Bible Verses:
Luke 23:26-49
²⁶ As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
²⁷ A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him.
²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.
²⁹ For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’
³⁰ Then “ ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’
³¹ For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.
³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals–one on his right, the other on his left.
³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar
³⁷ and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?
⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. ”
⁴³ Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
⁴⁴ It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
⁴⁵ for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
⁴⁶ Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.
⁴⁷ The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
⁴⁸ When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and went away.
⁴⁹ But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
My Remarks:
Although the time is harsh nowadays, our fellowship continued. And this week’s discussion was the crucifixion.
I related the crucifixion with the style of leading a meeting which is widely used in the western. The style of a Christian leading a meeting is totally different from the others.
To increase the contradictories, I so-called the others style as Satan’s style for contrast. No personal attack nor discrimination. Only for easy illustration.
In a meeting, Christian will actively involved in the discussion while Satan will observe in silence.
Why Satan keeps in silence, it’s because it’s a chess game for him. He observed and bet on the side of the game. If it’s going to lose, he’s got nothing to lose. So he simply gives up the chess and wait for the next game.
However, Christian will actively involved in the meeting. The difficulties in the meeting is the chance to experience God’s mercy and it’s wonderful to experience it with a group of Christians. Hence, conflicts can be resolved peacefully.
Magic Moments 