The Crucifixion Story

Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19.1-16

The rulers and the priests of Jesus time was very angry with Him as Jesus told the truth that He was the Son of God and that they were seeking for a chance to kill Him. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus disciple betrayed Him for the sake of 30 pieces of silver. Now Jesus was brought to Pilate and Pilate found no reason for Jesus to be crucified. So he brought Him to the people outside and asked them what they wanted him to do with Jesus. The crowd had told Pilate they wanted Jesus killed. Pilate ordered Jesus to be brought inside the palace.

The soldiers crowded around Jesus. They pushed Him one way, then the other. They took off His clothes and put a robe on Him. The robe was the color worn by kings, a reddish-purple. The soldiers did this so they could make fun of Jesus.“Look at Him! Now He doesn’t look like a king!”“A king should have a crown!” They twisted together a crown of thorns. They forced it onto His head. They put a stick in His right hand and knelt in front of Him. The guards laughed at Him.“Long live the King of the Jews!” they sneered. They spat on Him and took the stick. They hit Him on the head with it again and again! All the while, Jesus did not fight back.

The soldiers led Jesus back to Pilate. He tried again to tell the religious leaders there was no reason to kill Jesus. As soon as the priests and religious leaders saw Jesus, though, they shouted, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

“You crucify Him! I can’t find any reason to have this man killed!”  “He says He’s the Son of God,” they answered back. “And according to Jewish Law He must die for this!” Pilate went back inside the palace. “Where do You really come from?” he asked Jesus. Jesus said nothing. Pilate said, “Don’t You know I have the power to set You free?” Jesus shook His head. He said, ”You have no power over Me. God is in control here.”

Pilate tried one more time to set Jesus free. The people still would not let him.

The Weeping Women

Matthew 27.32-33; Mark 15:21-22; Luke 23:26-31;John 19:17

The soldiers forced Jesus to take up two heavy pieces of crossed wood. As they climbedthe hill, Jesus stumbled and fell. The soldiers told a man named Simon to carry the cross for Jesus.

A group of women had followed Jesus up the hill. They wept for Jesus. He turned to them. “Don’t cry for Me. Cry for Jerusalem. This city has turned its back on the Messiah.”

Jesus on the Cross

Matthew 27.34; Mark 15:23; Luke 23:36

Jesus could barely stand, He was so weak. The cruel whip had torn open His back. Blood ran down His face from the crown of thorns. One of the soldiers went up to Jesus. He forced Him to drink some drugged wine which might ease the pain. After tasting it, Jesus shook His head no. Then the soldiers stretched Jesus onto the cross. They nailed His hands and feet to the wood. They nailed Jesus to the cross. Above His head they hammered a sign. “This is the King of the Jews.” A soldier made fun of Him. Even as he hung on the cross, the soldiers gambled to see who would get Jesus’ robe. Some of the people shouted up at Him, “If You are the Son of God,come down from the cross!” Not everyone standing around Jesus’ cross wanted to hurt Him. Among the women were His mother and another Mary and Mary Magdalene. Jesus saw His mother and John standing next to each other. He said to her, “Mother, this man is your son now.” Then He said to John, “This is your mother now.” From that day on, John took care of Mary, Jesus’ mother. Even up to the very last moments,Jesus took care of those who loved Him.

 Lesson to be Learnt:

I thought and thought but I can say that there is no one else who is as gentle  as Jesus Himself. He even when He was able to save Himself from the clutches of the soldiers was gentle and patient to bear with all the trouble they caused Him and also forgave them heartily on the cross. When we are willing to be gentle as Him He will bless us and make us just like Him.

So shall we pray a short prayer to be gentle.

Movie portraying the crucifixion