Jesus has been nailed to a cross to die. And Luke wants to remind us of two things about this bleeding, dying man: who He is and what He’s doing.
Read Luke 23 v 33-39
Picture the scene adn hear the sounds in your mind. Don't skip over teh awful details of each verse.
Who He is
- How many times is the true identity of Jesus mentioned in these seven verses?
- How many people recognize that this is the true identity of Jesus?
- What do teh reulers (v35), the solciers (v37) and the dying criminal (v 39) all think Jesus will do if He really is who He claimed to be?
- Why is this ironic?
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TIME OUT
If you have time, here is one more Old Testament link well worth turning to!
Read Psalm 69 v 18-24
- How is verse 21 pointing to Jesus' death (have a look at Luke 23 v 36)?
- When he experienced these things, how did David, God's chosen king, respond? (v 17-18) (v 23-25)
- How does this compare to the response of Christ to His crucifixion? How does this highlight the astonishing love of Jesus?
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What He's Doing
- Who is Jesus crucified beetween (v 33)
Christ Jesus had predicted this (22 v 37), pointing back to Isaiah 53 v 12. God’s servant was dying with the transgressors... but the Lord Jesus was also dying for the transgressors. “He bore the sin of many” (Isaiah 53 v 12). This loving Ruler doesn’t stay on the cross because He isn’t the Christ—but because He is.
Jesus is all powerful. At any moment He could have prevented His arrest, stopped His trial and come down from His cross. He could have said: “Enough”.
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PRAY
The only reason the Lord did not say "enough" is because He had decided to save you and me. It's worth dwelling on this truth. And then thanking Jesus for who He is, and what He did, and how He loves us.
Re-read Luke 23 v 33-39, thinkig to yourself: He endured this for me.
Thank Him for all He went through to bear your sin. Ask Him to help you respond to others' mockery, rejection and bullying in the same way as He did: by praying for their forgiveness.
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This devotional is taken from Explore—a daily Bible-reading devotional from The Good Book Company which enables you to engage with Scripture and which will encourage, equip and inspire you to live for Christ. Explore features contributions from pastors such as Dr Timothy Keller, Mike McKinley and Tim Chester.
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