He Is Not Here, He Is Risen!

 “…and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why are you seeking the living One among the dead?  He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise from the dead’” (Lk. 24:5-7 NASB).

Happy Resurrection Sunday! He is risen!

Resurrection Sunday: He Is Alive!!

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living One among the dead?  He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again’” {Luke 24: 1-7 NASB}.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Pet. 1:3 NASB)

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying’” (Matt. 28:5-6 NASB)

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See my series on the Jesus and fulfilled prophecy here
See my series on A Protestant's View on Stations of the Cross for Lent here

Happy Resurrection Day! He Is Alive!

The Resurrection

“But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, ‘Why do you seek the living One among the dead?  He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again’” {Luke 24: 1-7 NASB}.

Sabbath Sanctuary: Holy Saturday Why did Jesus have to die?

It sits nicely tucked away in its box—the bronzed cross that hung on my wall for many years as a symbol of blessing for my home. I packed it away after redecorating the place it hung and came across it this morning.

Remembering that His hands were pierced instead of mine.

Bronze represents judgment. Jesus took upon Himself the wrath due to me on the cross. A cross to bless my home came with a great price from God, who sent His Son. 

Yesterday, we remembered Christ and His crucifixion, His holy sacrifice for our filthiness and sin. Every sin I have committed, every idle word I have spoken, was nailed to the cross yesterday. There seems to be a void after the horrific crucifixion scene the previous day and the celebration of an empty grave on Sunday. Sabbath Saturday seemed quiet; the dust settling from the events and commotion of the traumatic events of the previous day, and a calm hush appeared to hold the city captive. It looked like everything was dead. Everything the disciples hoped for is gone—their dreams died and were buried with Jesus. The perceived injustice broke their hearts, and indeed, the question had to well in their minds—why did He have to die?

Many have asked this question through the centuries since He laid down His life for the world. It was foretold through the Old Testament: “They are striking the judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod. Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; One will come from you to be the ruler over Israel for Me. His origin is from antiquity, from eternity” {Micha 5:1a–2 HCSB}. This speaks to His eternal nature, the pre-existent Christ—the Lamb that was slain {Revelation 13:7-9}came in the flesh. Jesus told His disciples that everything written about Him in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled {Lk. 24:44}.

“Christ has sinlessly borne the sins of the world. In His innocence, he has submitted first in the full waters of the Jordan and then in the bloody waters of the cross, to baptism for sin’s repentance becoming cursed for us in over us and save us from our sin.” [1]

Some argue that this sacrifice is cruel and sadistic, but they are misguided. It was a price motivated by the love and compassion of the only wise God. He could have chosen to leave us in our sins, awaiting judgment, displaying His perfect justice. He could have chosen to save no one. But God, in His love, chose to redeem us instead of leaving us to wallow in the mire.

Because He is holy and sin requires judgment, Christ’s atonement was necessary. Jesus prayed in the garden to let the cup of His death pass from Him {Matt. 26:39}, if only there was another way…but He always prayed according to Father’s will. This is evidence that Jesus couldn't avoid His death and the cup of His suffering if He was going to fulfill the Father’s purpose and redeem mankind.

“Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely our griefs He Hime, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him” {Isaiah 53:1-6 NASB}.

But this is not the end of the story. Friday happened, but Sunday is coming! The Suffering Servant is now the victorious King! 

“He will divide the spoils with the strong. This means that we share in Christ’s inheritance. According to Paul, we co-heirs with Jesus cause we have been adopted into the family. We are God’s children. ‘Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if we indeed share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory’ {Rom. 8:15}.”[2]

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” {John 3:16}. But His justice required a way for our sins to be paid for, for He is a holy God and cannot allow sin to go unanswered. Paul tells us that was why God sent Christ to be the propitiation {Romans 3:25}, the only perfect sacrifice to pay for our sins. The love and justice of God were the ultimate cause of the atonement.

On this Sabbath, Passover, and Easter weekend, reflect on God’s holiness and justice and rest in His love, which chose to redeem you and make available His promises for your life. In His holiness, He saw your sin; in His justice, He provided the sacrifice through Christ; and because He loves you, He redeemed you.

Saturday is almost over…Sunday is Resurrection!

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[1] Alan E. Lewis, Between Cross And Resurrection: A Theology Of Holy Saturday (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2001), 45.

[2] R.T. Kendall, Why Jesus Died: A Meditation Of Isaiah 53 (Oxford: Monarch Books, 2011), 185.

The Passover Lamb: Behold the Lamb of God

It is Holy Week, and many eloquent writers have penned beautiful prose concerning the beauty of what we remember this week. Here are my humble musings, what my heart is breathing on this Good Friday. Not only is this Good Friday for the body of Christ, it is also Passover for the Jews, beginning at sundown. I love when Passover falls at the same time as Easter; the two are more connected than appears on the surface {I will elaborate on this in a moment}. Let’s begin at Good Friday.

Good Friday is a solemn day—or should be in proper reflection. Before Jesus made His way to the cross, He had a battle to overcome in the Garden of Gethsemane. This is where Jesus had an intense spiritual battle, and through His struggle, he remained obedient to God and submitted Himself to the will of the Father. He agonized as He pondered what was to come and prayed for the cup to pass. Through His love for us, He remained obedient; He saw beyond the cross to those He loved and desired to redeem. He chose to obey the Father's will and endure His impending suffering. Jesus chose obedience, and the Lord sent an angel to minister to Him.


“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’ Now an angel from heaven appeared to Him, strengthening Him” {Luke 22: 41-43 NASB}.

Jesus received His strength from the Lord. When the Lord sent the angel unto Him, the Father strengthened Him and enabled Him to remain obedient until death.

Jesus suffered immensely on our behalf, and it is important to remember that He not only died for us, but He also died in our place and on our behalf. The brutality that Jesus experienced absorbed God’s wrath and reconciled us to the Father. He exhibited the grace and mercy of God on behalf of sinners and conquered death. He was the last and perfect sin offering.

“This is the law of the sin offering: In the place where the burnt offering is killed, the sin offering shall be killed before the Lord. It is most holy” {Leviticus 6:25 NASB}.

Christ—the holiness of God—is beautifully prophesied in the Old Testament. Just as the high priest was adorned with the words holiness unto the Lord, Christ was holiness in the deepest and fullest sense of the word. The Old Testament tells the story that Jesus completes in the New Testament. We would not have the New Testament without the Old Testament.

Leviticus chapter four details the requirements for the sin offering. I encourage you to read it; it is too lengthy for this space. Below is a brief summary;

The sacrifice for the sin offering offered at the Tabernacle had to be the first-born male, without spot or blemish. The sacrifice was required to be inspected by the priests to ensure the sacrifice satisfied God’s requirements. In the New Testament, Jesus fulfilled this requirement, as He, upon inspection seven times, was found to be without fault:

1. Pilate: John 19:4; Pilate came out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing Him out to you so that you may know that I find no guilt in Him” {NASB}.


2. Herod: Luke 23: 14-15; “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him” {NASB}.


3. The High Priest: John 18 says that after Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas, he could find no fault with Jesus.


4. Caiaphas: Matt. 26:57-75; Could not get the witnesses to agree on any wrongdoing by Jesus.


5. Judas: Matt. 27:4; “I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood” {NASB}.


6. The Centurion: Matt. 27: 54; “Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, ‘Truly this was the Son of God!’” {NASB}.


7. The thief on the cross: Luke 23:40-41; “But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong” {NASB}.



Jesus is not only our sin offering, He is also our Passover Lamb. It is no accident that Christ was crucified on Passover. He was not only crucified on the day, but also at the same hour.


“With this many lambs, it was necessary for the Jews to prepare them for sacrifice at nine o’clock in the morning…they then killed them at three o’clock that afternoon so that the Passover could be completed before six o’clock, which would begin a new day.”[1]


As Israel was slaughtering the lambs with knives, spikes were driven into the flesh of our Lord, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy…He was wounded for our transgressions….



“Then at three o’clock as the people were praising God and slaughtering the lambs, Jesus died. Mark was careful to note the time and wrote that it was the ninth hour (three o’clock Jewish time) when Jesus breathed His last breath (see Mark 15:33-37).”[2]


On Passover, the Israelites were to take hyssop and apply the lamb's blood on the doorway's lintel and each side post. Now, as Christ hanged on the cross dead, His blood is applied to humanity, and the destroyer has to passover in the presence of the Blood.


The only way to the Father is to believe that Jesus Christ died and rose from the dead for our sin; to attempt any other passageway is to negate the cross. In the Tabernacle, there was only one door;


Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me” {John 14:6 NASB}.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” {John 1: 1-5, 14 NASB}.

“Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the One who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and with the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement” {1 John 5:5-8 NASB}.


“And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament. They which are called might receive the promises of eternal inheritance” {Hebrews 9: 15 NASB}.

Dear Jesus, thank you for being the perfect sacrifice for sin. Thank you for loving the world so much that you died to redeem it. Father, I thank You for bringing forth the birth of Your Son. I acknowledge Jesus Christ as my only mediator and propitiation for my sin and give you all the glory, honor, and praise. Jesus, You are our Paschal Lamb. Thank You for Your shed blood that marks us for You and sends the destroyer on his way. In Your precious Name, Amen.




Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

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[1]Booker, Richard, Celebrating Jesus In The Biblical Feasts (Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers, Inc., 2009), 42-43.

[2] Ibid.

Jesus Is Risen!!!

Jesus is alive! Thank God He is Risen! This is the crux of His Passion story, If Christ had not risen, His death would mean nothing.

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  

 Romans 6: 1-11 NASB

But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 1 Corinthians 15: 13-14

But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept. 1 Corinthians 15: 20 NASB

If Christ had not risen, our faith would be in vain. The power that raised Jesus from the dead gives us the power to live. The death and resurrection is His whole Passion.

    

What does it mean for us as believers? What did the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ do for us? First, the Bible tells us that because Jesus died we have power over sin and death.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  Romans 5: 1-2 NASB

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.  Romans 5: 9-11 NASB

Because of the atonement, we have peace with God; Jesus is our advocate to the Father.

For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus 1 Timothy 2: 5 NASB

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises. Hebrews 8:6 NASB

Jesus is all we need, He is the One that died and was raised up from the dead to reconcile us to the Father.

 In the Tabernacle in the wilderness, only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies and atone for the people of Israel; not a Levite or any other priest.  In the New Testament, the Word tells us,

Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 2: 17-18 NASB

but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore, He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7: 24-25 NASB

Jesus suffered so that we have access to God. Let us not take it in vain by praying to anyone other than Jesus; He is all we need for strength, healing, or any other need we may have. Jesus is now our High Priest and is always interceding on our behalf.

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4: 14-16 NASB

When Jesus died on the cross there was a great earthquake, the curtain in the temple between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies was torn in two. This was performed by God to illustrate the veil is gone! There is nothing now that is separating us from the presence of God. Jesus Christ is the sacrifice, He is the mediator, He has now satisfied the debt we owed for our sins. We may now boldly come before the throne of grace, and Jesus will help us with every need.

When Adam and Eve sinned, we became separated from God. The Bible tells the story from the fall to the arrival of the advocate, the Messiah, the Redeemer of all people, Jew and Greek, male and female. He is the only mediator the Bible spoke to us to wait for.

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.  John 10: 14-16 NASB

In this verse we see the meaning of the words know, knew and kneweth are the same Greek word ginosko. It means to know very well but pertains to intimacy. It is the same word used in Luke 1: 34. Mary asks the angel how it can be true that she will conceive, for she has known not a man.  The same word is used in Matthew 1: 25; explaining that Joseph did not know Mary until she had given birth to Jesus; and again it is found in Matthew 7.

Not everyone that saith to me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have not we prophesied in thy name? And in thine name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me ye that worketh iniquity. Matthew 7: 21-23 NASB

He wants to know us in an intimate way, and we take His death in vain when we go to anyone other than Jesus Christ. Go to Him and pray; worship Him. He is expecting you.

  

Thank God He is RISEN!

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A Liturgy: Experience Christ ( Stations of the Cross XII, XIII and XIV)

Ecce Homo~ here is the man

Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!” {John 19:5 NASB}. 

Stations of the Cross: Station XII Jesus Dies on the Cross.

Therefore, it says, When He ascended on high, He led captive a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things) {Ephesians 4: 8-10 NASB}.

For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth {Matthew 12: 40 NASB}.

Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives. For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.  Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted {Hebrews 2:14-18 NASB}.

When Jesus died, His work went beyond the grave. Jesus descended into hell, and took back the keys to death, hell, and the grave. He preached to those in hell, and He set them free! After He defeated the devil, He ascended into heaven.   He ascended to the Father and presented Himself, a perfect sacrifice for sin. The debt for sin was paid and He sat down at the right hand of the Father.

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world.  And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much better than the angels, as He has inherited a more excellent name than they {Hebrews 1: 1-4 NASB}.

This is important for two reasons. 1) His work for our sin is finished. He is the High Priest forever. In the Tabernacle there were no chairs, the high priest could not sit down, because the work of the priest never ended; Jesus finished and fulfilled the works of the law and is seated at the right hand of the Father. 2) Jesus is the only advocate to the Father. The only way to the Father is through Jesus Christ. Jesus tells us that anyone who tries to approach the Father by any other way than Jesus is a robber and a thief. (See John 10:1-2).

Therefore, He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself  {Hebrews 7: 25-27}.

He was the perfect sacrifice for all. Everything He completed on the cross accomplished all that was needed to free us from the power of sin and death. You are free. 

Stations of the Cross: Station XIII— Jesus is Taken Down From the Cross

I often wonder how Mary and the others felt when they held Jesus’ lifeless body. The body that once walked Israel, healing the sick and touching hurting people, is now motionless.

It has been dark since noon, and a major earthquake has caused the dead to rise; literally. It is raining and cold, and they weep over His wet, beaten, and torn body.  Lifeless. Many times it seems that our dreams have died and our destiny with it. Even though Jesus body was dead, we know He was working behind the scenes, defeating the devil and death.  We can rest in Jesus and know even though it looks as if our dreams are dead; Jesus is working for us behind the scenes. Though it looks dim, do not be deceived by circumstance, Jesus is working everything for good. 

Mary His mother and the others must have been devastated; their world turned upside down. Mary knew this would happen, maybe not exactly how it unfolded, but she knew.  This is why Jesus was born; Mary had pondered many things in her heart over the years only to see them come to this end. I imagine Mary’s mind replays all the memories of watching Jesus grow up. After all, she is His mother; I cannot imagine her pain. Nothing will prepare you to lose a child. He is the Messiah, but she birthed and raised Him; nurtured and cared for Him. Everything she has poured into this life—is dead—or so it would seem.

Those that helped remove Jesus body from the Cross do not realize that in three short days, all they believe to be dead is already resurrected. All that seems dead to you has already come to life.  

Stations of the Cross: XIV Jesus Laid in the Tomb

His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death,
Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth {Isaiah 53:9 NASB}.

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.  And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave  {Matthew 27: 57-61}.

 Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus buried Jesus and kept it secret. They both were believers, but not openly for fear of the Sanhedrin. These secret disciples wanted Jesus to receive a proper burial.  Joseph and Nicodemus both risked their lives to secure the body of Jesus; should they be found out, they probably would have paid a heavy price—perhaps losing their position and probably ostracized. This was no small feat.

 What have we done to sacrifice our positions or importance for Jesus? Are we willing to risk our lives for Him? Are we willing to put everything we have on the line for Him? Can we sell all that we have and give it to the poor and follow Him? What is in our lives and hearts that would keep any part of us from Him?  Jesus needs every part. When we give Him our whole heart, we gain so much:

 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain {Philippians 1:21}.

A Liturgy: Experience Christ ( Stations of the Cross IX, X and XI)

Station #9: Jesus Falls the Third Time.
Jesus falls again…

It is only in our brokenness that we truly realize the only help we have is the Lord.

I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from where shall my help come? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber {Psalm 121:1-3 NASB}.

He is our only refuge and strength. Sometimes, our journey in life breaks us; but God is always with us. Even when we cannot trace Him, we can trust Him. 



It is when we are totally broken before Him, when we are ready to surrender all to Him; ready to surrender to His will, His purpose, and His ways, that He can use us. Breaking is not the end; it is the beginning of something new from the Lord.

Station nine observes Jesus’ third fall. He is tired and weary but receives strength from His Father in heaven. He knows the only place to go for help. Jesus draws on the Father, and is able to make it to His feet. It does not matter that His enemies are yelling at Him, spitting on Him, and beating Him. They will not hinder Jesus from completing His purpose; we need to follow Jesus’ example. When your enemies have surrounded you, trying to beat you down, keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Keep fighting, even when falling down repeatedly; just get up and keep going.

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body {2 Corinthians 4: 8-10 NASB}.

We must keep going as Jesus did. It is a hard journey at times, but we have the Lord’s example. He drew strength from the Father, and made it possible for us to draw strength from Him.

Station #10: Jesus is Stripped

They part my garments among them, and cast lots for my vesture {Psalms 22:18}.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seem woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did {John 19: 23-24}.

This is yet one more humiliation Christ had to endure. He was stripped of His clothing; hanging naked on the cross. A robe is always worn as the symbol of office or authority, and dignifies a man for the office he holds. Christ held the office of the Creator of the world.

“A further picture of His Eternal Deity, His divine Personage, and his matchless grace is seen in the fact that this robe was woven in one piece—it was seamless. This indeed was skillful work. It was the work of a craftsman. But no loom on earth could ever have produced the wonderful fabric of the Incarnate God…His life was seamless. It had no beginning, it knows no end.”[1]

El Greco 1541-1614

“Many would like to strip Jesus, our Great High Priest, of His Divinity. But they could not and cannot.”[2]

Jesus laid down His life and was humiliated for us. The Jews didn’t take it from Him, the Romans didn’t take it from Him. He laid down His life no one took it from Him…

This same outer clothing He laid down once before this—

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter” {John 13:3-7 NASB}.

We need to live in humility as Jesus did, and we as believers need to follow Christ’s example and lay aside those things that hinder us from running the race.

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us {Hebrews 12:1 KJV}.

This process hurts and humbles us before the Lord. The Lord does not do it to embarrass us. He does it to cleanse us and to make us whole, restoring us through the stripping process. Though we seem naked, waiting for us is a beautiful garment—a robe of righteousness.

Remember today that Jesus laid aside His life today to be a servant. He laid aside His life

To reconcile us to the Father. He laid aside His life to be the perfect sacrifice for sin, to make it possible for us to approach God. Can you lay aside your life for Him?


Station # 11: Jesus Is Nailed to the Cross

For dogs have surrounded me; A band of evildoers has encompassed me;
They pierced my hands and my feet {Psalms 22:16 NASB}.

I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn {Zechariah 12:10 NASB}.

And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will say, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends {Zechariah 13:6 NASB}.

Jesus is nailed to the cross. He is the only sacrifice that we will ever need for our sins. The high priest was required to enter the Holy of Holies every year on the Day of Atonement to present a sacrifice for the people of Israel. Not only is Jesus the final Passover Lamb, He is now our High Priest forever. He went to the Father and sprinkled His blood on the Mercy Seat in heaven before God, removing forever the veil of separation between God and man. How fitting that we remember Jesus, our Passover Lamb, that He was nailed to the cross for our exodus from the power of sin on this day.

It is powerful to me that this year, Purim and Easter coincide in the same week. Though the feast of Esther is not a biblical feast, it meant life and death for the Jews. Yet another hell-sent puppet attempted to wipe out the Jews from the face of the Earth. If Haman had succeeded in annihilating the Jews, the Messiah could not put on the robe of human skin and grace this lost world.

That day, as Christ hung on the cross, people throughout Jerusalem were preparing for the Passover, unaware of the events surrounding the crucifixion:

Up until the instant of its occurring, what a busy three hours had passed on Golgotha! The Crucified Himself was busy, if we may use the word. What interest He showed in what was taking place about Him! He was audibly interceding for His crucifiers, listening to the cry for mercy of the dying thief, and answering him in that sublime assurance of salvation; recognizing the presence of His mother and the beloved disciple and executing His last will and testament concerning her and him. The soldiers were busy watching and mocking Him, dividing His garments among them and casting lots for the seamless coat. The chief priests were busy criticizing Pilate’s inscription on the cross and venting their indignation. The scoffers were busy—priests, rulers, and the multitude passing by, wagging their heads, railing and reviling. All the currents of iniquity surged on unchecked around the cross. —William Nicholson The Six Miracles of Calvary

Following the noise and business is three hours of complete and utter darkness. Bone chilling darkness, as Nicholson says, a miracle, a visible suspension of nature. At noon, after three hours of hanging on the cross—all light was absent…

It will come about in that day, declares the Lord GOD, That I will make the sun go down at noon and make the earth dark in broad daylight {Amos 8:9 NASB}.

What a cruel darkness that must have been for Jesus, yet He endured it to overcome it. The darkness of sin will never hang over you or I because of His precious blood.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it {John 1:5 NASB}.

Darkness knows no power over you, Jesus overcame the darkness….

[1] C.W. Slemming, These are the Garments, (Ft. Washington, PA: Christian Literature Crusade, 1974), 44-45.
[2] Ibid.