Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother…When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty."
A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished."
With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.
The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.
But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.
Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.
The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.
These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled:
Not one of his bones will be broken," and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."
Even in death Jesus accomplishes much:
ReplyDelete* He honors his mother (making sure she is taken care of)
* He fulfills scriptures
* and he submits his life. Notice He gave up his life. Up to that point the angels could still have been called - but He is obedient to the Father to the very point of death on a cross!
On the day many celebrate Jesus' birth, I find it fitting that we read of his death - which was the plan from before the beginning of the world.
One song I've heard recently says this:
I celebrate the day
that you were born to die
So I could one day pray for you to save my life.
He came with a purpose - to show us how to live and then die for our sins!
How thankful are we for that sacrifice?
How are we trying to follow in his footsteps of love, self sacrifice, and obedience to the Father?