The Gift Poured Out April 15

The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

 Mark 15:16-20

 

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

 Isaiah 53:5

 

The sweet Baby Jesus that we celebrate at Christmastime grew into adulthood, lived a perfect and sinless life, poured out His unconditional love into all the people who came to Him, and taught us all about Who our Heavenly Father truly is. Jesus, the Savior of the world, is now receiving the punishment, the crushing, the mocking, and the piercing that has brought to us victory over sin and death!
 
Jesus’ suffering portrayed in today’s verses is shocking and difficult to take in! But let’s open our hearts and allow these words to sink deeply into us so that the depth of suffering Jesus went through for us can draw us close to His heart of love for us. This heart of Jesus, being filled with so much love for us and for The Father, enabled Him to willingly stand still and receive the strikes on His head, over and over, stand still and listen as the soldiers mocked His Holiness, stripped Him, and then led Him out to be crucified.
 
He took the punishment you and I deserved for our sinful and willful ways, so that we could be rescued from certain death and separation from God. This is where truth comes! This is where the life that is filled with peace is found! Because Jesus suffered, bled, and died, He is now The Way, the only Way to the Father! Let the lies slip away as you read this simple truth, “The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” John 3:35-36
 
Jesus is the only way we can be saved from God’s wrath that sin has brought upon us. Jesus is God’s great rescue plan to bring us into His powerful love! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:16-18
 

Scripture Inspired Prayer

 

Oh God, Thank You for sending Jesus to receive the punishment I deserve. The punishment that has brought me peace and saved me from certain death and separation from God! I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I receive Jesus as my Savior. Jesus, thank You for willingly taking such horrific blows of pain, thank You for standing there as they mocked Your Holiness, and thank You for walking up that hill, that You created, allowing them to nail You to the cross so I can be free from the destruction, devastation, and death my sin has brought into my life. Oh Jesus! I am free from the power of sin and death because of Your horrific, but beautiful sacrifice! Thank You!!