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.
WITH JESUS?
Mark 14:43-45; Mark 14:66-72
It was the inner circle that failed Jesus in the crisis—those who knew him best and companioned with him most. This is terrible. Peter denied; Judas betrayed; nine ran away; but John went in “with Jesus” into the thickest of the danger, at the possible risk of his own life. We must always be grateful for dear John. There was one who didn’t fail. But the crisis isn’t over yet. Are any of us failing Jesus?
James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
Think about these questions as you meditate on the verse. What does this verse teach me? How does this verse apply to my Life?
