[0:01]This is a medical and a physical account of what happens during a crucifixion. It's what Jesus Christ went through, it's what many others went through. 110 pounds, at least that, 110 to 120, 650 yards uphill. He was a man, he was crucified and it's just whether or not you call him your Savior and he rose from the dead a few days later. If He was just a man that died on the cross that's a tough sucker, but if He's a man that died in the cross for you, now that's different. That's different and it requires something different. For the joy set before Him was abandoned by His closest friends. Even the people that He mentored and spent countless hours preparing, abandoned Him at the moment of truth. How many times do you and I abandon Jesus at the moment of truth? He was ridiculed by the masses and spit on, slapped in the face, and beaten by the Jew on his way to the trial site. He was charged with lies by people He didn't even know. Although pilot was in a position of authority, this time, he bent down to the pressure of others. Being liked was more important than being bold. Sentenced Him to death without evidence. How many times do you and I choose the easier wrong as opposed to the harder right because we value earthly love above our Father's everlasting love? The first step, the crucifixion, was a severe beating with a long, skinny whip with small pieces of metal. Standard number of lashings for a crucifixion was 39. They said, forty lashes would kill a man. So, he saved him to prolong the pain and suffering. Ripped the flesh from the body and skin was stripped from the back. Next they put a heavy cloak on His back and a crown of thorns on His head that rubbed heavily on the wounds from the lashing. They hit the crown of thorns on His head, directing the thorns into His skull and they ridiculed Him. After several minutes of extreme beatings and spitting on Him, they whipped the cloak from His back, tearing apart any calluses on the skin. Jesus screamed in pain. Finally, they gave Him a cross. He fell several times due to exhaustion and low blood flow. At a point, Jesus was no longer able to carry the cross Himself. Once they made it to the hill, the crucifixion took place. Seven inch nails were put through the wrist. Feet were lifted on top of one another, and another seven inch stake was put through the feet, the cross was then lifted. Soon gravity would pull His body to the point where He dislocated both shoulders. Finally, Jesus was struck with a spear in the intercostal space of His ribs. Pierced the outer sac of the heart. This sac should not have contained blood. But the Bible says that blood and water leaked from His chest. Thus, it suggests that God did not die of suffocation like most... instead He died of a broken heart. We celebrate the resurrection, but sometimes it dulls our senses in terms of the cost. Think of the sins that you're responsible for can be attributed to the thorns, to the nails, to the scars. And he allows us to approach him with a clean heart. He did it willingly. He was persistent in loving us. He chose you and me every step of the way, every grueling second of the sacrifice. The entire time your beautiful face was etched on His mind. Your name was in His heart. This should cause us all to live free and to live with incredible purpose. May you be reminded of God's love for you, and to discern the ways that you can strip away sin from your own life, to grow closer to God. Let's all carry our cross with gratitude and learn to live with greater purpose, all right?
[3:02]Though our sins are scarlet You have made us wise, Lord
