Special Lenten Series From Women of Faith - Week 7
We hope this special 7-week series will help deepen your relationship with Jesus and prepare your heart and mind for the celebration of His resurrection.
An Introduction
By Luci Swindoll
What a wonderful privilege to introduce my brother, Chuck Swindoll. For those of you who may not know him, you’re in for a treat in reading this series of Lenten devotionals for the next seven weeks. Chuck is two years younger than I, the pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, and as far back as I can remember has been interested in the Bible and what it taught. He studied it at home, in high school, in the military, in seminary and of course, as a pastor. And...one of the primary reasons I love living in Frisco is to be able to attend that church and hear him teach what he’s learned. When we were kids, Mother used to say, “One day Charles will be great.” To which I’d reply, “Oh, Mother!” And now, when I hear him on Sundays, I always think, “Mother was right.”
I hope you’ll enjoy these excerpts from Chuck’s book. May they be an encouragement to you during the Easter season. There’s not only great teaching here, but practical wisdom as well. Once you’ve read them all, I trust the sacrificial death of Christ on the cross will mean even more to you.
The Crucifixion
Shortly after nine o’clock Friday morning, Jesus hung a few feet above the earth between two robbers—probably accomplices of Barabbas, who were surprised to see another man hanging on his cross. They had no doubt heard of Jesus and could guess what had happened by listening to the taunts of the religious leaders.
And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads and saying, “Aha! You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests also, mocking among themselves with the scribes, said, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Even those who were crucified with Him reviled Him. —Mark 15:29–32
The brigands on either side of Jesus joined the others taunting Him while the soldiers helped themselves to what few possessions the prisoners had. When they came to Jesus’ clothing, they noticed that His tunic was unique in that it had been woven as one piece. Rather than ruin the garment, the men cast lots—rolled dice as it were—to determine who should keep it.
Then, as the soldiers gambled and the religious leaders mocked, something changed within one of the robbers.
Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” —Luke 23:39–43
The religious leaders continued their taunts, quoting Scripture as they watched their Messiah suffer.“He trusted in God; let Him deliver Him now if He will have Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God’” (Matthew 27:43).
At about noon, roughly three hours after the crucifixion began and when the sun should have been high overhead, an eerie darkness enveloped the entire region until three in the afternoon. As the darkness began to lift, Jesus drew a deep breath and shouted in Aramaic, His native tongue, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).Those who only spoke Greek or Latin struggled to make sense of His words, but the chief priests and scribes understood completely. Jesus was quoting a psalm written by the prophet-king, David, centuries before crucifixion had been invented.
The taunts continued as blood seeped from Jesus’ wounds and ran down the cross to mingle with the soil. When He called for something to drink, someone put a sponge on the end of a branch of hyssop, dipped it in a jar of “sour wine,” the drink “given with meals to soldiers and workers”6 as an aid in reducing fever and giving refreshment. After drinking from the sponge, Jesus decided the work He came to do had been completed. He tilted His head back, pulled up one last time to draw a deep breath, and cried, “Tetelestai!”
With Jesus’ last breath on the cross, He declared the debt of sin canceled, completely satisfied. Nothing else required. Not good deeds. Not generous donations. Not penance or confession or baptism or...or...or...nothing. The penalty for sin is death, and we were all born hopelessly in debt. He paid our debt in full by giving His life so that we might live forever. |
