THE LOWEST VALLEY
Matthew 27:57-66
Jesus’ burial was the climax of his death, as the death was the climax of his life. Joseph’s tomb, carefully sealed with imperial Rome’s mark, tied the knot on the end of the thread of his death. There could now be no doubt that he had really died. His death touched the very bottom. He went to the very lowest, putting death to death for us, and making the new life as real as the death was. Because of the sting in his death, there need be none in ours.
Ecclesiastes 11:5 As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.
Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?
THE HIGHEST PEAK
Matthew 27:39-56
The hill of the Cross is the highest hill on earth in its significance. There hate’s worst and love’s best met, and love won. Jesus was victorious as he yielded to the pain and shame of the Cross. He did it freely of his own accord. He did it out of love. He did it for us. So, and only so, are we safe and saved. May the love of it grip us anew today!
Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.
Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?
TWO STORIES IN ONE
Mark 15:22-39
The Cross spells out two stories: one in black, ugly pot-black, the story of sin. Sin carpentered the cross, and wove the thorns, and drove the nails: our sin. And a story, too, in red, bright-flowing red, the story of love, his love, that yielded to cross and nails and shame for us. And only the passion of his love burning within will make us hate sin, as only his blood can wash it out.
NO LITTLE THINGS
Mark 15:12-20
You can never tell how much your “yes” or “no” may mean. Pilate didn’t realize the tremendous significance of his consent to the crucifying of Jesus. To him perhaps it was simply one case more, unusually troublesome, to be gotten rid of. But there are no little things when right and wrong are at stake. The tendency today is to slip along the easiest way, as Pilate did. Jesus, Master, help us to ring true to thee in all things.
CAMOUFLAGE BE WARY!
Mark 15:1-11
The issue is always sharply drawn between evil and good, Barabbas and Jesus. On the face of it, it would seem that there is no issue. Most of us would promptly reject Satan and accept Jesus. But the cunningness of it today is that evil wears a beautiful false-face. There needs to be not only the decision to choose Jesus and always ring true to him, but also the open eye and the trained ear, that we may recognize Satan’s disguises.
