Thursday into Friday

It is so nice to be getting back to the real world after going through another knee replacement surgery. You would have thought that I would have been writing blogs like crazy while I was down but for some reason I had a little writers block. But now I am starting to feel like myself again and can't wait to feel inspired again.

Last night we had a wonderful Maundy Thursday service. This is the celebration of the night Jesus and his disciples had their last supper together. As we exited the sanctuary we left in silence, thinking of the sacrifice Jesus was about to give for us those 2000 years ago. This morning as I am sitting here thinking of His sacrifice I can't even imagine the pain and agony our Jesus went through that night and on into Friday. We call this day Good Friday, and for us this day means so much for our eternity, but for Jesus, I'm sure it felt like an eternity all in one day.

Matthew 26:67

New International Version (NIV)

67 Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him 68 and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Matthew 27:26-37

26 Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

27 Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. 28 They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then thy knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.30 They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. 31 After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus

32 As they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. 33 They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. 35 When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 36 And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. 37 Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.

The scriptures give us a picture of what Christ suffered. Flogging seems pretty tame, when compared to the crucifixion, which was horrible in itself. But in reality Jesus suffered so much even before the climb up to Calvary.

"The whip :            
             The flagrum was a whip with a short handle and generally two or three long thick thongs, each weighted at some distance from their extremity with lead balls or mutton bones. In action, the thongs cut the skin, while the balls or bones created deep contusions. The result was significant hemorrhaging and considerable weakening of the vital resistance of the victim. In compensation, if one may call it that, this weakening shortened their agony on the cross

Number of lashes :            
             Hebrew law was strict on this, limiting it to 40. The Pharisees, in order to make sure that they never broke the law, gave only 39 lashes. The Romans had no limit, except for the fact that the victims should be left with just enough strength to carry their crosses to the place of execution. As the man who condemned Jesus to be flogged was Pilate, the Roman Proconsul, the number of lashes could be unlimited. The Gospels report that Jesus could not carry his cross without calling to an onlooker for help. This suggests a very severe beating".


I know this is hard to read and even harder to think about. Jesus suffered so much! But His love for us was and is bigger than we can even imagine. He gave Himself over for all of this so that we could have a glorious future. 

Yes this day is sad to think about but just wait......

Joy is coming!!!!


Blessings!