SCRIPTURE: Mark 15:16-20
I cannot stomach violence, any kind of bullying bothers me.
How can people become so cruel, so careless?
God enters the cursed world, and embraces our brokenness.
God in Jesus feels our pain, endures our misery.
God can relate to injustice, oppression, abuse, torture, horrific pain…
God stands with victims all over the world, all through history.
He goes where we are, so that He can bring us to where He is.
Jesus, as one of us, experiences the curse of sun, death and hell.
And the awesome news is that He breaks through its hold, and opens the way for victory beyond the curse!!!!
Wherever you are, whatever you’re going through, God in Jesus stands with you, suffers with you, and overcomes for you.
Because of Jesus, you will see the other side of this curse.
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, my prayer today is especially for those who like You are enduring horrific, unspeakable violence and injustice. Please give them a taste of Your victory today!
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
When I read this, all I can think is “why didn’t anyone step in? Why didn’t anyone help him”? He willingly took any pain and shame that was inflicted on him and in turn gave us life. And still, he seeks us out, and asks for our pain in return for life. It’s hard to really think about what he went through … Too gruesome. Lord, I am thankful for your love, and willingness to suffer that I might live.
I’m trading my sorrows
I’m trading my pain
I’m laying them down for the joy of the Lord
The soldiers mocked Jesus, beating him, and called him a king, but not in a respectful way. We still hear people today mocking Jesus, calling out his name in a disrespectful way. I would like to suggest that the soldiers did not know who they were dealing with. Today we question God when circumstances do not go our way, when we are ill, when we are in trouble financially, or when we have relationship problems, and we ask God why he would allow this to happen to us. Look at what happened to Him? Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people? I don’t know, but we are not alone in this regard. He was beaten and mocked, and ridiculed.
Tony mentions that the things they were saying about Jesus was true. This brings to mind that, “Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord” This will be a true bowing, not a mock ceremony. It will become obvious that Jesus is the Lord of all creation.
I pray that I will be able to bow and confess that Jesus is Lord now, in faith and belief in Him. I pray that those who mock Jesus, then and now, will come to an understanding of Jesus love and power.
Observation/Application
A company of soldiers and only one Man? What were they thinking?
And in their activities, without realizing it themselves, some of their actions were showing the true reality – the purple robe of royalty, the words hailing the King, a crown. Yet they did not know what they were doing.
The shame, the pain, the mocking, the humiliation was all that I deserved and not my Saviour. He took my place so that today I can live for Him. I must need to stand up for my Saviour each day and be a living witness of what He has done for me.
Prayer
Lord, help me this day to live a life worthy of the gospel of Christ standing firm in the Spirit.
We are one in the spirit we are one in the Lord
We are one in the spirit we are one in the Lord
And we pray that all unity may one day be restored
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love , by our love
Yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love
We will walk with each other
We will walk hand in hand (2)
And together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land
We will work with each other we will work side by side(2)
And we’ll guard each man’s dignity and save each man’s pride
All praise to the father from whom all things come
And all praise to Christ Jesus his only son
And all praise to the spirit
Who makes all things one.