The crucifixion of Jesus Christ pays the price for our salvation. Subplots include fulfilled prophecy, Christ’s rejection by the chief priests and the moral dilemma faced by Pontius Pilate.
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Father in heaven,
You have glorified the name of Jesus now and forever by sending him to die on the cross.
In Christ you fulfilled your perfect plan, which was the plan for our redemption. There is no greater love.
Help us to never look lightly on the cross of Jesus Christ. And help us to live for you.
Teach us to do what is right, even when we face the most difficult moral dilemmas, choosing you over self-interest and even over human authority every time.
And help us to love one another through great self-sacrifice, even as Christ loves us.
In Christ,
Amen
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
To the very end, Christ was in control of the situation. We might be reminded of what he said back in John 10:17-18.
17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”
Fully conscious that it was time for his life to end, “that all was now finished,” he utters the words “I thirst.” to fulfill the Scripture. We might here go back to Psalm 69. In v.3 it says, “my throat is parched.” Later in v.21, “for my thirst they gave me sour wine to drink.” Christ’s entire life, including his death on the cross was death on the cross was tied firmly to the Jewish Scriptures.
His sacrificial death comes with the words, “It is finished.” He then gave up his life.
In Luke 12:50, Jesus said,
I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!
That “baptism” was finally accomplished here on the cross. His work was complete. The prophecies were fulfilled. Our redemption is accomplished once and for all. Psalm 22, the psalm that starts with the cry “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ends with the words that seem to point to Christ’s finished work.
30 Posterity shall serve him;
it shall be told of the Lord to the coming generation;
31 they shall come and proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn,
that he has done it.
This chapter follows Jesus through his betrayal, arrest and trials. He faces all of this calmly and willingly. Peter, on the other hand, is not prepared to face the consequences of his faith.
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Central Reflections 