have at my church. So much to be thankful for.
@Taylor, praying for you!! So sorry it didn’t work out, but sounds like you have a great perspective on it. In it with you!!
Have a wonderful Saturday ladies!
What Jesus endured for our sins! May it never become all about tradition! May I find avwsyb
RHONDA J – I remember seeing the Passion of Christ in the movie theater. It wrecked me. I left with such strong emotions. We are so undeserved of Jesus’ act of obedience and love. His taking on of our senseless sins. Some are so petty and yet we cannot stop. Yesterday those emotions were strong again. It is so painful to think of what Jesus had to endure. Yet so beautiful the love He has for all of us.
“But what if I was there when it happened? What if I was one of the people following Jesus around at that time?…what would I be thinking and feeling?” And that is the question I can not answer. Would I have remembered all that He taught, everything He warned that was going to happen, would I have known with confidence that He would rise again? Or would I have feared, doubted, mourned the loss? But, we all know the end of the story – He did rise and He is coming again. I pray that I will live my days waiting – yet serving, watching – yet sharing the gospel, expectantly and obediently. Thank you Jesus for becoming sin for me so that I could become your righteousness. Thank you for being willing and obedient, even to the death on the cross. Thank you Jesus.
When I try to imagine the experience of the disciples and followers of Jesus as He was crucified, I think maybe they thought over and over- “What are we going to do? What are we going to do???”
All of their hopes went into the tomb with Jesus. The devastation, the shock and horror of what He went through, the fear of going forward without Him… Knowing that they would be considered enemies of the ‘System’ all by themselves now… No wonder they were in hiding together in their grief.
Did they quarrel with each other? Blame each other for doing or not doing SOMETHING that might have prevented this tragedy? Having to just sit and be in their grief during the Sabbath, not knowing what would follow….
I want to ponder this also. During the times in my life when I have had to just sit in my grief, from various types of loss, trying to make sense of the true non-sense… but with the luxury in these times knowing that the Tomb is empty, where the followers of Jesus had no such thing.
Today in Ohio it is dark and gloomy, raining a little. How fitting for the day of waiting.
But take heart, Dear She’s! Sunday is coming!
Isaiah 53:1-9 is such a beautiful overview. Thank you SRT for digging deeper today. Also I never noticed before Matthew 27:50-53 and will definitely do some digging on my own here. Thank you Minnie “When I think hope is dead, Lord help me to stay close to you” ! Praising God for His son today! Happy Saturday She’s ☮️❤️
Same!! Matthew 27:50-53 were the verses that really caught my attention, though I’ve read them numerous times throughout my life. The hope of His return has been so palpable for me the past few months.
“I want to be so close to Him that I won’t miss anything.” I love this Minnie! My quiet time is SO important to me. I have to have it! Can’t leave home without it! Its what starts my day. I love, love, love my time with my Jesus. I love hanging out with all of you EVERY morning and can’t wait to meet you all someday! TODAY is a VERY VERY special day for me. My son Caleb was born today 23 years ago!! I can’t believe it…23 years ago! I am SO blessed God chose me to be his mom and for Caleb to be my son! He’s is such a blessing to my life and my daughter! He goes above and beyond for the both of us. In his younger years, he was never home (and not home today either). Since Spring break would always fall on his birthday, he was always on a missions trip with our church and in high school he would go with the high school ministry to Mexico. Now as a young adult, he still not home, but he goes away and spend time alone. I am blessed!
❤
I loved the last line of today’s devotion: “When I think hope is dead, Lord help me stay close to you and see who you really are.” AMEN. Praying everyone has a blessed weekend <3
Oops… Matthew 27:25… I transposed the chapter and verse. I hadn’t noticed before that, when quoting a verse, the reference was underlined, and it became a link. I clicked on the link, and was, like, “Whaaaaaat?!?!” (That was an appropriate verse today too, though.)
So much meaning in this that I hadn’t noticed, really, till this year… In Matthew 25:27… ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’”
Truth.
We know His resurrection is coming, but as MINNIE LEE said…let’s stay very close to Him in His death too. It was for you, sweet She’s, and for me that He died this awful, awful death.
“I want to be so close to Him that I won’t miss anything”. May that be so. Thank you, Minnie.
Proximity has always been key. Lord, please protect us all from the things that would keep us at a distance. Keep our hearts – and the things our hearts long for – close to you. This is consistent with your will for us, so we can ask it boldly and with confidence knowing that all your promises find a “yes! And AMEN!” In Jesus. ❤️
Oh Jesus thank you for saving me on that Cross! Amen
GM She’s!
I was saying yesterday that this Lenten season has been the most impactful for me. We did a 6 week study in jail ministry call The Last Words of Jesus, so each week we study around those last phrases that Jesus said from the Last Supper, in the Garden, in the Trial, and on the Cross to the Thief, than to God. Then we would watch 20 minutes of “The Passion of the Christ” and sing songs specific to the crucifixion and resurrection. It has really let me sit and reflect so much more rather than celebrating the Resurrection! We even got to do communion with the girls which I was charged with and it was powerful to give it! (I wasn’t nervous till afterwards, then my leg shook for 5 minutes while my leader spoke!) Then add in doing Matthew alongside you all, it’s almost too overwhelming. But thankfully, I know the rest of the story that still skews my perspective and feelings.
We really shake our heads at the disciples of how they ran, and were in denial and disbelief, and shock…yet we as Christians and not, have the whole Bible with all the prophesies and what took place and still not understand or believe. We have natural and miracles, and yet we still struggle or disbelieve. We have the Holy Spirit, yet we don’t utilize or know. Lord, help me to trust fiercely, to be on fire for you non-stop, let my life be a beacon of light that shines beyond anything that makes sense. Lord, let me be the hands for you to share love with everyone, and the feet to go where you lead me, even when I don’t feel like it! Lord, YOU are my world, and I want it to be evident..not for show, but because you have work for me to do. Nothing is more important. Nothing. You gave a sacrifice in suffering and scourging, and I can do something, anything in return, because of your great love for me/us. Lord, let me show that I not only believe in you for salvations, but as Lord to guide my life, be my first, and be my last, and everything in between. I know how I was before you and I never want to be there again. It is a change that should be evident…search me Lord to keep sanctifying me. Let the fruits of the Spirit come forth. in Jesus Name, Amen! We Praise you Lord..Hallelujah He has Risen!! Thank you Lord, thank you! We shout, we Praise, we clap, we dance, we fall on our knees!
Have a good Saturday. Watch The Passion of the Christ if you can on Prime. Don’t say you can watch because it’s too hard, that’s the point..to see the hard. Light comes from the dark, but you have to experience the dark to know the light!
Lord give me eyes to see the cost of Your Death. I too see the Resurrection and not the cost. What would I have done? I cannot say. But I hope I would have had faith to see. Give me faith to see now, Lord!
Amen
“All the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’”
Someone on a podcast I was listening to this week pointed out that even in death Jesus obeyed perfectly-He rested on the Sabbath.
A moving song that breaks me every time is called “The Killing” by Violet Burning. (On YouTube) It is a hard driving, alternative rock song, but in expresses so much of today’s reading.
Sit in the silence today.
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name
(The Wonderful Cross, Chris Tomlin)
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name
Along those same lines: “It is easy to see the power of Jesus in His resurrection, but I want to have the eyes to see Him as my Lord and King in His death! I want to be so close to Him that I won’t miss anything. When I think hope is dead, Lord help me stay close to you and see who you really are.” When hope seems gone, isn’t that the time we really need to be close and see Jesus as our Lord and our King?!
What would I have done on that day if I had been a follower of Jesus? What would I have done if I was not? Impossible to know because I do have the benefit of “the rest of the story” (Paul Harvey’s tag line that many of us oldies have heard) through 7:08 am EDT this morning- and even with that knowledge, in writing and available for study and review, I fail in some way every day. Heartbreaking.
These painful, thought provoking Scriptures and devo would take us days to fully walk through and digest.
Lord, guide us as we read and contemplate Your cost of our salvation. Thank you, Jesus.
MARIA BAER – amen.
MERCY – praying for husband’s healing
DONNA WOLCOTT – good question on timing
MICHELLE PATIRE – thank you for Psalm connection
KIM BUTTONBERRY – praying as you attend the service for your friend today
RHONDA J – He is indeed our Living Hope! Love that song and will also be listening to Phil Wickham’s song Sunday Is Coming later today.
CEE GEE ❤️ continuing to pray for your family member.
LYNNE FROM AL, NANCY S, GRAMSIESUE, LINDA IN NC ❤️❤️❤️- praying for each of you as you serve and caregive for your husbands. Praying for strength, endurance, patience, understanding, wisdom, guidance and an abundance of love to carry you through each day.
Oh, I never realized until reading Minnie’s words, that I do the same— read the Crucifixion through the lens of knowing the Resurrection is coming. Having Scripture gives us an advantage of knowing how the story ends, but had I lived in Jesus’ time, would I have had doubts, especially if I was a follower of Jesus and maybe expected… more? Father, help me, as I grow in my faith, to live in the present of all the aspects of Jesus life. And “help me stay close to you and know you as you really are.” We love you Jesus. Thank you for the sacrifice that you made for us, the amazing grace that we don’t deserve, and the incredible love you have for us.
Amen