Series: Devotion

“Not a very effective one.” As the rulers put it, “He saved others; why can’t He save Himself?” Where’s the power and glory now, Jesus? Why can’t You get down off that cross?

They might have realized they were killing an innocent man. They had no idea they were killing the Son of Man—the Son of God—God Himself. How do you measure that?

Simon didn’t know then that the real substitution was the other way around. Jesus was taking Simon’s place—bearing the weight of Simon’s sin and wrongdoing, all his shame and guilt and brokenness.

I wonder what Barabbas thought when the jailer came to open his cell.
Did he think he was going to the cross? Did he struggle?
How long was it before he truly believed he was going free?

Cowardice is a sin— Jesus knows exactly what is in our hearts, and loves us just the same. His own courageous love drove Him to lay down His life for us, going as far as death on a cross.

What a good thing, when we are in deep trouble, God pays attention. He involves Himself. He focuses His wisdom and concern on us, and stretches out His hand to pull us out.

Peter would remember that night for the rest of his life—how he sat with Jesus’ enemies, how they recognized him and began to whisper, the outright accusations—and his own denials, “I don’t even know that Man!” And then Jesus’ look. No words at all, just Jesus turning and looking at Peter. And it broke Peter’s heart.

God was working to rescue us—by laying down His own life on the cross to break the power of darkness and rescue us. Now that Jesus has risen from the dead, all of us who trust in Him are free—children of God, alive forever.

Blessed relief from pain. And then standing there dazed as he watched the rest of his group haul his Savior away to trial and death. Did the man tell his family this story? Did he—just possibly—find his way into the early Christian church, after Jesus’ death and resurrection?