Happy Wednesday! I have enjoyed being able to have coffee with God in the morning this week. I am a bit more awake. I use several different devotional materials as a jumping off point for my journal entries. The Bible I used today is a daily devotional Bible. There are always several lessons centered on a central theme. Today’s themes were centered around the actions of the people during the time leading up to the actual crucifixion of Jesus.

Mark 15:20 says, “Then they led him out of the palace to be crucified.” 1Peter 2:24 says, “Christ carried our sins in His body on the cross…”

If you read Psalm 35: 11-16 these words seem to be words that could have actually been said or at least been thoughts Jesus could have thought. As I continue to learn more about scripture I am always amazed at how the Old Testament is connected to the New Testament.

The cross was a place for the worst of the worst. It was a place of death for murderers, thieves, assassins and the like. The cross was a place of shame. The accused was stripped, beaten and paraded through town. The townspeople spat and mocked the condemned person as they were paraded through town. The condemned person was made to wear a sign around their neck stating the crime of which they had been convicted. The cross piece was lashed to their bodies and they carried the cross though town to the place of crucifixion.

Christ carried that cross. Christ bore the shame of the city of Jerusalem. Satan hated God so much that he drove the hearts of men to carry out the crucifixion to shame the Son of God before heaven. How sad and broken hearted God must have been as well as the citizens of heaven. They watched the Prince of Peace die in pain and in shame.

Jesus never lied. Jesus never murdered. Jesus never stole. Jesus never cheated. And maybe we have never done any of these things either. But Jesus died for all of those sins for those people long ago and for the sins I have committed 2000 years later. I would love to tell you that I have not committed some of the aforementioned sins, but that would be a lie. And yet to whatever degree I have committed these sins and countless others, Christ died for me. He still bore the shame of the cross for the forgiveness of my sins so that when I go to the Father at my earthly death I go clean.I will go before the Father without blemish in body and spirit because Jesus bore my shame 2000 years ago.

Jesus loves us so much that He wants to spend time with us on earth and eternity with us in heaven. The only way for us to enter the gates of heaven and stand before the Father is to go without blemish. Only perfection can enter heaven. Jesus was the perfection of His Father. When He bore our sins on the cross of shame He took all of our sins with Him and laid them before the Father and said, “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.” We need to make the same request as the thief on the cross, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus’ response will be the same as it was 2000 years ago, “Today you will be with me in paradise.”

Take joy in the journey. Love you all, Bruce, Gaylene, Geni and Travis.

Gcapplenotes@aol.com

I am not moved by what I see. I am not moved by what I feel. I am moved only by what I believe and I believe God.