Agenda HOLY WEEK: Hope in the Crucifixion

Opening 

This morning while preparing my second block students for their digital learning day assignment, I found myself getting angry at a young man. He asked me what it meant to have a compound sentence. I was angry because we just took notes over that Monday, and he never bothered to take notes. His lack of care about sentence types brought anger to my heart; I admit that I wasn’t very nice to him. The last thing he said to me before he started working, “I don’t even care to do this activity. I don’t care at all.” I held my lips firmly together, closed my eyes, and said to God, “Help me understand it.” In my spirit, I realized this FACT: 

God LOVES a rebellious heart.

It doesn’t matter the young man’s lack of care or apathy. God’s love remains and is CONSTANT, regardless of our mindset, words, or actions. This realization led me to ask another question: What did Jesus say to Peter about his rebellion? 

Luke 22: 28-34

28 “You are the ones who have remained[bq] with me in my trials. 29 Thus[br] I grant[bs] to you a kingdom,[bt] just as my Father granted to me, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and you will sit[bu] on thrones judging[bv] the twelve tribes of Israel.

31 “Simon,[bw] Simon, pay attention![bx] Satan has demanded to have you all,[by] to sift you like wheat,[bz] 32 but I have prayed for you, Simon,[ca] that your faith may not fail.[cb] When[cc] you have turned back,[cd] strengthen[ce] your brothers.” 33 But Peter[cf] said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death!”[cg] 34 Jesus replied,[ch] “I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow[ci] today until you have denied[cj] three times that you know me.”

Jesus prayed for the strengthening of a rebellious hearted Peter. He asked His Father for protection and increased the faith of Peter so that he could then give strength to his brothers (the disciples). Therefore, God does love a rebellious heart and will not give up on his children. This helps me understand the “Reckless Love” of God. 

Work Session (Main Passage) John 9:16-37 (Message Bible) 

The Crucifixion

They took Jesus away. Carrying his cross, Jesus went out to the place called Skull Hill (the name in Hebrew is Golgotha), where they crucified him, and with him two others, one on each side, Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a sign and had it placed on the cross. It read:

jesus the nazarene

the king of the jews.

20-21 Many of the Jews read the sign because the place where Jesus was crucified was right next to the city. It was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. The Jewish high priests objected. “Don’t write,” they said to Pilate, “‘The King of the Jews.’ Make it, ‘This man said, “I am the King of the Jews.”’”

22 Pilate said, “What I’ve written, I’ve written.”

23-24 When they crucified him, the Roman soldiers took his clothes and divided them up four ways, to each soldier a fourth. But his robe was seamless, a single piece of weaving, so they said to each other, “Let’s not tear it up. Let’s throw dice to see who gets it.” This confirmed the Scripture that said, “They divided up my clothes among them and threw dice for my coat.” (The soldiers validated the Scriptures!)

24-27 While the soldiers were looking after themselves, Jesus’ mother, his aunt, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene stood at the foot of the cross. Jesus saw his mother and the disciple he loved standing near her. He said to his mother, “Woman, here is your son.” Then to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that moment the disciple accepted her as his own mother.

28 Jesus, seeing that everything had been completed so that the Scripture record might also be complete, then said, “I’m thirsty.”

29-30 A jug of sour wine was standing by. Someone put a sponge soaked with the wine on a javelin and lifted it to his mouth. After he took the wine, Jesus said, “It’s done . . . complete.” Bowing his head, he offered up his spirit.

(This would be where Mark elaborates (See Mark 15: 37-39 with the soldiers conversion)

31-34 Then the Jews, since it was the day of Sabbath preparation, and so the bodies wouldn’t stay on the crosses over the Sabbath (it was a high holy day that year), petitioned Pilate that their legs be broken to speed death, and the bodies taken down. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man crucified with Jesus, and then the other. When they got to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead, so they didn’t break his legs. One of the soldiers stabbed him in the side with his spear. Blood and water gushed out.

35 The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe.

36-37 These things that happened confirmed the Scripture, “Not a bone in his body was broken,” and the other Scripture that reads, “They will stare at the one they pierced.”

1. Let’s pull out the end of the crucifixion. Let’s see what Mark 15: 37-39 states :

The Message

37-39 But Jesus, with a loud cry, gave his last breath. At that moment the Temple curtain ripped right down the middle. When the Roman captain standing guard in front of him saw that he had quit breathing, he said, “This has to be the Son of God!”

When we pull out this scene from Mark, we SEE the conversion of the Roman soldier. The conversion of the Roman soldier is mentioned in 3 of the 4 Gospels. After Jesus’ death the following happens (based on the 4 Gospels): 

1)  Darkness fell

2) Earthquake happened 

3) Veil torn in the Jewish temple 

4) Roman soldier converted 

When I focused on the conversion of the Roman soldier, I am reminded that the soldier heard Jesus’ final words. “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do,” (Luke 23:24)

The Centurion said, “This was the Son of God: this man was righteous,” (Luke 26:47) NIV 

(When the captain there saw what happened, he honored God: “This man was innocent! A good man, and innocent!” Luke 23:24 Message Bible)

• The Hope in the Crucifixion is SALVATION. The repentant thief and the Roman soldier recognized Jesus as the Son of God and their Savior. Even as the other thief and the Jewish Priest at the crucifixion did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah, two people did. Imagine if that very same soldier knew that Christ was also resurrected three days later. What would that mean for his life on earth, his eternal life,  the lives of his family members?  

Next Coop Meeting April 14, 2021

We will focus on THE RESURRECTION of Christ for HE IS RISEN!