Freedom From Sin And Death

The verses for today are from Luke 23:20-23, 25-46 NIV:

[20] "Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. [21] But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

[22] For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

[23] But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. [25] He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

[26] As the soldiers 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 childless 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 people 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, they crucified him there, 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 God’s Messiah, 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 Messiah? 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, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

[44] It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, [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."

There is not much to write, but much to think about, for Jesus suffered these things that our sins might be forgiven, and our relationships to the Father might be restored. He took our sins upon himself, paid the price with His body and blood. He died that we might live eternally.

I am reminded of verses from the Letter to the Hebrews 2:14-17 NIV:

[14] "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death---that is, the devil--- [15] and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. [16] For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. [17] For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

Lord, I am certainly not worthy, but I thank You for setting me free from sin and death by Your sacrifice.