Laurel Wreath’s Reflections

I have often wondered about the crowds that yelled to crucify Christ…go here Tim Challies has a guest blogger that is WONDERFUL.

Today I am thankful for only one thing CHRIST DID THIS FOR ME:

The Death of Jesus (Matthew 27: 45-66)

45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”—which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”

48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49 The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.

57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

For more please Visit Sting My Heart.

The only way to the empty tomb is through the cross. There were disciples who followed him for years, they gave up everything, left their families to follow Christ. But when it came time for his crucifixion only John could be found standing at the foot the cross. We all have 20/20 hindsight today. Where would you have been if you lived during that time? In all honesty I don’t know where I would have been. And if I am real honest, probably hiding.

I see the scourges tear His back,
I see the piercing crown,
And of that crowd who smite and mock,
I feel that I am one.

‘Twas I that shed the sacred blood,
I nailed Him to the tree,
I crucified the Christ of God,
I joined the mockery.

Yet not the less that blood avails,
To cleanse away my sin;
And not the less that cross prevails
To give me peace within.

(Horatius Bonar)

For it was I who nailed him to the cross, it was I who made him die. But in return I was saved.

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

It is a free gift…FREE. No strings attached…

“By grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works that no one should boast” (Ephesians 2:8,9).

There is nothing you have done in the past, nor anything you can do in the future to make God love you any more or any less. It is through his Son’s death, that you are made clean. “it is the gift of God.”

21 DAYS UNTIL EASTER.

If you are not sure if you are ready, this will help you make sure.